US NETWORK TO PAY $2 MILLION FOR BOSTON BOMB SCARE

US network Turner Broadcasting Systems and Interference Inc have agreed to pay the city of Boston, Massachusetts, $2 million (GBP1 million) for an advertising campaign that sparked a bomb scare last week (ends 02FEB07). More than three dozen blinking electronic signs were found in Boston, Cambridge and Somerville, Massachusetts, on Wednesday (31JAN07), setting off widespread panic. The signs featured a boxy cartoon character giving an obscene hand gesture and were part of an advertising campaign for the Cartoon Network's new show AQUA TEEN HUNGER FORCE. According to Massachusetts Attorney General MARTHA COAKLEY, the financial agreement was reached with several state and local agencies to resolve any potential civil or criminal claims against the network. The signs promoting the new show have also appeared in nine other major US cities in recent weeks, but caused a panic in Boston with bomb squads responding to reports of the devices in subway stations and hanging from bridges.