I thought ‘Wheels on a Bus’ was all I would ever hear on a school bus. Schools are working to change that by aligning with corporate sponsors who will place radio commercials targeted towards kids (who’ll influence the parents) in 11 states begining next month. Over 100,000 students on 800 buses will hear the mix of music and commercials thanks to Bus Radio. The company thinks that music on a bus will help ‘curb’ rowdiness. I think that would truly depend on the type of music. If they’re blasting rap or rock I can assure you kids will be jumping around screaming the lyrics and disturbing the driver. But Bus Radio says they will curb that possibility by playing Kelly Clarkson and other pop singers. The ads and the style of music will be adjusted by Bus Radio depending on the age of the riders (High School, Junior High, etc).

Currently, many school districts play radio from an approved list of stations with ads targeted at the general population rather than directed towards a target age audience. Most kids just ignore the ads. The one hour Bus Radio broadcasts will have six minutes of public service ads and eight minutes of commercials. Bus Radio’s spokesperson said that the schools will be compensated for the number of students, length of time on the bus, and frequency of broadcasts. Could Bus Radio be MORE specific?