YNN REPLACES COMMERCIALS WITH PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS
By Adnews Staff
Montreal-based Athena Educational Partners Inc. is replacing commercial advertisements on its Youth News Network program with public service announcements. YNN is a national news and current affairs program broadcast to students in classrooms that formerly included two and a half minutes of commercial advertising. Gary Pelletier, vice president of marketing for AEP, said the company always intended to migrate away from commercials, adding that the move is also intended to overcome opposition the company has faced from teacher's groups regarding advertising in schools. The PSA's will begin running in the fall when high school students head back to class. Currently the YNN program is shown in 14 schools in Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. Pelletier said the company expects to add another 16 schools to its roster, bringing the total to 30. The PSA's will deal with topics affecting teenagers such as bullies, pregnancy, drug use and staying in school.