What can the industry do to help make digital billboards more community friendly? That question has been on the mind of Media Resources’ Chief Product Architect, Cheng Qian, for years.

Digital Billboards have proven very effective, dynamic tools to connect people with products, services, and information. However, the use of digital billboards is still opposed by some based on “light trespass” concerns, concerns that can delay or potentially end the permitting process.

Cheng’s early work showed his design to physically mitigate digital billboard light trespass worked. But it was a client’s needs that led to the development of the first digital billboard equipped with light mitigation technology.

Our client had a legal, great location on a surface street; however, the unit was visible from a neighboring highway which banned digital billboards; his permit was rejected. The client asked if we had a solution.

After a site analysis we confirmed our new technology, VISIONiQ SITELINE^TM (patent pending) would solve their light trespass issue. MRI then helped them through the permitting process, providing certified light analysis documentation, leading to the installation of a very profitable digital billboard.

Since its introduction, MRI has continuously tuned SITELINE^TM to improve performance. SITELINE^TM displays include premium Nichia down angled LEDs, right & left blocking options and complete support for customers from analysis through demonstration units (available to present to regulators).

A news story broadcast by KUTV in Salt Lake City is a great example of how SITELINE^TMmade a good neighbor out of a digital billboard that, while legally permitted, was literally driving people from their homes.

“Our Goal Is To Be Good Community Participants”, Art Woodbuy, Woodbury Corporation on why they made the change from another manufacturer’s digital (shown above) to SITELINE^TM.

SITELINE^TM was developed to provide predictable mitigation of light, either to the left or to the right as shown by this recent DDI installation:

South face equipped with Left Blocking louvers, motorist, and subdivision views

North face equipped with Right Blocking louvers, motorist, and subdivision views

As DDI’s Tony Mariani said, “SITELINE^TM light mitigation worked exactly as Media Resources said it would… The municipality where these units are located is very satisfied.”

Out-of-Home companies have used SITELINE^TM displays to obtain permits where digital billboards had been effectively zoned out, and to be good neighbors where light trespass may be a concern. Profitable SITELINE^TM DOOH locations now dot the continent.

Bill Ripp, VP of all Digital for Lamar says“Media Resources were the inventors of the light trespass mitigation technology for digital Out of Home and have been instrumental in helping many of our markets get locations approved with their SITELINE^TM product.  They have a whole process to help our teams analyze the location and present a custom solution specific to that location.”

As Cheng puts it, “the only people who need to see digital billboards are the target audience driving/walking towards them. Proactively using light mitigation to ensure others are not “affected by the light” is worth considering. SITELINE^TM improves the industry’s image with the public & regulators alike.”

Light trespass mitigating OOH displays are the solution that will continue to increase in importance in growing the digital OOH category.  Taking proactive steps to prevent light trespass concern from becoming a bigger issue just makes sense and creates better neighbors as well!

SITELINE^TM has been presented to and applauded by all major OOH organizations from the OAAA to IBO to state OOH associations.

For more information contact Jeff Rushton, jrushton@mediaresources.com

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