Does Sussex want television on a stick?

For several weeks, Sussex County Council has put off a decision on whether to allow digital billboards along county roads.

It’s a debate going on in communities across the nation, largely driven by citizens who oppose what's been called “television on a stick.”

Leading the way in opposing digital signs are states whose natural beauty is a major tourist attraction: Maine, Vermont, Montana, Washington, Hawaii and Alaska. Add to that a growing number of cities from Seattle to Atlanta saying no to electronic billboards which offer digital, programmable, frequently changing messages.

Sign companies, such as Lamar Advertising and Clear Channel, own most of these signs, which can cost as much as $200,000 to install. That’s expensive enough to make property owners considering them think twice, but some signs reportedly bring in as much as $20,000 a month in revenue, meaning a well-placed sign could be paid for in less than a year. Is there any wonder sign companies are scrambling to put up as many signs as possible?

Besides objecting to the appearance of the signs, many people also fear they will distract drivers. After all, that’s what they’re there for: to take our attention away from driving long enough to sell us something. As one legislator considering the matter has said, if they weren’t distracting they wouldn’t be doing their job.

In Delaware, there’s an added twist: while counties have jurisdiction over whether to allow placement of digital billboards, it’s the state that would have jurisdiction over billboard specifics, such as how bright they could be or how often they could change. So if the county allows a sign, we’ll be stuck with whatever restrictions upstate lawmakers say are good enough.

Add to all this the fact that once a sign goes in, adjacent property values typically go down, and county council has plenty of good reasons to say no to digital billboards.

Delaware has banned using a handheld cell phone. But what is a digital billboard but a public text message to every driver that passes by?

For the beauty of our roadways and the safety of all drivers, say no to digital billboards.