LA Billboards Off the Charts

Billboards are out of control in the City of Angels, Pat Morrison writes in the Los Angeles Times, and an industry with almost no accountability is again fighting city efforts at regulation. Giants Clear Channel and CBS Outdoor are throwing a "well-lawyered hissy-fit" against an effort to make the location and description of every billboard in LA public knowledge.

The industry claims exact locations of billboards is a trade secret, and enjoys the support of city attorney Rocky Delgadillo—described by Morrison as having “benefited from the billboard industry's generosity.” Delgadillo says he’s for full disclosure, but fears “huge damages” the city could be forced to pay if a judge sides with the industry after information is made public. (More advertising stories.)