Cartoon Network promo tied to Boston bomb scare
BOSTON (MarketWatch) -- A marketing campaign gone awry was apparently behind the shutdown of Boston's major roadways and subway lines on Wednesday after promotional devices installed around the city triggered a day-long bomb scare.
In an e-mailed statement circulated to the media, the Cartoon Network, owned by Time Warner acknowledged placing devices containing magnetic lights throughout Boston as part of a national promotional campaign for its Adult Swim animated show "Aqua Teen Hunger Force."
The network added it has placed similar devices in 10 other cities: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Seattle, Portland, Ore.; and Austin, Texas. The devices, which it called "billboards," have been in place for up to three weeks, it said.
"Parent company Turner Broadcasting is in contact with local and federal law enforcement on the exact locations of the billboards," wrote Turner Broadcasting executive Shirley Powell, in her e-mail. Cartoon Network is a unit of Turner Broadcasting.
"We regret that they were mistakenly thought to pose any danger," Powell wrote.
By evening rush hour Wednesday, law enforcement officials had reportedly identified at least nine of the devices in the Boston area. The first, found early Wednesday morning, was detonated by a bomb squad at a subway station in Somerville, Mass., next to heavily-traveled Interstate 93.
The subsequent discovery of suspicious packages resulted in the temporary closure of three main bridges connecting Cambridge, Mass., to Boston, in addition to sections of Boston's Storrow Drive, I-93 and the Massachusetts Turnpike.
Another suspicious package was reportedly found near the Tufts-New England Medical Center, a major Boston medical facility.
Subway services on the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority's Red and Orange lines were also suspended temporarily. The U.S. Coast Guard temporarily blocked passage on the Charles River and closed locks controlling water flow from the Charles to Boston Harbor, according to local reports.
"At this time, our office is involved with an investigation with other federal and state authorities to determine if any criminal charges should be filed and, if so, against whom," said Emily LaGrassa, a spokeswoman for Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley.
Gov. Deval Patrick issued a statement that thanked law enforcement while chastising Turner Broadcasting: "I am deeply dismayed to learn that many of the devices are a part of a marketing campaign by Turner Broadcasting. This stunt has caused considerable disruption and anxiety in our community. I understand that Turner Broadcasting has purported to apologize for this. I intend nonetheless to consult with the attorney general and other advisors about what recourse we may have." End of Story
Val Brickates Kennedy is a reporter for MarketWatch in Boston.
