24/7 news…in the powder room
I spent a few days in Crystal City, Virginia last week at the annual conference of a group called Public Radio News Directors Inc (PRNDI) – my people, from individual stations all around the country.
I’m sorting through my notes and thoughts, but quickly, here’s one new thing. A TV screen embedded in the mirror in the ladies room. Never seen that before. Reportedly, there was NO TV in the men’s room mirror. Maybe guys don’t usually spend a couple minutes checking themselves out in the mirror?
Anyhow, here I am with my Iphone, trying to capture me watching coverage of New York’s same sex marriage law. Just thought you’d be interested. It was even weirder when the image was a headshot of Gov. Cuomo.
I didn’t meet any fellow news directors who’d ever seen such a thing. We did talk a lot about new media and new technology, but I’m not sure where this “embed” fits into the scheme of things….
Martha:
Here in Ottawa we used to have a small restaurant that had a TV embedded into the floor of the unisex washroom. It was really only watchable if one was sitting on the “throne” so I suspect if was aimed primarily at female customers…although maybe it was a way to encourage men to sit and make less of a mess!
Anyway, the restaurant is still there but the TV is long gone.
My thoughts when I see that: I hope there is only a signal coming in, and no signal going out.
Anita makes a good point.
As for the men, I have long expected to see digital ads, something like at Times Square, running above the urinals in the men’s room.