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Digital billboards brace Boston for blizzard

Clear Channel Outdoor Boston has been a regular in the digital signage news recently — but when you're hot, you're hot ... Or in this case, perhaps, when you're cold, you're cold ...

After sniping with Baltimore over the Ravens-Patriots game and alerting Bostonians to the season-ending injury of Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo, Clear Channel Boston is again putting its digital billboard inventory to the public good. This time the out-of-home agency is warning drivers of the oncoming blizzard threatening the Northeast U.S.

CCO Boston used Twitter to contact the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, tweeting yesterday @MassEMA, "We'd love to help w/ the approaching storm. Do you have emergency services messaging you'd like to post on our digital billboards?" And the organization later started posting warnings from MEMA on its billboards (and posting photos, such as the one below, on its Facebook page):

digital billboard blizzard warning


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CCO Boston has since then continued updating drivers (and Facebookers) with additional information, including notification of a traffic curfew instituted by the state's governor:

Billboard announces driving curfew

In addition to the weather alerts and state information, CCO Boston's billboard's also have carried more basic reminders for drivers:

bliiboard says drive carefully

Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings also announced today that real-time storm information messages are being displayed on 26 digital billboards across metro New York City and on 10 Junior Digital Posters in White Plains, New York.

According to the announcement, Clear Channel Outdoor is using its seven digital billboards in the Boston area to support public safety in partnership with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.

"This storm is dangerous to the people of Massachusetts, so Clear Channel Outdoor is proud to support the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency in communicating critical messages during this blizzard," a Clear Channel Outdoor spokesman said via email. "We are putting our digital billboards at the disposal of MEMA as they manage the state through this storm."

The news lately has been a perfect storm of proof for the public service benefits of the dynamic capabilities of digital billboards. Maybe the next time they show how beneficial they can be, it'll be with better news.

Learn more about digital billboards.

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User Comments – Give us your opinion!
  • Tony Cioffi
    8510029
    To Jane and your team ...Well done! Great use of the fastest media source known....Digital Out of Home.
  • Caitlin Judd
    8391736
    In Melbourne, Australia we have permanent outdoor LED screens on all major highways that indicate weather warnings such as a total fire ban on very hot days. It is an extremely effective way to communicate with everyone heading in and out of town.The screens also notify drivers of road closures, accidents, estimated travel time etc. The government should have their own screens to use whenever they need!
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