• by Mark Walsh  @markfwal, November 1, 2007

Underscoring the explosive growth of the out-of-home television market, CBS Corp. is acquiring SignStorey Inc., a leading developer of ad-supported video programming in the retail sector.

In connection with the $71.5 million deal, CBS said it would re-brand SignStorey as “CBS Outernet,” the strategy it initiated last year for distributing the network’s content through place-based video networks to promote its broadcast fare. CBS previously partnered with SignStorey to bring video programming to supermarkets around the country.

The market currently is dominated by cinema advertising networks like ScreenVision’ and Regal Cinema’s networks, but big distributors like SignStorey and rivals Premiere Retail Network (PRN) and In-Store Broadcasting (IBN) have gained critical mass reach in retail locations, especially supermarkets and grocery stores.

CBS isn’t the only broadcast network expanding out-of-home. NBC Universal has forged placement deals with in-school network Channel One and PRN in supermarkets, and ABC has made content available to Gas Station TV, expanding to 6,000 screens in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago by the year’s end. SignStorey claims traffic of more than 72 million consumers every month.