Billboard Moved After Complaints

A Power 106 billboard has recently been removed from the La Crescenta/Montrose area and relocated to Tujunga after several complaints from the community.

The billboard depicts one of the hip hop station’s popular disc jockeys, Big Boy. The DJ, who has lost weight, is pictured holding open his large pants and claiming he is “Still Big Where It Counts.”

This billboard was first placed in the Crescenta Valley a few months ago. Several community members complained to the Crescenta Valley Town Council about the billboard calling it inappropriate.

“We had a lot of people in the community who were concerned,” CVTC member Danette Erickson said. “It was shocking to our community.”

The town council contacted Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich’s office.

“We contacted the advertising company and asked them to remove the billboards,” Tony Bell, communications deputy for Antonovich, said. He added that the company was very cooperative in acquiescing the request.

The billboard was taken down only to have another company place a billboard with the same campaign near the La Crescenta Library.

“To be fair, the first billboard was with Clear Channel and the second one was with Viacom,” Erickson said.

More calls were made by town council members and Antonovich’s office, and it was taken away. Another billboard of the same nature has now appeared on Foothill Boulevard in Tujunga.

Erickson and community members who complained to the town council felt the billboards were inappropriate, especially because young children see the ads.

She compares the ads to adult-oriented magazines that are required to be behind the counter at stores that sell them.

At a recent classroom meeting between Antonovich and Rosemont Middle School students, many children asked about the issue. Antonovich told the students his office responded to community concerns. He stressed that his office asked the ad agencies to take the billboard down, not order them down.

“It’s ridiculous,” Crescenta Valley High School senior James M. Garren said, adding he feels Big Boy and the station should be able to put the sign where they want. “He has the right to express his opinion where he wants.”

Others, such as CVHS senior James Dee, feel the billboards are just part of today’s advertising. “It should not be something that people take personally. It is a humorous tactic to get more consumers.”

Erickson agreed that this is the way advertising is common in today’s market, which she feels is unfortunate.

“I think billboards are a reflection of our community,” Erickson said. “We are trying to clean up Foothill. We should be concerned about Tujunga and Glendale [too]. They are our neighbors.”

According to Bell, the office has not received any complaints from Tujunga residents regarding the billboard, but if it does he will begin an investigation into removing it.

The Power 106 advertising company has been very corporative, Bell reiterated. Power 106 did not return several phone calls.