30 buses in Buffalo become rolling memorials to Tim Russert
There have been many suggestions for ways to honor the memory of Buffalo-born journalist Tim Russert since his fatal heart attack June 13.
An area advertising executive has come up with a “moving tribute.”
Arnie Rothschild has placed large placards on the sides of 30 NFTA Metro Buses that feature a photo of the late television journalist and the simple message “Thank you, Tim 1950-2008.”
Rothschild, a longtime fan of Russert, said he was impressed by the outpouring of emotion from around the country, especially from Buffalo, following Russert’s death.
“He loved Buffalo, and Buffalo loved him back,” said Rothschild, president of Rochesterbased Normal Communications. “I think the message re-frames the sentiment from mourning to thanking. It lets the community hug the guy.”
Normal, the firm that brokers ad space for the NFTA’s Metro Bus and Rail system, harnessed exterior bus ad space to make the Russert statement. The ad firm paid all production costs for the 2z-foot by 12-foot message panels, which began appearing on Metro Buses last weekend.
The placards have been placed on buses that travel many different routes, covering both Erie and Niagara counties. They will be displayed for the next several weeks.
Rothschild said the side of a bus — more typically home to ads for car dealerships, pest control companies and collision shops — might seem an odd venue for a memorial message, but he said it’s the medium in which he works.
“If I had a TV station, I would run the message on the air. If I had a newspaper, I’d have print ads. I have access to buses,” he said. “I think people are going to see it and smile, and that feels right.”
The public transit agency is pleased to be the vehicle for the message, said C. Douglas Hartmayer, spokesman for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority.
“It’s an atypical thing, but Tim Russert was an atypical person. We’re happy to play a role in thanking him for everything he did for his beloved Buffalo,” Hartmayer said.
