While 70-percent of McDonald's business is drive-through, in store customers are about to be treated to a new innovation called McTV, which is a McDonald's TV channel. It will be original programming designed to fit the local communities a given restaurant serves. You will be able to get local school sports scores, movie reviews and human interest stories while you enjoy your meal. The goal is to capitalize on a captive audience which is something very rare anymore in a world where media choices abound. Allen Adamson, a managing partner of Landor Associates, a firm that specializes in brand building says, "while they're in line getting their hamburger there is no escape". The programming will be available on two large, high-definition screens that will be viewable for about 70-percent of the eating area with the audio coming from either the screen or in-ceiling speakers. There will be "quiet zones" where patrons can eat without having to see or hear the programming.

The effort is expected to reach 18-20 million people a month which is a huge daytime audience in most regions of the country. The down side is the fact that this is one more place where you cannot escape the small screen or advertisements like some cabs and gasoline pumps feature now. 

McDonald's hopes that this technology will make  the restaurant more of a 'destination' spot for people which they are already doing with Wi-Fi capabitlity, playground areas and cafe elements. Time will tell if people want to watch TV while at McDonald's, but it is already being tested in Southern and Central California and the reviews are not yet in. Food for thought. Click here to read the entire article from the Los Angeles Times.

McDonalds
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