FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CIV TUESDAY, APRIL 4, 1995 (202) 616-2765 TDD (202) 514-1888 JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ACTS TO KEEP CIGARETTE ADS OFF CAMERA WASHINGTON, D.C.-- In its first lawsuit to prevent the circumventing of Congress' 1971 ban on broadcast advertising of cigarettes, the Justice Department today reached an agreement with New York's Madison Square Garden to remove cigarette signs from locations that the Department contends were strategically selected to be seen on televised sports coverage. The Justice Department accused Madison Square Garden of violating the Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act by displaying a large Marlboro cigarettes sign directly in front of the scorers' table during televised Knicks games. Madison Square Garden owns both the New York Knickerbockers of the National Basketball Association and the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League. Frank W. Hunger, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, and Mary Jo White, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York announced the filing of a complaint and consent decree. Although Madison Square Garden did not admit wrongdoing, it did consent to the entry of today's decree. Hunger and White said the consent decree would prohibit the Garden from displaying cigarette signs on or immediately adjacent to the playing area or walkways to the locker rooms during televised events. The agreement bars the placement of cigarette signs at any spot "regularly in a camera's focus" during the telecast of sports or entertainment events from the Garden. "Operators of entertainment and sports arenas should be aware of their responsibiities under the law, " said White. "I am happy to report that Madison Square Garden removed the sign during the course of our discussions." "It was Congress' wish that broadcast audiences, especially young people, be protected from a barrage of advertising inducing them to smoke," said Hunger. "Its goal should be respected." The complaint and consent decree were filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan. ##### 95-187