Remember when I posted about that Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories ad on Denver's local train months back?

The Parents Television Council and the Campaign for Commercial Free Childhood just announced that they are trying to get the ad pulled from the trains.

Specifically, they're asking the Regional Transportation District to "stop advertising video games rated "Mature" or "Adults Only.""

What bothers me is that this group is so specifically targeting mature and adult games and don't seem to care about the same content being advertised for movies or music or, shudder, books. God forbid they slap an add up for Lolita or Choke.

"Our public transportation network serves more than half the residents of Colorado and is doing them a disservice with its tacit approval for the dangerous content in the Mature-rated video games that are advertised throughout the system. I'm here today to remind Chairman Chris Martinez and the board that they have a responsibility to act in the best interest of those who voted you into these important positions. You can take a step towards being a better steward of the public good today by no longer accepting advertising from violent video games that can have long-term harmful effects on the youth in our community," said PTC Denver Chapter Director George Robison to attendees at the meeting. ... "It is unconscionable that RTD would accept advertisements for a game like Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories," said CCFC member Peter Simonson . "In Vice City Stories, players are rewarded for killing innocent bystanders, law enforcement officers and rival gang members, as they attempt to set up illicit businesses, such as drug dealing and prostitution rings, and commit armed robbery. As a father and a Denver-area resident, I want to know that my children can ride public trains and buses without being subjected to ads that promote violence and lawlessness." ... According to PTC President Tim Winter, "Countless research studies demonstrate the unequivocal effect of media violence on a child's brain and cognitive development. It is the height of irresponsibility for the RTD to be accepting money to promote violent video games to the many children who use their services."

"Advocates for children from across the political spectrum are united in their belief that children should not be targets for advertising that glorifies violence," said CCFC co-founder, Dr. Susan Linn. "This letter reflects that diversity. We hope that Denver will join the growing number of communities declaring that public property cannot be used to promote violence to children."

I spoke with a representative of the organization today about the decision to call for the ads removal. Specifically, I wanted to know if they would ask for the removal of an advertisement for an R-rated or MA movie, or if this request was driven more by the medium than the content.

They said they'd get back to me. They still haven't. Brian Crecente

Contact information for this author is not available.