THE SOUTHERN TRUTH Billboard Blight or Billion-Dollar Blessing? The Real Truth About WOW Boards in Inglewood
By Dr. Gloria Zuurveen, Editor-in-Chief
Just the other day, I was watching television when a polished, first-class commercial came across the screen talking about “billboard blight” in the City of Inglewood. Lord knows, that commercial was not cheap. It was professionally produced, emotionally crafted, and clearly designed to influence the hearts and minds of the people — especially Black and Brown people — with multicultural faces strategically placed throughout the ad to make the message feel trustworthy and community-centered.
But the Southern Truth is this: behind all the slick production and dramatic language, the commercial never really told the people the full story.
At the end of the commercial, the message boldly flashed across the screen: “Say No to Billboard Blight in Inglewood.”
But my response is: Why would Inglewood say no to a revenue stream that is helping the city survive and thrive?
That is the part they are not telling the people.
For more than a decade, Inglewood has been reaping economic benefits from digital advertising tied to its rapidly growing sports and entertainment corridor. Since 2013, the city has transformed from being overlooked into becoming one of the most valuable destinations in America — home to global entertainment, sports, tourism, and nonstop economic activity.
And now that the money is flowing in a humongous way, suddenly billion-dollar corporations and powerful interests want control over the revenue play.
WOW!
The Southern Truth is that many residents are beginning to realize this fight is not simply about signs or aesthetics. It is about economics, ownership, leverage, and billions connected to the future of Inglewood. Supporters of the WOW Boards say these innovative, high-tech advertising systems are helping generate extraordinary long-term revenue streams for the city — revenue tied to public safety, parks and recreation, infrastructure, youth programs, city services, and resources for seniors and working families.
That changes the conversation entirely.
And here is what many residents say concerns them most: Some powerful interests now appear to be trying to convince Black and Brown residents to vote against revenue streams that directly benefit their own community while those same wealthy interests position themselves to gain financially in the long run.
The Southern Truth is that people are waking up to that reality.
Many residents are now asking: Why should money generated in Inglewood be redirected away from the people of Inglewood?
Why should revenue that can help residents, children, working families, and seniors instead be diverted into the hands of already powerful billion-dollar corporations? That is the deeper issue beneath the commercial.
The Southern Truth is that some of the loudest voices now opposing these billboard agreements were nowhere to be found years ago when smaller billboard opportunities were first discussed. But now that Inglewood has become a worldwide destination and a goldmine of economic opportunity, everybody suddenly wants a seat at the table.
- Now the commercials appear.
- Now the fear campaigns begin.
- Now the emotional language about “blight” floods the airwaves.
But where are the commercials explaining exactly how much revenue the WOW Boards could continue generating for the City of Inglewood?
Where are the ads explaining what programs and services could suffer if those revenues disappear?
Where are the voices explaining why billion-dollar entities are suddenly spending heavily to influence public opinion in Inglewood?
That part of the story is missing.
As a legally adjudicated newspaper of general circulation with boots-on-the-ground reporting in Inglewood, PACE NEWS believes the public deserves the whole truth — not just carefully scripted talking points designed to emotionally persuade residents without fully explaining the financial stakes involved. And that is why many residents are now saying: “This is our city, and we want WOW in a Wonderful, Outstanding Way.”
Because at the end of the day, supporters believe the WOW Boards are helping Inglewood pay the bills in a humongous way — creating long-term revenue streams tied to the future of the city and the people who live here.
The Southern Truth is that the people are no longer asleep to the tactics of those who now want to control Inglewood and all of its goods after the city has already done the hard work of building itself into a world destination.
