Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Old Man Bloomberg Launches Campaign Against Loud Earbuds
By
Jen Carlson
Published Mar 6, 2013
Modified Mar 6, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Carlson
Published Mar 6, 2013
Modified Mar 6, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Hardly a subway ride goes by without being subjected to the sounds of some insufferable song squeaking out of some teenager's person's earbuds, reminding you that tonight's gonna be a good good night. While Mayor Bloomberg can't personally come rip the headphones off the heads of loud-music-loving New Yorkers, he can launch an adorably hopeful campaign in an effort to get today's youth to turn their music down.
According to the NY Post, Bloomberg's health officials are "planning a social-media campaign to warn young people about the risk of losing their hearing from listening to music at high volume on personal MP3 players." An iPod can reportedly hit 115 decibels, even though research warns that above 85 decibels encroaches on unsafe levels.
A rep for the DoH says the "public-education campaign is being developed to raise awareness about safe use of personal music players... and risks of loud and long listening." Hearing loss went up 30% amongst teens between 1988 and 2006, according to one health survey. And while hearing loss is the spin of the campaign, if it has any success it will help with Bloomberg's quality-of-life initiatives as well—he has taken on noise levels since he started out in office.
The campaign will cost $250,000 (or 1,250 pairs of Dre Beats headphones) and is being financed through a Fund for Public Health grant.
Tagged
earbuds
headphones
mayor bloomberg
war on noise
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Oct 16, 2026
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
We went to the Spiciest Supper Club singles night to take the temperature of New York City's dating scene.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
Arts & Entertainment
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
We went to the Spiciest Supper Club singles night to take the temperature of New York City's dating scene.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
How the NYC Marathon has changed in the last 50 years
By
Hannah Frishberg
A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson
By
Sonia Rao
The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?
By
Lindsay Lee Wallace
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .