And here we were, stupidly assuming that more direct advertising was a good thing, and something has to come along and show us the error of our ways. Because the price hike isn't going to be bad enough, now the MTA decided the best way to make a quick buck is to advertise is on the windows of subway cars: essentially keeping the sardine-squished passengers without even the view of the underground tracks that are so lovely this time of year. Then again: it's a way to make revenue for the MTA, and that means less expensive fare…and maybe we can even keep our seats (pretty please?).
So yes, on the one hand, who is going to miss windows on a subway? On the other: who are these ads for that couldn't view from inside the car already? The ever elusive mole people demographic?
And for the love of God, why not on the sides of subway cars? Why the windows??!
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According to the story in today's Daily News (the story doesn't seem to be online, and I realize no-one who works for Jossip would ever be caught dead reading an actual physical newspaper), the ads are part of a test for a material called Scotchcal, the idea of which is to prevent windows getting damaged from assholes etching and burning their tags into the glass and forcing the MTA to spend a small fortune in repair costs. Hence the placement of the window-protecting material (and their accompanying ads) on the…um, windows.
um… GRRR?
This so called "Scotchal" could be tested without using an advert. if the only reason they are doing this is to prevent the "ghettofication" of the subway windows then they could have used this tech. with out selling out to advertisers. There are many different ways to supplement the MTA… Station Sponsorships anyone?… Increased taxes on MTA supplemented buildings? Instead of using money to worry about windows on the train maybe the should worry about spending money on a way that I don't have to pay $100 for a monthly Metro-Card.
ok once again here we got coperate america gamming there garbage down our throat ,,,,,,
do we really need this i like to see in the subway car,, i tak the sub way every day
i like to know if the car is crowded ,, & not wat sofdrink i should be buying ,, if its good it will sell itself ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
I think it is also a security factor. Namely being unsafe because from the outside you can't see what is going on inside. (Apart from the practical reason as mentioned in #3)
mister: sure, we can debate whether or not the MTA should have immediately done the functional test with advertisers (personally, given that I don't have to look at it once I'm in the train, I'm all for the MTA making a few bucks, because I don't want to pay $100 for a metrocard either), but that's different from the original question of "OMG! Windows?!" with its implication that someone within the MTA was being arbitrary, stupid, or both, when in fact it looks more like someone using their noggin in an attempt to solve a pain-in-the-ass and costly problem in a way that might actually generate some cash. You may disagree with their solution, but I'm glad somebody in the MTA apparently has a shred of initiative. I'm curious though: why is this test "selling out to advertisers" while "Station Sponsorships" are okay?
coexxi
You can see through this stuff from inside, albeit not as clearly as a clear window. On the other hand, I can't see well through a window that's been all scratched up and blurred with acid either.
Grrr: I have to admit you make a point…