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We live in an society that is constantly bombarded with advertising images. In SF it’s virtually impossible to get from one place to another without being pitched the latest iPod, Windows version or the next blockbuster movie. Why? Because advertising works. People see things, remember them, and act accordingly by making a purchase, telling a friend or altering their own behavior.
In order for advertisers to reach their audience they need a medium in which they can communicate their message; the most popular being television, radio, print, web, and open-air (posters, billboards etc.). The organizations that provide access to their audience can usually be classified as commercial, those that allow advertising, and non-commercial, those that have a message to convey that would be diminished by the existence of commercials, such as NPR, HBO, etc.. By the looks of it, San Francisco is a commercial city.
We take BART or MUNI and are bombarded with adds. I’m beginning to think that Viacom provides public (commercial) transportation as a service to its clients 
Is it really necessary to fill our public spaces with adds that we’re all going to see somewhere else anyway? I already pay for this space with fares and taxes and would rather have nothing there than to be subconsciously coerced into parting with more of my expendable income.
I advocate removing the ads and replace them with something that serves the entire community; Art. Thinking primarily of the BART/MUNI stations, we can create a cross-section of permanent and rotating exhibitions from local, national, and international artists that communicate the majestic and inspiring culture that is San Francisco. Although there will be debate as to what and who to exhibit, I’m pretty sure that nobody will be crying to stop the Art and bring back the advertising.
The SFO Museum started out as an extension of the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco and has successfully developed into its own organization that serves millions of Bay Area visitors and residents every year. It’s been done before, let’s do it again. We can call it the "Mobile Movement"!
Leo
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