By George Anderson
Five hundred gas stations around the U.S. will soon be going into the entertainment business. Gas Station TV said it would provide the stations with high-definition television screens at the pumps displaying broadcasts of news and traffic reports.
The new point-of-purchase (POP) media continues the trend of trying to reach consumers at the moment of the buying decision. As the number of consumers watching network television has continued to decline, marketers have increasingly turned to alternative delivery methods to reach target consumers.
A significant development for Gas Station TV is the announcement that Murphy Oil would use the service at 500 of its 900 stations located in the parking lot of Wal-Mart stores.
Programming for Gas Station TV will include news segments from ABC broadcast on 20-inch high definition screens. ABC will also sell advertising for Gas Station TV, as well.
Moderator's Comment: What do you see as the pluses and minuses associated with televisions located at gas pumps? - George Anderson - Moderator