Sunday, August 26, 2007

Billboard catches IDOT's eye

New advertisement still needs permit, will be reviewed to ensure it's not too distracting

Thursday, August 23, 2007

- It's the latest craze to hit advertising and is designed to capture your attention at busy intersections, such as War Memorial Drive and University Street.
For westbound War Memorial Drive motorists, it's almost impossible to miss: The multiple messages illuminated from a billboard that digitally switches advertisers every 10 seconds.
While visually impressing motorists, the new billboard structure has caught the attention of the state's Department of Transportation, which is in charge of reviewing permits to allow these structures to be constructed.
Problem is, there is no permit. IDOT has yet to get one from the billboard's owners, Adams Outdoor Advertising, which legally allows the billboard to operate.
The lighted billboard could soon go dark and stay that way until a city permit is received, reviewed and approved by IDOT.
"We'll have to turn it off," Eric Therkildsen, program development engineer with IDOT's Peoria district, said Wednesday. "It'll be in the next day or two and we'll go from there."
Adams' general manager Skip Holmes describes the lack of having a permit to operate the 14-foot-tall, 48-foot-wide billboard as an oversight that will soon be corrected. A similar, but smaller, billboard at University and Glen Avenue was unveiled in mid-June and it has been permitted by the city, Holmes added.
"We have a good working relationship with IDOT," he said. "It's not like we were out there pulling a fast one on them."
Therkildsen agrees, calling the situation a "gray area," in that the company was probably unaware of the need to purchase a new permit to operate a billboard they already own.
He said Adams had a state permit to utilize the structure for constant advertising on what was previously a regular, nondigital billboard.
"We view this as a change in the overall value of a billboard," Therkildsen said. "It's like going from a black-and-white TV to a 42-inch plasma. It's still a TV, but the permits have a value to them. (Adams) needs to upgrade."
While IDOT has the authority to decline a permit's application, Holmes does not foresee that happening. He anticipates the billboard will operate successfully at the corner for some time to come.
"We're able to take a location with one static advertiser and convert it to six advertisers and generate significantly more revenue from it," Holmes said, predicting a few more digital billboards will be constructed in the Peoria area even though they are considerably more expensive. Holmes said it costs about $400,000 to construct and operate a digital billboard, whereas a normal two-faced structure costs only about $40,000 to $50,000 to build.
Too distracting?
Referred to as an electronic multiple message sign by City Hall, the billboard at War Memorial and University will be reviewed to see if its appearance distracts motorists at an intersection that was, about five years ago, the most crash-prone intersection in the city.
"It'll be interesting to see if anything changes on the accident rates," said Terry Beachler, owner of a service station located in front of the billboard's location, who calls it "effective" advertising. "It's like a cell phone distraction. It might jump up and bite someone."
Therkildsen said motorist distraction is one thing that will be considered when the permit is reviewed for approval. Holmes said there should be no cause for concern.
"No doubt, (the billboard) is there and is designed to attract a motorist's attention regardless what the message is," he said, but added, "People are probably a whole lot more dangerous on the road talking on their cell phones than looking at a billboard."
Even if the billboard might cause some motorists to gaze for a few seconds, Therkildsen said the state simply cannot pull Adams' permit.
"We have to have cause not to give one," he said, saying a study would have to be conducted showing the billboard's dangers. "As it stands, (the digital billboard) fits all the regulations."
Digital restrictions
Digital billboards were not allowed in areas outside Downtown Peoria until earlier this year after the City Council voted to allow them as long as its messages changed every 10 seconds. Also, city requirements prohibit the signs from flashing or featuring any movement, such as a commercial or scrolling message.
Only in Downtown Peoria, where the area is labeled as an entertainment district, can flashy signs be displayed, said Pat Landes, director of the city's Planning and Growth Department.
"Flashing and running lights creates a different atmosphere and, quite honestly, we haven't had much demand for it," she said

Source: By John Sharp of the Journal Star PEORIA

Digital billboard plan stirs debate Some say the signs would be driver distraction

More from Texas

AUSTIN — The prospect of digital billboards proliferating along highways pitted outdoor advertisers against scenery defenders Thursday at the Texas Transportation Commission, which proposed rules for public comment that would allow the technology.
The proposal, which can be commented on until Dec. 6 and would require another commission vote before it could take effect, would allow the electronic, changeable billboards on highways — with numerous restrictions.
The billboards would be allowed only within municipalities or their surrounding areas. Cities would have to approve each billboard.
The signs would be subject to restrictions including a requirement for each message to be displayed at least eight seconds. A change of message would have to happen within two seconds. Only static messages would be allowed, with no movement of images or flashing lights.
Backers of the technology, including the Outdoor Advertising Association of Texas and outdoor advertising giant Clear Channel Outdoor, said it would give businesses a fresh way to sell themselves through a long-used avenue.
"This new technology is just another way for them to present their business services to the traveling public. That stimulates the local economy, and that's good for Texas overall," said Lee Vela, president of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Texas.
Emphasizing that the proposal would leave the decision with cities, Vela said, "This action gives the cities the right to control their own destiny. That is local control. We think that's a good policy."
Opponents said it's no such thing and that the billboards would pose a new distraction that could not only be unattractive but threaten driver safety by drawing too much attention.
Advocates of the signs contend they pose no new safety hazard and could be used for public-service data.
"The powerful interests lobbying to legitimize electronic billboards want you to change course and drive headlong into their alternative world. This is the same world where drinking makes you cool, smoking makes you macho and credit cards are the key to prosperity and priceless memories of quality time with your children," said Neal Rackleff, board member of the North Houston Association.
"In this alternative universe, somebody actually thinks this visual blight is attractive," Rackleff said, noting that drivers already are confronted with giant inflated gorillas atop car dealerships. "Folks who are in Houston subjected to those gorillas ... would like to not have additional visual blight."
Terral Smith, representing Scenic Texas, said, "Why? Why do we even discuss LED (light emitting diode) signs, or signs that light up?"
Blake Custer, president of the San Antonio division of Clear Channel Outdoor, told the commission that his company is "ecstatic" about the opportunity to use LED displays but, if allowed, would move forward "on a sensitive and balanced basis."
Digital billboards already are allowed on business premises, which fall under different regulations, and municipalities can regulate whether they are allowed off of business premises along city streets, as opposed to state and interstate highways.
In Houston, a longstanding ordinance has prevented new signs off of business premises since 1980, said senior assistant city attorney Larry Schenk. He said he doesn't anticipate that changing in the near future.
Houston officials, in a position statement, said they're satisfied with the current law that prohibits such signs "and we frankly see no reason for the change," Schenk said.
The commission voted 4-0 to publish the rules, with Ned S. Holmes abstaining.
A public hearing is scheduled for Nov. 28. Written comments may be submitted to John Campbell, Director, Right of Way Division, Texas Department of Transportation, 125 11th St., Austin, Texas 78701-2483.


Source: Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau By PEGGY FIKAC

TxDOT to consider allowing cities to permit electronic billboards

AUSTIN — Electronic billboards with changeable advertising could be allowed in Texas under rules being considered by the state transportation commissioner.
The rules being given preliminary review Thursday would still require home-rule cities to allow the billboards and would not permit them on rural highways. Cities would have the final say whether the signs would be allowed.
Any signs that are allowed could not have moveable images, such as constantly scrolling pictures. The image on the billboard could not change more than once every eight seconds and the switch to the new message would have to occur within two seconds.
"Movement is the thing we want to prohibit," said John Campbell, the state Transportation Department's right of way division director. "Movement is the bigger safety concern than anything else. You want to minimize that distractive effect."
Preliminary approval would start a 90-day public comment period, including a public hearing, before a final vote.
Despite the limitations of the proposed rule change, Margaret Lloyd, policy director for Scenic Texas, said her organization will oppose it.
"We think this is very premature," Lloyd said. "The jury's still out on safety; the jury's still out on cost; the jury's still out on public will."
Lloyd contends that the Federal Highway Administration, in a 2006 exchange of letters with the state Transportation Department, said that electronic billboards were not legal under a 1972 contract between the federal agency and the state.
Campbell said that is not the department's interpretation of the agreement, made under the auspices of the 1965 Highway Beautification Act

Source: Houston Chronicle

Network CN Inc. Adds Mega-Size Digital Video Billboard in Wuhan to Its Media Network

Network CN Inc. , a Chinese travel and media network company headquartered in Hong Kong, today announced that it has entered into a business cooperation agreement with Wuhan Weiao Advertising Company Ltd. Under terms of the agreement, Network CN, through its subsidiary, Shanghai Quo Advertising Company Ltd., is authorized to install and operate a 200-square- meter digital video billboard at Wuhan Gongyi Tower on Zhongshan Road in Wuhan, China. Network CN's rights to operate this mega-size video billboard for advertising extend for a period of five years.
"As of June 30, 2007, our media network had grown to comprise rights to install and operate 677 roadside LED panels and 4 mega-size digital video billboards," Godfrey Hui, Chief Executive Officer of Network CN, commented. "We are proud to extend our media network with this additional prominently placed mega-size digital video billboard in Wuhan. As our Media network continues to expand, our advertisers will benefit from our reach, fulfilling our growth strategy and building shareholder value for our investors."
Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province, is among the largest cities along the Yangtze River, with a population of eight million. It is a hub for economic and cultural activity in Central China. Wuhan's Gongyi Tower is in the city's central commercial district, which attracts over 450,000 people a day.

Digital Billboards Could Be Coming to Savannah

Savannah, Ga

It is the newest wave in advertising and it may be coming soon to a community near you. Digital billboards offer brighter, cleaner looking images than paper ones and they can be changed almost instantaneously.
But are they too distracting for drivers? That's what the Chatham County Metropolitan Planning Commission wants to find out. They're holding a public workshop on Thursday night before taking up the issue again at their meeting next month.
Digital billboards are popping up in cities like Richmond, Virginia as well as Georgia cities like Atlanta, Albany and Brunswick. The images change easily, allowing multiple advertisers to use the same billboard.
"I'm all for it," said Todd Moyer of Savannah. "I work for a technology company and that looks very tech savvy. I would say that would be a very good appearance for the city."
Lamar Outdoor Advertising has more than 550 digital billboards around the country, including 21 in Georgia. Now, they want to bring them to Savannah.
"People say it's going to be like Vegas and Times Square and it's not," said Lamar Outdoor Advertising vice president Chris Di Silvestro. "The digital billboard looks just like any other billboard."
Billboards, especially digital billboards, are highly regulated. They're designed to adjust according to the available lighting. The billboards automatically dim at night, since they don't need to be as bright to be seen. In most states, they also can't contain any moving or flashing lights. That's because officials want to make sure they don't cause distractions on the road.
"We leave open the question about safety for people who are driving and viewing them," said Chatham County MPC executive director Tom Thomson. "That's why we only allow the change, six images per minute, with the idea that would not distract drivers."
The images can be changed almost instantly, remotely by computer. Di Silvestro says that immediacy can also help the community.
"In Minneapolis, 15 minutes after the bridge collapse, all digital billboards in the city were alerting drivers that they needed to detour their paths because of that disaster," he said.
The signs can also alert drivers to missing children. They were used in Brunswick when 6-year-old Christopher Barrios was abducted.
"One hour after we got approval from the sheriff's department, we posted the alert on all the digital billboards in Georgia," he said. "We had a picture up, a description and the information to contact the Glynn County Sheriff's Department."
Many residents, like LaJoy Brown, want to see that feature in more communities.
"That's great," Brown said. "Because then you will be able to find kids if someone's got them in like the grocery store and you pass by and say, 'hey I saw that kid.'"
Still, even if advertisers get the go-ahead, don't expect to see digital billboards everywhere. Georgia law states they have to be at least 5,000 feet apart. They also cost $250,000 to $400,000 each. Di Silvestro said if his company does get approval, they'll look for high volume traffic areas.
"You're best bet is probably Abercorn, due to the volume of traffic and exposure. It's a highly commercial corridor," he said.
The Chatham County MPC says no billboards will be allowed in the historic district or close to residential communities. They're holding a public workshop on the issue Thursday night, August 23 at 6pm in the MPC Boardroom. The Metropolitan Planning Commission is located at 112 East State Street, Savannah.

Source: WTOC

Police Chief Takes Time Out From Fighting Crime To Bash Cartoon Praise New Billboards

Hey, everybody: Your favorite company is at it again! Yes, that's right, my and your favorite American corporation, Clear Channel, is about to install video billboards in the Philadelphia area.
Now, Clear Channel, being the great benevolent corporation that they are, knew people might get a little upset about LED billboards that rotate every 8 seconds, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, 1000 years a millennium. And so the great Clear Channel was way ahead of you there.
Kauker recruited two local law-enforcement officials - Philadelphia Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson and Fred Harran, director of public safety in Bensalem Township, Bucks County - to endorse the video billboard.
Johnson was quoted in a ClearChannel statement as saying digital billboards were in the "community's best interests because they have the capability to deliver important emergency information, such as Amber Alerts or disaster-preparedness bulletins."
Ahh, so nice when the head of the police force whores himself out to a major corporation. Maybe Clear Channel can spend 8 seconds a day encouraging citizens to snitch.

Source: Philadelphia will do

Allentown using LED billboard as 'wanted' poster

The digital billboard perched about 60 feet up on a building at Seventh and Hamilton streets in Allentown advertises a place to dine, places to go and services provided by local companies, including a bail bondsman.Now, tucked amid the constantly changing ads for local businesses, is a modern-day "wanted" poster for a man police believe is one of the city's most dangerous criminals -- he allegedly forced another man to lie on the floor, then coldly shot him in the head and robbed him.The digital billboard, erected in March at Monument Plaza, 645 Hamilton St., is being used to combat crime by displaying information provided by the Allentown police, Amber Alerts for missing children and upcoming community events.
"It's reminiscent of the old wanted posters with the infusion of new technology," Assistant Chief Joe Hanna said.While new to Allentown, digital billboards have been used in cities across the country to try to find missing children, nab criminals and alert the public about dangers.Billboard Connection, the outdoor advertising company that runs the messages on the digital billboard in Allentown, is donating the space to the city and its Police Department."Countless people have the ability to view this display," Hanna said. "The nice part is that you have a continuous display of important information and it remains fresh, fresh and timely, which is something that is really critical in our law enforcement strategy."After receiving approval from the city's Zoning Hearing Board in late July, the billboard began displaying the image of Kendall C. Richardson, who is "considered armed and dangerous" and is wanted in the June 18 killing of Alfredo Suarez Jr. in Suarez's apartment at 1303 1/2 Wayne St., Allentown.The display gives the phone number for the Police Department's tip line, 610-439-5911.The wanted poster is one of several ads currently displayed on the billboard.The others include the Allentown Art Museum, Gerry's New City Cafe and Lehigh Valley Arts Box Office.The ads are made using LED displays and change every six seconds.City officials thought of using the billboard as a crime-fighting tool after learning about a Massachusetts case in which an alleged serial rapist fled the state after constantly seeing a sketch of his face on the billboards, according to city spokesman Mike Moore.The man was arrested last month in New Jersey during a routine traffic stop.Doug Reed, the senior media consultant for Billboard Connection, said the sign is the first in a downtown in the Lehigh Valley.Two other digital billboards in the Valley are along highways."This is technically a digital display message center," Reed said. "We are proud to do our part to try to reduce crime in Allentown."The city has had 11 homicides this year, six of which remain unsolved.Reed said there are about 500 digital billboards throughout the country. Allentown's billboard is owned by HiMark LLC.Billboard owners lease a space on the building.Mayor Ed Pawlowski, in a prepared release, called the billboard the newest tool in "Allentown's crime-fighting arsenal."Sitting on a bench near Seventh and Hamilton streets, 60-year-old Rose Sherman read the changing message and said, "That is a smart idea. A lot of people drive by this area. If enough people see his face, they'll remember him."

Source: By Manuel Gamiz Jr. Of The Morning Call August 21, 2007

Crossroads digital sign: big, bright and finally legal

The digital billboard looms over motorists along Interstate 80 at the Crossroads Travel Center in Bartonsville.

The sign is legal.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has issued a permit for the Crossroads digital billboard in Bartonsville.

The sign, located at the Crossroads Travel Center adjacent to Interstate 80, had been operating without a permit since 2006 by JP Ertle Development LP.
PennDOT initiated an investigation in March when it learned it never issued a permit for the sign.
The department later determined that the sign, if permitted, could only display on-premise advertising. At the time, the sign carried messages from several off-premise advertisers.
At one point PennDOT said it wanted the billboard torn down.
Ertle appealed PennDOT's ruling, and when the Travel Center was sold in 2007, the sign's display changed to only on-premise advertising.
The owners of the billboard will not be fined for either building and operating the sign without a permit or displaying off-premise advertising, according to Ron Young, District 5 press officer for PennDOT.
This, Young said, is because Ertle became compliant within the statutory time frame of notice.
The statutory time frame includes a 30-day notice, Young said, although it's unclear which of several 30-day notices he was referring to. Once Ertle responded with a challenge to the PennDOT notice, the statutory time frame was extended until a ruling might have been rendered or the owner became compliant. And when Ertle complied with the conditions of the permit, it ended the legal action.
Ertle is no longer contesting PennDOT's findings limiting the advertising to on-premise businesses.
The giant animated billboard flashes messages at eastbound and westbound drivers on Interstate 80. The sign was converted to a digital display last year without a PennDOT permit.
It's not clear why no permit application was made when the sign was upgraded amid much fanfare. Ertle hosted a "grand opening" party when the sign was lit and touted its value for displaying public safety messages such as Amber Alerts.
Opponents of the sign say it is an unsafe distraction for drivers.
The Crossroads billboard is one of about 400 such digital signs across the country.

Source: By HOWARD FRANK Pocono Record Writer August 22, 2007

ET Billboard to Help Police Solve Crimes


Allentown, Pa.


An outdoor advertising agency says it will be using a new electronic billboard in downtown Allentown to help the city fight crime. Billboard Connection says the 12-foot by 24-foot sign at 645 Hamilton Street will be able to display Amber Alerts and Crime Stoppers information. "We are proud to do our part to try to reduce crime in Allentown," says Doug Reed, senior media consultant for Billboard Connection. Mayor Ed Pawlowski says putting the faces of the criminals in bright lights sends a message that making arrests of wanted people is a top priority. "We welcome this new tool in Allentown's crime-fighting arsenal," says Pawlowski. "We are also moving closer to installing surveillance cameras in areas of the city."

Source:WFMZ TV

Rule change would allow electronic billboards

Cities, however, would retain final say, and electronic billboards would remain illegal on rural roads.

The Texas Transportation Commission on Thursday will consider rules that for the first time would allow billboards in Texas to have electronic, changeable advertising.
However, contrary to the worst fears of those who oppose the proliferation of billboards, the proposed regulations would allow such signs only in home-rule cities and the surrounding territories under city control, not on rural highways. Cities would retain the final say over whether such signs would be allowed in their jurisdictions.

And any such signs permitted by cities could not have movable images, such as the constantly scrolling messages on a huge sign advertising a business on Texas 71 between Austin and Bastrop. That sign, on the property of the business it advertises, is an "on-premise" sign and thus exempt from regulation by the Texas Department of Transportation.
Under the proposed rules, which won't come up for final approval until at least December, the electronic image on a billboard could not change more than once every eight seconds, and the switch to the next image would have to occur within two seconds.
"Movement is the thing we want to prohibit," said John Campbell, the state Transportation Department's right of way division director. "Movement is the bigger safety concern than anything else. You want to minimize that distractive effect."
Despite the limitations of the proposed rule change, Margaret Lloyd, policy director for Scenic Texas, said her organization will oppose it.
"We think this is very premature," Lloyd said Monday. "The jury's still out on safety; the jury's still out on cost; the jury's still out on public will."
Lloyd contends that the Federal Highway Administration, in a 2006 exchange of letters with the state Transportation Department, said that electronic billboards were not legal under a 1972 contract between the federal agency and the state.
Campbell said that is not the department's interpretation of the agreement, made under the auspices of the 1965 Highway Beautification Act
"At this time, I don't think it's going to require a change in our federal agreement," Campbell said.
So why make the rule change? "I would say this is a recognition that this is what is going to occur in the industry," Campbell said.
Some years ago, after billboard companies installed a handful of signs that change images mechanically with rotating panels, Austin passed an ordinance saying that no billboard can be altered to a rotating or electronic sign, said Jessica King, a principal planner in the city's zoning review department. The rules are different for on-premise signs, and electronic messages are in use across the city.
The transportation commission's vote Thursday would initiate a 90-day public comment period on the rules, which would include a public hearing Nov. 28. A final vote could not occur until after the public comment period ends in December.

Source: By Ben Wear -AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Police praise them. Conservationists and driver-safety groups oppose them.

Video billboards coming this way

One of ClearChannel's digital billboards in the Cleveland area. The outdoor-advertising company said an engineer it hired studied traffic for 18 months before and after the billboards' installation and found no link to highway accidents.
Praised by police, criticized by scenic conservationists and driver-safety groups, and hugely profitable for their owners, digital billboards are about to enter the Philadelphia area.
ClearChannel Outdoor, the largest outdoor advertising company, announced that it would have eight 14-by-48-foot video billboards - with images or ad messages that change every eight seconds - on major highways this year from Bucks County through the city and south into Delaware County.
ClearChannel did not waste time. It tried to activate two billboards yesterday - one on Interstate 95 facing south about 3,000 feet north of Keystone Street in Upper Chichester Township, and the other on Admiral Wilson Boulevard in Camden, facing east, about 0.4 miles from the Benjamin Franklin Bridge - only to be foiled by steady rain.
George Kauker, president of ClearChannel Outdoor's Philadelphia Division, focused on what he called the public-service aspect of "digital technology." He would not say what it costs to advertise on the giant screens.
"The instantaneous public-safety-messaging aspect of this technology can literally help avert disaster and save lives," Kauker said.
He said digital billboards recently helped advise motorists in Minneapolis and St. Paul about the collapse of the Interstate 35W Bridge and alternate routes. On Feb. 12, Kauker said, a missing Minneapolis girl was found a day after digital billboards were used in an Amber Alert.
Kauker recruited two local law-enforcement officials - Philadelphia Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson and Fred Harran, director of public safety in Bensalem Township, Bucks County - to endorse the video billboard.
Johnson was quoted in a ClearChannel statement as saying digital billboards were in the "community's best interests because they have the capability to deliver important emergency information, such as Amber Alerts or disaster-preparedness bulletins."
Harran said video billboards "will certainly help us improve public-safety issues. . . . We'll be able to make [people] aware of things that are happening."
Not everyone is sold on the technology's benefits.
Mary Tracy, executive director of SCRUB, or Society Created to Reduce Urban Blight, which has fought ClearChannel and other billboard firms in court and out, called digital billboards a "plum to the outdoor-advertising industry at the expense of Philadelphia's visual environment and driver safety."
Scenic America, the Washington-based scenic conservation lobby, has called digital billboards "unsafe and unsightly at any speed."
The organization also questioned why outdoor-ad companies were pushing digital billboards so hard when there were questions about whether the bright, constantly changing messages contribute to highway accidents.
No independent study of the question has been done, although the Federal Highway Administration will commission one in the next few months and will have results no later than the end of 2009, spokesman Doug Hecox said.
"The challenge is that this technology is so new that some existing billboard regulations don't really apply to them," Hecox said.
Kauker, however, insisted that the technology does not distract drivers.
He said ClearChannel hired an engineer when it installed digital billboards in Cleveland. The engineer studied traffic for 18 months before and after the billboards' installation, and found no link to highway accidents.
Kauker also noted that the images were "static" and did not move or scroll like a film or animated billboards in New York City. He said ClearChannel would sell eight eight-second segments that repeat during the day.
Besides the two digital billboards that were to be activated yesterday, ClearChannel Outdoor released the locations of the six others: I-95, facing south, 0.4 miles north of Street Road, Bensalem Township; I-95, facing south, 2,000 feet east of Broad Street, South Philadelphia; I-95, facing north, 20 feet south of Third Street, in South Philadelphia near the stadiums; I-76, facing east, Walt Whitman Bridge, 50 feet east of Front Street, South Philadelphia; I-95, facing north, 550 feet north of Ashburner Street, Holmesburg; and Route 1, facing south, 0.6 miles south of Street Road in Bensalem Township.
Kauker said each digital billboard replaced a conventional one. In the city, the sites had to be at least 500 feet from any residence, and the face had to be 1,500 feet away from any residence.
The brightness of the billboards' LED display will be adjusted after sunset to avoid distracting drivers or residents.
Source Philly.com -staff writer Joseph A. Slobodzian .

Signs seen in a harsh light

Clear Channel is doubling its digital billboards in L.A. Critics call the signs distracting and an eyesore.

Now receiving prime billing in Los Angeles: digital billboards that advertisers see as a way to break through the marketing clutter.But the bright lights of these signs make many people cringe. Critics say they are a driving distraction and a neighborhood eyesore that should be forbidden.

But, in fact, digital signs are multiplying. Clear Channel Communications, which owns 10 such billboards throughout the city, is announcing plans today to double that number by the end of the month, making Los Angeles a prime growth area for these signs. The company also is expanding its network of digital signs in Chicago and Philadelphia, but its largest crop by September will be in Los Angeles."The more congested the area is, the more effective outdoor advertising can be," said Paul Meyer, president and chief operating officer of Clear Channel Outdoor.Advertisers like the signs because they're finding it difficult to reach consumers through traditional channels such as television and newspapers. But even fickle viewers go outside -- and in Southern California they're often stuck in traffic when they do so -- so billboards are harder to avoid. The digital signs allow marketers the flexibility to change their messages quickly, advertising daily promotions or special deals, Meyer said.They pay for the opportunity. A four-week campaign on a digital billboard, which flashes a different message every 8 seconds, costs $85,000, Meyer said. A campaign on 10 static billboards for a month costs half of that.Clear Channel isn't the only billboard company expanding its digital capabilities. There are more than 500 digital displays throughout the country, and analysts expect to see more of the country's 450,000 billboards converted in the next few years.Clear Channel's announcement comes six months after the company settled a lawsuit with the city. The suit came after Clear Channel and CBS Outdoor sued over a proposed ordinance that would have instituted an annual billboard inspection fee.The settlement levied an annual fee on billboards while allowing the companies to modernize their signs. The deal also gave Clear Channel and CBS Outdoor amnesty on billboards that lacked permits and allowed them to replace old static signs with flashy digital ones.Then, the community group Coalition to Ban Billboard Blight accused the City Council and city attorney of caving to the billboard company, but a judge prevented the group from filing a motion to stop the settlement. Now, representatives aren't surprised to hear that new digital signs are sprouting up."It's regrettable and a sellout of the aesthetic interests of every Los Angeles resident," said Gerald Silver, vice president of the community group.Some L.A. residents who live near the signs agree."My kitchen glows alternatively red, blue and orange," said Sarah Lagrotteria, a chef who moved into a new apartment near the Beverly Center only to discover that a digital sign had just been installed the next street over. The light flickers into her kitchen, she said, and sometimes she's driven to escape it by going into her bedroom and shutting the door.Her neighbor, Dora Davis, is not as fortunate. The billboard, which on a recent weeknight was flashing ads for the Hotel Bel Air, the movie "3:10 to Yuma" and a Wired magazine festival, shines into Davis' second-floor apartment, which is at the end of the building. The light reaches her bedroom, living room, kitchen and bathroom. Davis is having new blinds installed, but her windows for now are bare, allowing the lights to flicker in her rooms unabated."It came on at 5 a.m. and it was like someone slapping your face with red," she said. Davis' son called the company to complain, and Davis said the lights were slightly dimmed. But she still doesn't like the bright lights in her room and said she would prefer a regular billboard."But I'm stuck," she said. "There's nothing I can do about it."A man knocked on her door a few weeks ago with a petition to get rid of the sign, but Davis said she never heard from him again.Kevin Fry, the president of advocacy organization Scenic America, said the signs aren't just annoying but also dangerous. His group says that the billboards distract drivers and that signs on federal highways violate the Highway Beautification Act, which bans flashing and intermittent lights."State legislatures are passing laws left and right that regulate these signs," he said. "We think it's a tragic mistake."A bill introduced into the California Assembly this year by Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco) would have permitted companies to replace highway billboards with digital displays. The bill passed the Assembly, but Ma's spokesman said it was pulled from the Senate after Bay Area residents began complaining about the brightness of a digital display on I-80 heading toward Oakland.Fry said that opposition from Scenic America and other advocacy groups might also have played a role. In a letter to the California Senate Committee on Transportation and Housing, Scenic America pointed to a federal study that showed that anything distracting drivers for more than two seconds was dangerous."The brightest object in the driver's field of vision containing frequently changing, complex messages is often going to distract drivers for more than two seconds," Fry wrote.The billboard industry has sponsored two safety studies of its own, conducted by engineering consultants Tantala Associates and researchers at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. The studies conclude that drivers generally look at digital displays for less than a second, and that digital billboards neither cause nor prevent accidents.The industry says the signs can also be useful during an emergency, diverting travelers to different routes and putting out the word about missing children.Stephen Freitas, chief marketing officer for the Outdoor Advertising Assn. of America, said that the digital signs are no more distracting than regular billboards. Digital billboards are outfitted with sensors that dim light at night and on cloudy and overcast days, he said, and on sunny days are as bright as a static sign.Plus, he said, advertisers are demanding them.Jim Richardson, associate publisher of marketing for Wired magazine, said the signs were a good way to convey a lot of information without too much clutter.Wired also bought online ads and regular billboard space, but Richardson wanted to try out the newest outdoor advertising technique in one of the country's best markets for outdoor advertising -- where, he said, people always seem to be stuck in their cars.

Source: By Alana Semuels, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer August 20, 2007

Clear Channel expands network

Clear Channel Outdoor's rollout of its digital billboard networks has come a long way since it erected the first board two years ago in Cleveland. The outdoor leader is adding digital board networks in two more top 10 markets—Philadelphia and Chicago—and a second net in Los Angeles, which was its first top 10 market in May.In a bid to attract more national advertisers to what primarily has been a local business, the company this year has focused on digital board networks in the top 10 markets."We believe that once we deploy in the major markets, we will have a totally different proposition to offer national advertisers," said Paul Meyer, CCO president and COO.CCO has deployed 76 digital billboards in 14 markets, well on its way to deploying 100 boards in 20 markets by year end. Depending on the market and the board's location, the digital boards increase revenue from five to as much as 10 times. In Albuquerque, N.M., the uptick is close to 15 times.But until May, when CCO built out the digital network in L.A., at least 80 percent of digital inventory was bought by local advertisers. The L.A. network reversed that model. Inventory not only sold out fast, 84 percent of it was bought by national advertisers such as Capitol One, ABC, CBS, NBC and General Motors."It gives national advertisers a lot more options," said Jack Sullivan, senior vp of out-of-home for Starcom. "Some are looking to buy up all the rotations, parceling it out to several brands, or an advertiser can take one brand and tell a story."Outside the top 10 markets, the digital boards remain in high demand among local advertisers, which have shifted budgets to take advantage of the signs' ability to change copy at a moment's notice. Liberty Ford, owner of five dealers in Cleveland, moved $500,000 from other media to buy a year on the network, even picturing CCO's digital sign on its Web site.

Source: MediaWeek

Digital displays on U.S. 52 are one of latest trends

Saturday, August 18, 2007


Traffic whizzes by the digital billboard near the U.S. 52/Waughtown Street overpass.(Journal Photo by Bruce Chapman)
It’s hard to miss the billboards that look like two big plasma TVs on U.S. 52 between Business 40 and Interstate 40.
The digital billboards are one of the latest trends in outdoor advertising. They are the first of their kind in Forsyth County.
Although some people might consider them one billboard, they are actually independent of each other; two “faces” in one location. The off-premise signs replaced a traditional steel billboard with vinyl ads.
In the United States, there are 450,000 billboards, according to the Outdoor Advertising Association of America Inc., a trade association in Washington. As of the first of the year, about 500 of them were digital, but that number has grown since then.
“We should see several hundred built a year over the next few years,” said Stephen Freitas, a spokesman for the association.
The digital billboards on U.S. 52 are owned by Lamar Advertising, based in Baton Rouge, La.
At 10 feet 6 inches by 36 feet, the signs change spots every 8 seconds for up to six advertisers on each side. An ad is shown every minute, which amounts to about 1,600 times a day for each advertiser.
The signs are operated by computer from the Lamar of Lenoir office.
“Basically it’s a big LED screen that we can operate in real time,” said Jamie Machut, the vice president and general manager of Lamar of Lenoir.
“The billboard is controlled by a high-speed modem connection. I can sit here from my desk and change an ad in a matter of minutes,” Machut said.
All he has to do is send e-mails to the billboards.
Lamar started installing digital billboards in its markets across the United States in January 2006, and now has more than 500. Lamar of Lenoir operates 1,500 billboards, and 11 of them are digital, including four in Greensboro.
“It’s a very small part of our business, but it’s growing,” Machut said.
He said that the biggest advantage of going digital is flexibility.
“It’s not really a billboard anymore,” he said. “It’s more (like) broadcast advertising.”
Machut declined to divulge the cost of Lamar’s billboards, but he said that they can cost up to five times more than traditional billboards.
Industry experts said that costs depend on a variety of things, including location and size, but they estimate construction costs for digital billboards in North Carolina at $250,000 to $300,000.
Experts said that digital billboards are the wave of the future in outdoor advertising.
“It is probably the most exciting thing to come down the pike in a long time in billboards and partly out-of-home media,” said Bill Porter, the owner of Big Shots Advertising in Winston-Salem.
Big Shots handles the digital-billboard ads on U.S. 52 for North Point Chrysler Jeep in Winston-Salem.
“You can continually merchandise the different messages that you want to make,” Porter said. “You can change them every day. About as fast as you can send an e-mail, you can change them.”
Still, experts don’t expect digital billboards to totally replace traditional ones.
“There may be a great billboard spot in the middle of nowhere, but there’s got to be demand built up for it,” Machut said.
The big digital signs are often faced with regulations, and some critics said they present aesthetic issues and safety problems for drivers.
But Freitas of the Outdoor Advertising Association said that two recent independent research studies show that digital billboards do not present any driver-distraction or safety issues.
The Federal Highway Administration hopes to have by 2009 the results of a planned study on the effect of digital billboards on drivers.
Fred Holbrook, a commercial-zoning review officer for the City-County Inspections Department, said he has not received other requests for digital billboards but expects that there will be more.
“It just opens so many more avenues for the advertisers to be able to keep the billboards current,” he said.
Still, Holbrook said that new digital billboards will most likely replace existing billboards because there are not many places left in Forsyth County where people can construct billboards because of space requirements and regulations prohibiting billboards from obscuring the view of areas such as downtown Winston-Salem.
Lamar’s biggest local competitor, Fairway Outdoor Advertising of the Triad in Greensboro, does not have any digital billboards in the Triad.
“It obviously is one of the new technologies that are available to the industry, and it is exciting technology,” said Dan O’Shea, Fairway’s general manager, “but they need to be deployed in the right places.”
O’Shea said that Fairway would first make sure that its digital billboards are a good fit and conform with community ordinances before deciding to put them up.
“It’s not something we’re going to rush into,” he said.

Source: Winston-Salem Journal -By Fran Daniel

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Billboard ordinance ready for board


August 14, 2007 12:35 am



Next month the Stafford Board of Supervisors is expected to vote on an ordinance aimed at making significant changes in what kinds of commercial signs can be put up along the county's highways and byways.
The proposed regulations are the result of questions raised late last year by the Planning Commission when it noticed that three large electronic billboards--large, colorful LED-type signs--had appeared in the county. This new technology took official Stafford by surprise. Two thoughts leapt to the planning commissioners' minds: blots on the landscape and distractions to drivers.
In December, the planners asked the supervisors for directions on what should be done.
In February the board replied that it was a complex issue. There had been no significant changes in sign ordinances in the county in decades. Meanwhile, a rapidly developing Stafford had blossomed with signs.
The supervisors asked the planners to come up with proposals. The Planning Commission turned for advice to the Virginia Department of Transportation, which is in charge of all the public roads in the state.
Through the winter and spring and into the summer, the planning staff, the supervisors and VDOT kicked around a number of ideas, held public hearings and proposed changes. Finally, in mid-July, an ordinance emerged. It goes to the supervisors in September. It pretty much rewrites the old rules.
The principal proposals deal with billboards--those huge signs common along America's highways for nearly a century. But the ordinance also deals with large business signs and, for the first time, model home signs, which have become a growing presence as housing developments spring from fertile former farmland.
First, the billboards.
Erecting new billboards has been forbidden since the 1980s, when beautification was in vogue and legislation to that effect swept the nation. The principal targets on the roadside were the big signs. Stafford and others passed ordinances forbidding new ones.
The laws "grandfathered" existing billboards. They could stay and be kept in repair, but they could not be moved or replaced.
On the matter of keeping the billboards in good repair, there was a limit on the cost of this maintenance. Advertising companies weren't permitted to spend more than 50 percent of the big signs' replacement costs for repairs. Of course, that meant that environmental groups that wanted the signs down had to wait until they fell down.
Then technology entered the picture. In the past few years, more than 100 large electronic billboards have been built across the country. But not as "new" billboards. The advertising companies used existing billboard structures and converted them to LED eye-catchers.
"Wait a minute," the county said. It pointed out that it costs a lot more than 50 percent of the cost of the original sign to convert it into an electronic wonder.
So the new rules simply forbid new large electronic advertisements. The ordinance defines them as: "Signs that have multiple views and objects that digitally or electronically produce color and/or black and white images similar to a television screen and where such [a] sign exceeds six square feet in area." (The only exceptions are the "time and/or temperature" signs.)
The three existing LED boards in Stafford, are on U. S. 1 just north of the Falmouth light; on U.S. 17 a mile west of the GEICO headquarters; on State Route 610, a few miles west of Garrisonville.
The new ordinance also, for the first time, forbids "multisided-vision signs or display device[s] capable of presenting two or more separate images or ad copy sequentially by rotating multisided cylinders."
The county doesn't have any of these, but anyone traveling south on Interstate 95 has seen them.
The second major focus of the ordinance tightens the rules on putting up commercial signs that are not on the business' property. This means one can't put up a sign down the road from what is being advertised. This affects, for example, hotels, motels, businesses and--a new target--model homes.
As developments burgeon and the housing competition increases, more and bigger signs saying "Model Homes This Way" appear. Not any more, says the ordinance. They can be only on the model home's lot itself. No grandfathering here. As the homes are sold, existing signs will naturally disappear.


Source: The Free Lance Star by Hugh Muir

Daktronics Announces Valo™ OT Product, a Revolution in Digital Billboards

August 15, 2007 02:45 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Daktronics (NASDAQ:DAKT) of Brookings, S.D., announces the release of a new line of digital billboards. The first product in this release is the Valo™ OT (Optimized Technology) digital billboard. The Valo™ OT digital billboard combines several unique features with cutting-edge LED technology.
It is the first product to operate exclusively as a digital billboard, as compared to a video display used for billboard purposes. The Valo™ OT display’s singular purpose has allowed Daktronics to tailor the product specifically for outdoor advertisers.
Daktronics engineered the Valo™ OT display to support the ongoing growth of digital outdoor advertising. “We’re really excited about the potential of digital billboards,” said Jim Morgan, CEO of Daktronics. “This technology is reinventing outdoor advertising.”
With Valo™ OT, Daktronics is well positioned to meet the unique needs of outdoor advertisers. Valo™ OT’s unmatched features and Daktronics’ outstanding history of providing quality products and excellent customer service make Valo™ OT the respected choice for outdoor advertisers.
Several features set the Valo™ OT digital billboard apart from the competition. Each feature carries the name Valo™ and embodies the intelligent innovation expected from Daktronics.
The features are: Valo™Mount, Valo™IQ, Valo™Sight, Valo™Lock, Valo™Play, and Valo™Sense.
Valo™Mount is Daktronics’ patent-pending mounting technology, which, by eliminating the need for horizontal stringers, reduces weight and saves money by decreasing the time it takes to install the Valo™ digital billboard.
Valo™IQ, Daktronics’ intelligent remote device management system, instantly generates comprehensive data about the display’s performance. The system monitors components, temperature, operation, and several other performance indicators.
Valo™Sight provides complete 24/7 system monitoring via live video feeds. Combined with Valo™IQ, Daktronics can connect remotely to resolve issues or, if necessary, dispatch an on-site technician.
Valo™Lock safeguards from vandalism by using advanced motion sensors and remote enclosure entry sensors. This technology instantly alerts users of any unauthorized activity at the billboard site.
Valo™Play, Valo’s content player, limits media to static images and governs the hold time of each advertisement to ensure the billboard content conforms to local regulatory codes. Valo™Play allows the digital billboard to conform to the strict standards set forth by the Outdoor Advertising Association of America.
Valo™Sense automatically detects ambient light levels and adjusts the display’s brightness accordingly.
Both Valo™Sense and Valo™Play help illustrate Daktronics’ commitment to governing bodies and to the communities in which digital billboards reside. “Our digital billboards are positive additions to the community,” said Jeremy Johnson, Billboard Sales Manager. “In addition to providing an affordable and flexible medium to advertisers, we are able to perform several public service functions by facilitating Amber Alerts, weather alerts, and law enforcement alerts. This product focuses on the most important needs of our clients, the outdoor companies, as well as municipalities and consumers.”
In addition to the features that have been added to the Valo™ OT product, this new technology features a cabinet that weighs less and a module design that consumes significantly less power than our traditional LED products.
In July, several clients saw the new display in action at a private screening. Since then, more than 20 orders have been placed for the Valo™ OT digital billboard.
Each Valo™ digital billboard will be built and shipped from Daktronics’ billboard plant in Sioux Falls, S.D. The Sioux Falls plant has promptly filled its high volume of orders from the outdoor industry by utilizing standardized and streamlined manufacturing processes.
The Valo™ OT digital billboard represents another addition to Daktronics’ legacy as an LED display pioneer. Since 2001, Daktronics has installed more than 400 digital billboards nationwide, making Daktronics the industry’s top supplier.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Billboard rules are a good compromise















Good for the Wichita City Council and the owners of electronic billboards for working together and agreeing to dim the signs at night. The ordinance, which the Council unanimously approved Tuesday, is a good balance between the rights of businesses and those of motorists and neighbors concerned about distracting lights.





Source: Wichita Eagle by Phillip Brownlee

Public input needed on Rockford’s proposed sign law changes

ROCKFORD, Ill

— The city will hold an open house from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Rockford’s downtown public library to gather input from residents and businesspeople on proposed changes to the sign law.The changes, which will be considered by the Code and Regulation Committee in coming weeks, have the potential to alter the appearance of the community, said Todd Cagnoni, planning manager in the Community Development Department.If the proposed law is passed by the council, digital billboards will be allowed in the city for the first time. The billboards, which can feature motion pictures, shimmering effects and ever-changing messages, would be approved on a case-by-case basis, Cagnoni said.Cagnoni said it was important that the community be consulted on the matter because digital billboards are unlike anything Rockford has seen before.“They can often be seen from a half-mile away,” he said in a Friday interview. “In contrast to static billboards, they have the ability to change messages multiple times a minute and can potentially distract drivers. We want to ensure that the new ordinance is something acceptable to our community.”Another major change to the sign ordinance would be a drastically reduced maximum height. The law allows business signs with a maximum height of 30 feet. Under the new law, single-lot businesses could have signs no taller than 8 feet, and shopping centers would be limited to 20 feet.Existing signs would be allowed to stand. The limits would apply only to new signs, Cagnoni said.Cagnoni said there are about 170 billboard “faces,” or sides, in the city. Some billboards have two faces, one pointing in each direction.Lamar Advertising owns or leases 95 percent of the 170 faces, Cagnoni said. In exchange for permitting digital billboards, the company has agreed to remove 27 faces at 15 locations, he said.If permitted to do so, the company has plans to install eight digital billboards at six locations. Two would be double-sided.The ordinance changes are being proposed by Aldermen Joe Sosnowski, R-1, and Carl Wasco, D-4.Sosnowski said the proposed changes would make the community look better, especially in the future when new signs are erected or old signs are updated.“The two major goals of the changes are to reduce the number of billboards and the amount of sign clutter,” he said.He said the digital billboards would not show motion pictures or dazzling light displays.“It would look like a regular billboard except it’s lit up. The signs would only change every 10 to 15 seconds.”Cagnoni said after the open house, he would report the results to the Code Committee, most likely on Aug. 20.

Source: By Bob Schaper ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR

Anderson businesses could help catch a thief

ANDERSON COUNTY, South Carolina

The electronic signs along Anderson County’s major highways could soon tell you more than the time, temperature and that day’s specials.
Anderson County Emergency Services is asking business owners to use the signs as an emergency alert system that would tell residents about Amber Alerts, evacuations or incoming weather threats, such as tornadoes.
The Billboard Emergency Alert System, or BEAS, actually came about as a suggestion from a resident, said Anita Donley, administrative office manager for the emergency services division.
Ms. Donley, who’s spearheading the project, knows how easy it is to miss an Amber Alert. When a 7-year-old boy was abducted at the Anderson K-Mart in 2004, she was heading out of town on Interstate 85 and didn’t know about the Amber Alert until she saw a sign at Exit 42 in Greenville County.
Anderson County roads are traveled 2 million times a day, Ms. Donley said. The county doesn’t have electronic signs on I-85, but it has at least 70 electronic business signs within a 10-mile radius of downtown Anderson. She counted 23 on Clemson Boulevard from the Spinx gas station on North Main Street to the Cracker Barrel on Interstate Boulevard.
The county would e-mail business owners the message they should post then call, using either an automated system or county staff, to alert them the notice was sent. The business owners would post the message until the emergency has passed.
Not only is the county hoping the signs will help them reach more people, but Ms. Donley said the best place to be looking for a car is driving around in a car.
The Spinx on North Main Street and Tony Long’s Allstate Insurance agency on North Boulevard near Ingles have already volunteered their signs, and other businessmen say they are interested as well.
“I definitely would do that,” said David Fant, owner of Lawrence and Brownlee Insurance on North Main Street. “If it was my kid that was kidnapped, I would want as much help as I could get.”
Businesses are trading advertising space to participate, but in addition to potentially saving a life, it’s good public relations, agreed Jeff Ranta, a partner in Mustard ‘N’ Relish, a public relations firm in Greenville and instructor at the University of South Carolina’s School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Mr. Ranta said it’s hard to see a downside for companies. They gain a reputation as a good corporate steward by participating. And as technology improves, public safety announcements could one day scroll at the bottom of the signs, similar to the way alerts are shown on television, Mr. Ranta said.
“I think it’s a win-win for everybody,” he said.
Anyone who wants to participate in the Billboard Emergency Alert System should call the emergency services public affairs office at (864) 260-4646.

Source: Independent Mail By Heidi Cenac

Council, planner differ on rezoning for billboard

The Burlington City Council brushed aside the repeated concerns of the city's chief planner and approved a conditional rezoning that paves the way for another digital billboard along the interstate. The council's unanimous vote on Tuesday came after Planning Di-rector Bob Harkrader said such rezonings could set a precedent, one that might lead to a proliferation of billboards along the city's stretch of Interstate 85/40. Some residents say the corridor already has too many signs. According to a survey by city planners, 84 billboards at 53 loca-tions are scattered along the eight miles of interstate between Maple Avenue and N.C. 61. ¡§If conditional zoning is interpreted as a way to allow for billboards, this number would most certainly increase,¡¨ stated a document Harkrader dis-tributed to the council Monday. Current city ordinances allow double-sided billboards on the interstate no closer together than 500 feet, provided the property is zoned general business, light indus-trial or heavy industrial. The two industrial designations also allow for billboards in other parts of the city, provided there is a 200-foot separation between signs, unless there is an intersecting public right-of-way of at least 40 feet. With such a right of way, signs can stand at all four corners of the intersection. Signs erected before city zoning and ordinance changes enacted in 1971 don't have to adhere to the separation requirements. SDL Properties owns 5.5 acres east of Maple Avenue that are adjacent to the northbound lanes of the interstate. The investment group needed Tuesday¡¦s conditional rezoning from the council so it could put a digital advertising sign on the property's northeastern corner. A ravine on the landlocked property won¡¦t allow for other types of devel-opment, said Charles Bateman, the attorney representing SDL. As part of the rezoning, SDL deeded most of the land to the adjacent United Pentecostal Church. Despite Tuesday¡¦s vote, objec-tions to the proposal have been in place for 3 1/2 months. In April, Bateman brought the request before the city Planning and Zoning Commission, which recommended it to the council by a 3-2 vote. The city council first considered the request in May. The council tabled the request to Monday¡¦s work session. The move came after Councilman David Huffman said signs could proliferate on the inter-state if the city failed to have an overall sign plan. The Rev. Kenny Godair, United Pentecostal¡¦s pastor, said in May that he favored SDL's request. On Tuesday, other church leaders echoed Godair¡¦s affirmation. Harkrader also renewed his ob-jections from the April and May meetings and questioned the wisdom of creating a policy to allow rezonings for the sole purpose of allowing signs. Huffman¡¦s concerns held on Monday but evaporated Tuesday when Bateman said SDL wouldn't build more than a single billboard on the property. The SDL request helped clarify the issue for the council, Harkrader said Thursday. The context of it is probably a little bit different from other properties that might be considered. ¡§There are a number of other prop-erties where it might not be appro-priate. I believe that the council understands that.¡¨ Businesses need to advertise along the interstate; whether there are too many is a matter of personal opinion and a question for the council to decide, Harkrader said. We are fairly well-saturated with billboards,¨ Harkrader said. There is not a whole lot of room for addition signage in the interstate corridor.¡¨


Source : Burlinton Times News by Robert Boye

Billboard company wants to light up Hobart

A representative of a billboard company said adding a LED billboard along U.S. 30 would help keep up with the times, but at least one commissioner expressed concern that doing so would set a precedent that could eventually turn Hobart into "Las Vegas, Ind."Matt Felder, a representative of View Outdoor advertising, came before the Board of Zoning Appeals on Thursday asking for a variance that would allow him to convert a billboard off the northeast corner of Colorado Street and U.S. 30 to an LED video display. The LED display would be on the east-facing side of the billboard to take advantage of westbound traffic heading for Westfield Southlake Mall and Interstate 65. The billboard currently is a "triface billboard" that rotates to show three separate advertisements.The sign would show a static image for 10 seconds before changing to a new image, Felder said. There would be no motion or flashing on the sign, and the light emanating from the sign would vary based on whether it was daytime or nighttime, Felder said.The LED billboard would allow advertisers to change their advertisements on a daily basis if they wished, Felder said, since everything associated with the sign is computerized.The city currently has no LED billboards, said City Planner Sergio Mendoza, although several businesses have LED signs they use to advertise for their own tenants.But at least one commissioner expressed doubts about the sign."I don't want Hobart to become Las Vegas, Ind.," Greg Lollis said.The board set the issue for public hearing in September. The Plan Commission must also decide whether to approve the sign.

Source: NWI.COM BY CARRIE RODOVICHA

Expect an ugly fight over the state's roadside scenery

During the legislative session that ended in May, a well-intentioned piece of legislation died violently in a collision of interests.
It was a collision of Texas notions of property rights and Texas notions of preservation of its natural splendor. For as big a tussle as it was, it occurred out of the public view. That's ironic considering a public view of the Texas countryside is really what it was all about.

It's not over yet either, because another skirmish is unfolding, and this time it's gone from the location of static billboards that beg a driver's attention to electronic ones that demand it.
The Texas Transportation Commission is to consider allowing outdoor advertisers to deploy LED (light emitting diode) billboards along interstate routes. In typical bureaucratic obfuscation, the sixth item on the agenda includes this illuminating item:
"Chapter 21 — Right of Way (MO) Amendments to §21.142, Definitions, §21.150, Permits, §21.154, Lighting and Movement of Signs, New §21.163, Electronic Signs (Regulation of Signs Along Interstate and Primary Highways), Amendments to §21.441, Permit for Erection of Off-Premise Sign, and §21.551, Prohibited Signs (Control of Signs Along Rural Roads)"
You wouldn't know from the agenda item just how big a deal this is, but it is big. This move has been in the works since March when a Texas Highway Department administrator asked his federal counterparts whether allowing LED signs violated existing federal-state agreements under the Highway Beautification Act — the one that traces its origins to Lady Bird Johnson. Well, yes, it would violate the existing pact, but the accord could be amended, the feds said.
It might take a a while to get all the sign-off needed before you see your first dancing billboard, but given that outdoor advertisers are patient with a lot at stake and never miss an opportunity to protect that stake.
Rising to challenge the LED billboards is the group Scenic Texas, which as the name implies, wants to preserve the state's scenery.
And that modest goal puts them at odds with outdoor advertisers who, like any other business, vigorously resist what they consider burdensome regulation.
In the session concluded in May, for example, a little bill that would have banned any more billboards on Texas 71, that scenic roadway between here and Brady to the west and here and Columbus to the east, met death by amendment in the Texas Legislature.
Introduced by state Sen. Kirk Watson, D- Austin, who modified the bill to assuage concerns by his colleagues, the bill died in the House when state Rep. Pat Haggerty, R-El Paso, objected that the billboard ban amounted to a "taking." The U.S. Constitution prohibits government from confiscating property without due process. Haggerty argued that the ban would deprive property owners of the full use of their land.
Former state Rep. Terral Smith of Austin, who lobbies for Scenic Texas and other clients, replied quite logically that property rights, like other rights, are not absolute: "You don't determine property rights — you may divide them between people but no one is here to say we have absolute property rights or personal rights or anything else, you are here to decide contests between people when rights clash."
But there was no Jimmy Stewart moment for this Mr. Smith. The bill died anyway, as did one that would ban billboards advertising "gentleman's clubs."
Scenic Texas found the going tough this session, but Margaret Lloyd of Houston is optimistic about one day seeing passage of a scenic highway bill that would conserve Texas highway views.
As the experience last session shows, that's a ways in the future. And right now, Lloyd and her group are suiting up for the fight against those moving billboards.

Source: Arnold Garcia Jr., AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN

Electronic billboards may face moratorium




The Kenton County Planning Commission is considering a moratorium on the installation and use of electronic billboards and changeable signs through Dec. 31.
Although the installation of a digital billboard in Covington created controversy two months ago when critics argued it was unsightly and a distraction to drivers, that is not what's driving the moratorium, planners say.
Rather, they say the proposed moratorium is to give a consultant time to update Kenton County's outdated sign regulations and address new technology such as electronic billboards.

The commission will consider the moratorium at its regular meeting Thursday.
Kenton County's sign regulations were updated about 15 years ago, said Mike Schwartz, deputy director of current planning for the Northern Kentucky Area Planning Commission.
Since then, he says, the laws have changed dramatically.
There also have been a number of federal cases involving signage issues, including what signs are allowable for commercial and noncommercial speech, and what is and isn't appropriate as far as the placement of electronic signs.
"This (proposed moratorium) is not a reaction to any problem that currently exists or could exist," Schwartz said.
"We just wanted to give the consultant a chance to finish his work. He knows what's been done nationally and in other areas that he's worked with," he added.
Rather than trying to figure out what every city has now, the consultant is advising that a moratorium be put in place "because he feels the question of electronic and changeable signage is the area that's going to be most changed by the regulations he comes up with," Schwartz said.
The consultant is expected to finish his work in three to four months, Schwartz said. After the planning commission reviews the new sign regulations, each of the county's 16 cities will decide whether to adopt them for their areas. Kenton County Fiscal Court would have the final say on new sign regulations for unincorporated areas.


Source: NKY.Com BY CINDY SCHROEDER

Judge OKs Cressona billboard

Cressona, PA must allow a Reading company to construct an advertising billboard in the borough, a Schuylkill County judge ruled Tuesday.

The borough zoning hearing board both exceeded its powers and acted improperly in barring Lamar Advertising of Penn LLC from building the billboard at 14 Pottsville St., Judge John E. Domalakes ruled in a five-page opinion and order.“The (board) exceeded the scope of its authority in denying (Lamar) its special permit when (Lamar) proved, to the satisfaction of the (board), that its proposed use complied with all relevant regulations,” Domalakes wrote.Domalakes’ ruling means Lamar can construct the 247-square-foot billboard at the property it is renting from Jean Biertempfel.It also overturns the board’s Aug. 25, 2005, decision denying Lamar’s application for a special use permit to allow it to put up the billboard.Lamar’s proposed billboard complies with all regulations in Cressona’s zoning ordinance, since it is not within an R-1 or R-3 residential zone, is less than 300 square feet, is more than 60 feet from another billboard and is more than 75 feet from a residential zone, Domalakes wrote. The judge wrote that the board concluded the proposed billboard would comply with all borough regulations, but it still denied the permit. Under state law, that constitutes an abuse of discretion by the board, since its decision lacks any support from the evidence, Domalakes wrote.“A permit to construct a billboard should not be denied if it complies with all relevant regulations,” Domalakes wrote.Additionally, the board improperly usurped the power of the borough zoning officer in making the original decision of whether to grant the permit, Domalakes wrote. State law gives the board jurisdiction in certain zoning matters, but Lamar’s application for a special permit did not come under any of those, according to the judge.

Source: Replublican & Herald BY PETER E. BORTNER

Panel votes no on sign freeze

The Kenton County Planning Commission on Tuesday voted against recommending that Kenton County governing bodies put a moratorium on new electronic billboards in the county until the end of the year, when the county expects to adopt new sign regulations.
"This is just a recommendation," said Planning Commission Deputy Director Mike Schwartz. "It is now up to each legislative body whether they want to adopt the planning commission recommendation, or whether they want to impose their own moratorium."
The commission voted 6 to 3 against recommending a moratorium, with the chairman, Alex Weldon, abstaining because she was not present at a public hearing on the issue, Schwartz said.
Schwartz said if the new regulations do not allow electronic signs, any sign legally erected or converted before the regulation would be allowed to stay as a non-conforming use, which means it was there before the regulations changed.
"We don't know what the new regulations will say," Schwartz said. "They could outlaw electronic signs or put limits on them, or they could find that electronic signs cause no problem whatsoever."
He said the commission hopes to have the new regulations completed by the end of the year.
More billboard companies have been converting traditional billboards to electronic billboards. State law already prohibits electronic billboards on interstate highways.
The Kenton County Planning Commission has hired a consultant to help develop new regulations for billboards and signs in the county and had considered the moratorium to keep new electronic signs from being installed while the regulations are being upgraded.
Two static billboards were converted to electronic billboards in Covington since last winter. City officials got a wave of resident complaints when the newest one was converted in May. Covington code enforcement officials have discussed possible action to stop conversions to electronic signs.
The two billboards that were converted had been static, traditional billboards and were considered a non-conforming use, grandfathered in because the billboards were in place before the zoning regulations prohibited them in those locations. The question is whether converting them to electronic billboards changes the use and makes the billboards subject to the current zoning regulations. A decision on that is expected in September.
The proposed planning commission moratorium would have said no additional electronic signs could be erected in the county until a final decision is made about their legality. It would have applied to message boards, changeable copy signs, electronic message boards and tri-vision signs. It also would prohibit owners of a current non-electronic board from converting one.
Schwartz said in order to pass a moratorium, it must be well defined, be set for a reasonable time, and must further the government interest, which could include public safety or land use issues, said Schwartz.
"In the opinion of the majority of the commission, the moratorium does not outweigh the government interest," he said.
The recommendation against setting a moratorium now goes to city and county governments, which can use the recommendation in making their decisions.
Electronic billboards are legal in Ohio but with restrictions: Screen changes must be no quicker than every eight seconds and fade in and out so as to not create a vision distraction.

Source: The Cincinnati Post

Planning Commission also is recommending amendments to the county’s sign regulations.

Cleveland, Tennesse

The Planning Commission also is recommending amendments to the county’s sign regulations.
Electronic display screens will be described as a sign or portion of a sign that displays an electronic image or video, which may or may not include text. This definition includes television screens, plasma screens, digital screens, flat screens, LED screens, video boards and holographic displays.
Electronic display screens are prohibited within FAR zoning, or within 200 feet of Residential 1 or Residential 2 zoning districts and must adhere to the following standards:
1. Each image displayed must be static or depicted for a minimum of six seconds (shortened from 10 seconds);
2. Animated images and images which move or give the appearance of movement are prohibited. This restriction shall not prohibit the dissolving or replacing of one image with another image or reader boards (scrolling messages); and;
3. No freestanding electronic display screen shall exceed 25 percent of the total allowable sign face area for any on-premise or off-premise sign.

Jackson’s big thing

Jackson Township, Ohio

Three-quarters of a million dollars in unexpected government revenue is nothing to sneeze at, even in Jackson Township. But Jackson officials have said no to this and other offers from a billboard company. Why? Because they remain determined to stop the spread of commercial growth west of Frank Avenue NW. Because the Board of Zoning Appeals denied a request for a variance Thursday, Smith Outdoor Advertising cannot erect a digital video billboard in a restaurant lot on Portage Street NW just a few feet from township property. Jackson trustees also opposed the variance. Earlier, the township repeatedly rejected Larry Smith’s offer to pay Jackson $360,000 and give it an equivalent amount in advertising if he could lease township land for the billboard. “It’s not a big thing, but I think it would make a difference to the property owner and the township,” Smith said after the vote. What has become a big thing for township officials in recent years is acting consistently on behalf of Jackson residents’ interests, which they did again this week.

Video signs could be outlawed



Plumber Jim Scardina's video sign along Interstate 97 sparked safety concerns from two county councilmen.
Councilmen introduce bill to eradicate 'Las Vegas' style signsBy ERIN COX Staff Writer
It began with a motorist mesmerized by the motion on a sign beside Interstate 97.
Distracted, the driver swerved, nearly caused an accident, and decided to eradicate the video signs common in New York's Times Square and beginning to crop up around Anne Arundel County.
The motorist was County Councilman Jamie Benoit of Crownsville, and a new bill he introduced last night aims to prohibit all signs featuring moving video, flashing lights, sounds or scrolling text. Co-sponsored by fellow Democrat Josh Cohen of Annapolis, the bill refines the county's sign code and would outlaw the Scardina Plumbing and Heating sign that distracted Mr. Benoit.
At issue for the council is not only whether the handful of video signs in the county present a safety hazard, but also a fear that increasingly digitized, multimedia displays could destroy the aesthetics of Anne Arundel.
"I'm trying to protect the visual quality of life and prevent us from becoming the Las Vegas strip in 10 years," Mr. Cohen said.
The Scardina sign near the New Cut Road exit in Millersville has Santa sending well wishes during the holidays and messages to support the troops on other days. A digital sign at the back of the company's property had solicited customers for seven years, but the company switched to the full color sign in December, owner Jim Scardina said.
If the bill passes later this month, the business would have three months to halt the video images or face a $125 fine.
"It doesn't present a problem," Mr. Scardina said, explaining that he can meet the law's requirements without taking down the sign.
Other signs that could be deemed illegal are mostly in the Annapolis area: beside a hotel on Riva Road, for a storage center off Route 50 or near Westfield Annapolis mall.
"They're like cell phone towers," Mr. Cohen said. "Once you start looking, they're everywhere."
County law already prohibits animated signs and those with text that changes more frequently than every five seconds, but it stops short of specifically outlawing video, signs that flash or scroll text.
"There's a very strong argument that these signs are already illegal," Mr. Benoit said, emphasizing the more precise language would not require businesses to take down the signs and comparing using them to buying a Porsche that tops out at 140 miles per hour.
"Just because it goes that fast, we don't get to drive it that fast," he said. "We can only drive the speed limit."
The tighter rules Mr. Benoit and Mr. Cohen proposed do not affect digital billboards, whose entire image changes every six seconds.
Local law enforcement authorities said they had not heard of the video signs causing accidents.
"I've never heard of that being any type of concern," county Police Department spokesman Cpl. Mark Shawkey said, adding county statistics do not prove or disprove whether the signs cause accidents.
All the better to act now, Mr. Benoit said.
"I think the safety of our residents demands the county make the law clear before motion signs and accidents related to the distraction they cause become commonplace," Mr. Benoit said.
The Federal Highway Administration plans to commission a study on whether video signs are linked to more accidents.
David Hickey with the International Sign Association, a Virginia organization representing the on-premises sign industry, said the market for these signs has grown in recent years and is now a $3 billion-a-year industry. The color, video signs for small businesses begin at $50,000 and allow businesses to give customers time-sensitive information about their services.
Bob Burdon, president and chief executive officer of the Annapolis and Anne Arundel Chamber of Commerce, said he supports a ban on video signs at street level that could distract drivers, but he said he thinks the higher, taller signs should be allowed to stay.
So does Richard Wallace, who works nights in Annapolis and looks forward to glancing at the colorful Scardina sign every time he drives home to north county.
"I really like that sign," said Mr. Wallace. "I find it a pleasant respite to see it."
A public hearing is set for 7 p.m. Sept. 4 in the Arundel Center, 44 Calvert St. in Annapolis before the council votes on the bill.


By J. Henson - The Capital

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Stuart OKs large electronic billboards




Thursday, August 02, 2007

STUART, Fla

—The first electronic billboard in the city could be up and running in about two months.
Lamar Advertising Co. agreed Tuesday to the city's offer to allow one electronic sign now and another to follow in about two years, City Attorney Paul Nicoletti said.

The first sign will go up on city land on the east side of U.S. 1 south of Baker Road, with monthly rent payments of about $2,875 starting Oct. 1, Nicoletti said.
The location of the second sign is to be determined but must fall somewhere south of Indian Street, Nicoletti said.
The contract comes months after city commissioners tried to renege on an agreement that would have allowed Lamar to put up two electronic billboards as soon as it took down all 13 of its existing traditional billboards, each of which has two sides for a total of 26 "faces." That was the settlement reached about a year ago after the company wrongfully repaired several hurricane-damaged signs without a permit.
City commissioners agreed in April to let the electronic signs go up on two city lots: one just north of the Roosevelt Bridge and another near the intersection of Kanner Highway and Monterey Road. However, several residents raised concerns about the signs being eyesores and distracting to drivers, which prompted commissioners in June to ask Nicoletti to try to persuade Lamar to give up the idea of electronic signs.
The company wouldn't agree.
Under the latest agreement, Lamar will take down seven traditional billboards when it turns on the first electronic sign. The rest of the traditional billboards will come down when the company turns on the second electronic sign.
Jim Maskas, vice president and general manager of Lamar Lakeland, the division that would erect the signs in Stuart, could not be reached for comment Wednesday. He has said that once the company and the city agreed on a site, Lamar could have a digital sign installed within two months.
Each sign can measure about 378 square feet and reach a height of 35 feet, according to the agreement. The proposed signs, versions of which exist in other cities, show a different message every eight second

Source: Palm Beach Post by Rachel Simmonsen

Electronic billboards to be discussed at special meeting

Aug 2, 2007

Bakersfield, CA

The Bakersfield City Council will hold a meeting to discuss the legality of the new electronic billboard signs.
Assistant Planning Director Jim Eggart said current city codes neither allow nor ban such signs.
At Thursday’s meeting, a council committee will discuss how the city will govern such signs.
In addition to this problem, the sign company did not receive building permits prior to installation two weeks ago.
That issue will also be addressed.

Source KGET.com by Brynn Galindo

City should get a grip on digital billboards


It's nightfall, and you're driving north on the Monterey Bridge when a sign to the northwest grabs your attention like a great beacon in the sky.It's a new electronic billboard installed by Lamar Outdoor Advertising. New messages flash at you every six seconds.The next day, you're driving north on Milton Avenue, and as you approach the Holiday Drive intersection, a flash of green off to the right catches your eye. It's another such digital billboard, one of six installed by Lamar.Technology has leaped ahead of city ordinances.Janesville resident Elizabeth Gall calls them "TV sets in the sky.""Digital display only serves to intensify the eyesore created by these massive outdoor advertising signs," Gall wrote in a letter to the Gazette.As a citizen member of the zoning board of appeals, she understands the workings of city government better than a casual observer."In the past few years, members of the community, city staff and the city council have worked diligently to modify ordinances in order to prohibit blight and create an urban landscape that is consistent with a community that calls itself the 'City of Parks,'" Gall wrote. "Unfortunately, technology has gotten ahead of the sign code."Lamar reviewed ordinances before deciding where to place the billboards. However, in a Gazette story Wednesday, Brad Yarmark, vice president and general manager for Lamar in Janesville, acknowledged the company didn't consult the city before installations.Lamar is offering a valuable city service with the billboards. If a child abduction prompts an Amber Alert, or police need help finding a crime suspect, Lamar could post a sketch or photo on the billboards within minutes of getting it from police.The billboards also promote nonprofit agencies, such as the Rock County Humane Society."Our very limited budget could not hope to afford the advertising offered to us by Lamar," Christina Konetski, shelter executive director, wrote to the Gazette.The billboards don't bother some people. One resident even suggested they're "cool."In yet another letter to the Gazette, Barb M. Smith wrote that they distract drivers no more than talking on cell phones or putting on makeup. Though the billboard lights dim at dusk, they provide free lighting that might make our city safer, she reasoned.Yarmark says Lamar followed existing code, which allows a billboard message to change every six seconds. Of course, that code was written in the era of mechanical billboards with rotating messages."We're definitely concerned about them," Brad Cantrell, community development director, told the Gazette.The city should be. If placed in residential neighborhoods, such signs could bother people trying to get a good night's sleep. If flashing green, yellow or red distracts drivers as they approach traffic signals, the messages could contribute to accidents. Drivers don't need any more distractions as they negotiate the racetrack that is Milton Avenue.Rather than signs, electronic billboards could be deemed "digital message senders" that might face restrictions on locations and brightness.The six billboards already in place probably should be left alone. But city officials must move quickly to catch up with this technology and avoid problems down the road.

Source: Gazette Extra

Battle continues in Murfreesbooro

Ads are the only change on billboard

It's been more than a month since an appeal to keep the digital billboard along Old Fort Parkway was rejected, but the only things changing on the sign are its ads.
The Murfreesboro Board of Zoning Appeals denied an appeal June 25 by Lamar Advertising to keep its 378-foot electronic billboard at 1804 Old Fort Parkway near the DoubleTree Hotel and


Lamar's attorney, Larry Leibowitz, has said the company will appeal the BZA's decision in court.
Murfreesboro spokesman Chris Shofner said city officials have been in contact with Lamar's representatives to avoid that possibility.
"We're just trying to let the process run its course because if we can come to some kind of agreement and keep it out of court, that'd be the best," Shofner said.
The Murfreesboro Building and Codes Department revoked the sign's permit in March — shortly after it was erected — for violating the city's moratorium on electronic messaging signs as well as a long-standing law that prohibits such signs for commercial purposes.
Lamar has 60 days to file papers with Rutherford County Chancery Court to stop the city from enforcing a take-down order on the sign.
In a letter to Leibowitz, Murfreesboro Building and Codes Director Betts Nixon asked for proof that the sign is not a danger to the public, questioning the weight of the LED screen and the electrical nature.
"If Lamar cannot or will not satisfy the city as to the sign's safety, the sign must come down," Nixon wrote July 12.
Leibowitz replied July 19 that Lamar's sign was erected in accordance with industry specifications, standards and practices and is safe as constructed.
As of Friday, no suits or injunctions had been filed in the case by either Lamar or the city of Murfreesboro.
Source: The Daily News Journal Turner Hutchens

Electronic billboards face freeze

The Kenton County Planning Commission on Tuesday will review a request calling for a moratorium through the rest of the year on the installation of all electronic message boards in the county.
The measure would apply to the zoning ordinances of all Kenton County jurisdictions.
The amendment comes in response to ongoing questions about the legality of electronic billboards along Northern Kentucky highways, particularly two in Covington. Those billboards, along Interstate 71/75, have been deemed illegal by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for a very simple reason: state law prohibits them on all highways in the state.
The request for a moratorium came from the planning commission staff, which is upgrading all sign regulations, said Mike Schwartz, the commission's deputy director for current planning.
"We hired an expert consultant to assist us in that effort," he said.
Schwartz said the updated regulations are likely to affect electronic signs, and the moratorium will assure that new signs are erected under new regulations.
Meanwhile, Covington has launched its own challenge to electronic signs in response to a wave of resident complaints when the second electronic billboard in the city lit up near the interstate in May. Last year the first static billboard was converted to an electronic one near the 12th street interchange in Covington.
"Basically, they're a big LCD television. They change every 8 to 10 seconds or so," said City Manager Jay Fossett. He said residents' concerns include the brightness and the danger posed by driver distraction.
The city's prime concern, said Fossett, is a zoning issue.
Static billboards were grandfathered in, which means they were there before the zoning regulations were enacted. "By changing from a static billboard to an electronic one, they are changing the use," Fossett said. "They're a non-conforming use."
The city isn't trying to get rid of the billboards altogether, said Fossett, just return them to their original static signs. "We want to have a hearing and have a judge rule are they conforming or not conforming," Fossett said.
Covington code enforcement officials met July 28 to discuss the issue but said recently no decision would be made until Sept. 12. Until then, the billboards stay up and continue to shine.
The proposed planning commission amendment would stop the debate where it is, meaning no additional electric signs could be erected in the county until a final decision is made about their legality. It would apply to message boards, changeable copy signs, electronic message boards and tri-vision signs. It also would prohibit owners of a current non-electronic board from converting one.
Electronic billboards are legal in Ohio but with restrictions: Screen changes must be no quicker than every eight seconds and fade in and out so as to not create a vision distraction.

Source: The Kentucky Post

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Digital Billboards speed growth of outdoor advertising

Modern urban lifestyles exhibit a tendency towards greater indulgence in outdoor activities, and people are spending a greater portion of their time traveling. The rapidly growing popularity of digital billboards and their ability to air attractive full motion video and visually informative graphic presentations, is helping speed the growth of outdoor advertising.
With such advancements, the world billboard advertising market, the largest mode of outdoor advertising, is expected to increase by $2.85 billion between 2007 and 2010, according to Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
Europe is said to dominate this market with a 31 percent share, while Asia-Pacific turbo charges global growth with a compound annual growth rate of 12.3 percent. The transit advertising market represents the fastest growing mode of outdoor advertising, with the potential to reach $7.14 billion by 2010. The street furniture advertising market in the Middle East and Africa is expected to reach $64.05 million by 2010.
By region, the world outdoor advertising market is dominated by Europe. Growth in Europe is fashioned by the highly lucrative Russian market, which is forecast to grow at a rate of 30.2 percent over the analysis period. Outdoor advertising expenditures in the two other fast growing European markets, Hungary and Norway, together are expected to rise by $119.9 million between 2007 and 2010.
In Asia-Pacific, unbridled growth is forecast to be witnessed in Indonesia, Thailand, and China. Together, these three regional markets are expected to corner close to 65 percent of the total expenditures on outdoor advertising in Asia, by 2010.

Source: Global Industry Analysts, Inc.