Turner Broadcasting System will pay about $2 million in restitution and other compensation for last week’s bomb scares that paralyzed parts of the Boston area, reports the Boston Globe. The settlement for the guerrilla marketing campaign that went wrong includes $1 million to reimburse cities for their out-of-pocket expenses for the police response. It also includes about $1 million in “goodwill funds” to be divided among the state and the cities of Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville for homeland security awareness and emergency preparedness.
The deal frees Turner Broadcasting of any criminal or civil liability. Battery-powered, lighted electronic boards depicting a cartoon character making an obscene gesture promoted the “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” show. Nearly 40 of the signs were installed around Boston, including on bridges and overpasses. Bomb squads responded and police shut down highways, subway lines, and the Charles River last Wednesday when people reported suspicious devices.
Link: http://www.boston.com/news/globe/city_region/breaking_news/2007/02/turner_broadcas.html