FARGO (AP) -- City commissioners plan to discuss the issue of objectionable billboards after a woman asked them to do something about billboards with a woman wearing what radio station owners call a "tankini."
"It's very provocative and very inappropriate," said Jennifer Dufner, of Buxton. "We can hardly get out of town without seeing one of (the billboards)."
The billboard, to promote radio station KRWK/Rock 102, features the woman in what station owners call a "tankini" outfit next to a caption that reads, "Now Turn Us On!"
Commissioner Mike Williams said he has received a couple of calls protesting the billboard.
"It doesn't seem our ordinance covers it," he said. "This is the first time we've had calls about (billboards)."
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Dufner, 37, said the billboard is "incredibly inappropriate" for her children.
"We're very careful about what they're exposed to," she said. "But when it's in the public arena, you have absolutely no control."
She talked to ROCK 102 owners at Radio Fargo-Moorhead Inc., who refused to take down the billboard. They said Dufner's appeal to the city was an overreaction.
John Austin, the operations manager of Radio Fargo-Moorhead, which also owns five other area radio stations, said the image is something people would see on the beach or in a magazine.
"It's an eye-catcher; it's a clever message," Austin said. "It's been a very effective campaign to our demographic."
Dufner said that children, especially those younger than 14, are influenced psychologically by such messages.
"They can't discern what is truth and what's not, what's respectful and what's not," she said. "It just comes down to having some control over what goes into our kids' heads."
Fargo City Attorney Erik Johnson said he is aware of no regulations requiring the billboard to be removed.
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Williams said the City Commission will discuss the billboard issue and see how other cities have handled such incidents.
