digital billboard inventory to the public good.

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)

 

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 

 

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

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.