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Why Facebook's Falling Share Price Really Doesn't MatterThe thought makes the stomach churn: TV programming in the checkout line at your local grocery, at the bar, at the car repair shop. But, as TV audiences in the home drop, that is where the world is heading and CBS (NYSE: CBS) will be there to capitalize ... or so it thinks. CBS is buying SignStorey for $71.5 million. The company has TV displays at 1,400 supermarkets around the country and that number will only rise.
As The Wall Street Journal points out: "The purchase is one more step in the network's bid to thrust its content before as many viewers as possible, whether they want to watch it or not." But here's the rub; just because a video display is in front of people does not mean that they will watch it.
CBS has also made an arrangement with AVTV Networks which could eventually drive an audience of three million viewers in doctor's offices. Since MDs like to keep people waiting, that one may work.
As the networks become desperate to replace the audience eyeballs that have moved to the internet, they appear to be willing to go to almost pathetic lengths to get content in front of consumers. Most people, however, have better things to do than watch the tube when they drop off their dry cleaning.
Douglas A. McIntyre is a partner at 24/7 Wall St.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-24-2008 @ 3:30PM
Mike McDougal said...
I just Googled Healium and AVTV after a TORTUROUS experience with it at my doctor's waiting room. The thing is so loud, so annoying, and so repetitive. I blasts 10 commercials in-a-row and then a 2 minute segment which is not much longer than a promo commercial you'd see on TV. There's no real entertainment.
When you visit your doctor with high fever, and just wanted quiet, Helium will flash lights and sounds at you and there's nothing you can do.
Everyone in the waiting room was asking saying how annoying it was. People were trying to read or close their eyes. People had to sit under the TV with the speakers right above their head blaring.
I asked my doctor to get rid of it. It made my experience hell.
Entertainment? Torture.
9-07-2007 @ 2:19PM
Yigal Marcus said...
Look at what Focus Media Holdings (NASDAQ: FMCN) has done in China. They aggregated a bunch of small digital signage companies, and now have a massive national network, giving advertiser huge reach. It's the wave of the future, and CBS is smart for recognizing that. The marketing power that it provides to CBS ALONE, in reaching captive and attentive audiences, is huge. Then you add the advertising potential... My company, AVTV Networks, which is deploying the Healium Waiting Room Network, is serving patients who wait, on average, for 47 minutes. 47 minutes. No zipping or zapping. Only "Stress-Free TV." And people watching our content.
By the way, in just under four years, Focus Media Holdings (NASDAQ: FMCN) is a $4.4 billion company. CBS is smart for going after that market. The potential is untapped and very significant.
9-09-2007 @ 11:24AM
Neil Blum said...
The AVTV Healium system is great. Whenever I go to my doctor I watch it. It makes the time pass really quickly! EVERYONE in the room is fixated on it. There are even discussions started over the programming.
CBS really picked a winner!