TV Channel Would Help Metro Increase Revenue

WASHINGTON - You could call it M-TV or as Metro calls it TMC, The Metro Channel. Either way, Metro riders may soon be watching television on trains and buses, on station platforms and mezzanines, in bus shelters and at street level Metro station entrances.

The Metro Channel, a new network of large, flat-screen digital signs, would give Metro ways to expand advertising revenue while providing riders with information. That information would range from train and bus information to real-time weather to news alerts.

In the event of an emergency or outage, the TVs would offer "very critical, real time, customized, station-by-station incident information," says Metro Assistant General Manager for Information Technology Suzanne Peck.

If a contract is awarded this summer, it's anticipated that the first pilot screens would be in stations by the end of the year. New signs with ads would start to appear by the end of 2010, with the entire project taking four to to six years to complete.

"It's very exciting," said Metro Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman. "We need more information out there for our customers."

Metro's plan calls for five to 11 screens in each station. Over time all rail cars and buses would have the monitors, as will select bus shelters.

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