Television advertising on Shanghai's expanding underground railway system is on track for a solid year, with sales expected to reach 10 million yuan as operators introduce short entertainment programmes to plasma panels on station platforms. The growth forecast comes after the programmes began screening on 152 plasma panels and 672 liquid-crystal displays (LCDs) at 13 stations on Line 2 of the Shanghai Metro in September last year. Advertising income from Line 2 is running at double that of Line 1, the city's main metro line which shows only commercials to its 700,000 daily passengers. Line 2 carries 450,000 a day. However, operators have taken programming a further step on Line 2 with the inclusion of comedy sketches and talk shows lasting between four and 10 minutes. The move has attracted a number of multinational advertisers, including German electronics firm Siemens and Swiss watchmaker Tissot. Digital Media Group director James Lim, whose company is the sole advertising agent for Line 2's LCDs and plasma panels and provides technical support for Line 1, said metro passengers were a captive audience. 'Passengers enjoy watching the programmes, while enthusiastic advertisers are voting with their money,' Mr Lim said. Digital Media Group expects sales to reach 10 million yuan in a year - 5 per cent of Shanghai Metro's advertising revenue of 200 million yuan this year - and grow at 20 per cent to 30 per cent a year. The firm is also considering launching a similar service on Line 1, which has 16 stations and passes through key commercial areas in the city such as Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street and Huaihai Road.
