FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                         CIV
TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 1995                              (202) 514-2008
                                               TDD (202) 514-1888

CIGARETTE MAKER PHILIP MORRIS AGREES TO REMOVE ADVERTISING SIGNS FROM SPORTS STADIUMS WHERE THEY WERE SHOWN ON TV


     WASHINGTON, D.C. -- After extensive negotiations, the
Department of Justice announced today that it reached agreement
with Philip Morris Incorporated, manufacturer of Marlboro and other
cigarettes, to resolve allegations that the tobacco company used
strategically placed signs at professional sports stadiums to get
around the ban on cigarette advertising on television.
     In a complaint and settlement filed in U.S. District Court in
Washington, the government asserted that Philip Morris'  cigarette
signs appeared in televised sports coverage in stadiums used by 14
baseball clubs and 14 football teams, such as the New Orleans
Superdome, Candlestick Park in San Francisco, and the Fulton County
Stadium in Atlanta, and five basketball arenas, such as Madison
Square Garden in New York.
     Since 1971, tobacco ads have been barred on television after
Congress passed the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act
in an effort to reduce the recruitment of new smokers.
     The Justice Department said Philip Morris was informed by
Madison Square Garden that Marlboro displays would be "clearly
visible" next to the scorers' table and elsewhere in the arena for
three to four minutes during telecasts of New York Knicks games and
sports news programs.  During the 1994-95 football season,
Candlestick Park placed a Marlboro ad behind the uprights where it
was visible when balls were kicked into the end zone.  For
baseball, a Marlboro sign was placed just above the outfield fence
in Fulton County Stadium's left field where it was clearly visible
during television coverage of Atlanta Braves games.
     Under the terms of the agreement, Philip Morris will be
prohibited from placing cigarette advertisements next to the
playing fields at televised baseball, basketball, football and
hockey games.  The agreement also bars the placement of cigarette
advertisements in locations that are most likely to appear on
television during game broadcasts.
     Frank W. Hunger, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil
Division, said the Department insisted on a strong decree
prohibiting such advertising in all the major professional sports
stadiums.
     "The Department believed there were obvious violations of the
advertising ban, some of them flagrant," said Hunger.  He referred
particularly to the Marlboro sign at the scorers' table at Madison
Square Garden in New York.  Philip Morris and the Garden removed
that sign during settlement discussions with the Justice
Department.
     Said Hunger, "Congress banned the broadcast of cigarette
advertisements because it was concerned that such advertising
encouraged young people to start smoking.  That goal has been
eroded over the last 25 years, in our opinion, as more and more
cigarette displays seemed to appear on television.  We are pleased
that Philip Morris recognized the need to honor Congress' objective
and agreed to this decree."
     The settlement agreement must be approved by the court.

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