Law eliminates alcohol advertising in college papers

Half-price "happies" specials may be more difficult to find this weekend; recently enforced advertising restrictions could force students to look beyond the newsprint to find local drink features.

Act 199, a state law that went into effect Feb. 18, includes restrictions on the advertising of alcoholic beverages in yearbooks, magazines, newspapers, program books, brochures and similar publications published by or for educational institutions.

- Clay Calvert, assistant professor of communications

However, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board has only started recently to enforce the law in the area.

Clay Calvert, assistant professor of communications, said he sees questions could be raised about the law's constitutionality. As long as the advertisements are truthful, do not mislead and promote legal activities, they should be allowed to be printed in college newspapers, he said.

Legislators are selecting what speech to put into newspapers instead of the news and advertising editors, he said.

"The state is trying to dictate the content of magazines and newspapers, and that raises a First Amendment question," Calvert said.

Student newspapers in the commonwealth have mixed reactions to the alcohol advertising ban.

Maria E. Crespo, The Daily Collegian's advertising manager, said alcohol advertisements comprised "quite a bit" of advertising revenue.

Only recently has the law been enforced, she said. Advertisements may still include hours of operation, entertainment and special prices on nonalcoholic beverages, she said. Advertisements that mention drink specials and happy hours are prohibited, she added.

"You can't say anything that directly or indirectly alludes to alcohol," Crespo said.

Zoanne Boaz, zone manager of The Pitt Daily News, the University of Pittsburgh's student newspaper, said advertisers were not aware of the law initially, so the newspaper took it upon itself to adjust advertisements to make them legal.

"We've had to change a lot of people's ads around," Boaz said.

Boaz said she questions the ability of the law to curb underage drinking.

"About 60 percent of the people that read the paper are over 21," she said.

Local businesses are aware of the law and have adjusted their advertisements accordingly.

David Wells, director of operations for Dante's Restaurants Inc., 936 E. College Ave., which owns Crowbar, 420 E. College Ave., and The Saloon, 101 Hiester St., said he received a bulletin from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board early last month.

Wells said Dante's Restaurants is more fortunate than other area businesses with liquor licenses because the entertainment acts they provide draw more customers than the drink specials.