Betting on the buoyant billboard

Van Wagner Communications, the largest private outdoor advertising firm,
said it will spend up to $5,500 on each of some 600 billboards in New York,
Chicago, Los Angeles, and Boston. The investment includes a stainless steel
apron for all the billboards and large digital time and temperature displays
for about half, and is a testament to Van Wagner's belief that the U.S.
economic slump will not drag down a boom in outdoor advertising, which
rose 7 percent last year to $7.3 billion. "People are creatures of habit,"
said CEO Richard Schap. "I'm guessing that the guy who exits the Long Island
Expressway will be looking up and thinking 'It's 7:02 today' or 'It's 7:15 today
and I'm running late."' (Reuters)