Westinghouse and AdTek to supposedly deploy PumpTop TV to 75,000 gas station pumps

Just got this in the ol' press release folder:

Westinghouse Digital Electronics, the fourth largest manufacturer of LCD TVs in the U.S.*, today announced an exclusive arrangement with AdtekMedia, Inc. to significantly accelerate the national expansion of “PumpTop TV,” AdtekMedia’s premier digital media network. Westinghouse Digital will build and install turnkey display systems for fuel pumps serviced by AdtekMedia’s narrowcast network, which will deliver news content and advertising to gas station consumers as they fuel their vehicles. The Westinghouse commitment involves supplying complete systems to be installed onto thousands of gas station pumps in each of sixty of the largest U.S. markets, thus creating one of the largest Out-of-Home Digital Media networks in the U.S., reaching more than 100 million drivers each month.

Westinghouse Digital’s technology expertise in displays allows development of next generation, fully integrated systems for gas station narrowcasting. The system includes dual 19” widescreen high-resolution displays (on both sides of the pump), computer, and networking components with wireless delivery along with a server backbone. Westinghouse Digital will incorporate advanced technologies for increased brightness and daylight viewing along with environmental protection and climate control for sensitive system components. Westinghouse Digital’s goal is to improve the consumer experience with the display and provide unique features that directly meet the needs of this growing vertical market consistent with its commitment to build its presence in the commercial market for flat panel displays.

Is it true? Beats me. Sure there are certainly that many gas pumps to be converted, but despite plenty of RFPs and pilot projects, none of the major C-store or gas station chains have stepped up with a major deployment that I'm aware of. I can say this: if one were really planning on deploying 75,000 screens, it would make sense to partner with a big manufacturer like Westinghouse to design and construct the digital signs themselves.

So just how many of these things have been deployed so far? According to the release:

PumpTop TV is currently evaluating national and regional content providers for its network. The near term roll out plan for PumpTop TV calls for expedited completion of the current build-out of the Los Angeles market, quickly followed by full entry into other key U.S. demographic markets including San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto, San Diego, Phoenix, Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston.

If I had to guess, I'd say that Adtek has permission to sell to some number of chains for a particular oil company or companies, but will need to sell on a franchise-by-franchise basis as opposed to winning some huge deal to go out and deploy thousands of stations at once.

Has anybody seen/heard otherwise?

Tags: PumpTop TV, Westinghouse, Adtek