• Houston Chronicle/AP, Thursday, February 22, 2007 12 PM

Officials in Minnetonka, Minn., recently cut the power to two digital billboards Clear Channel constructed along a freeway, saying they are another dangerous distraction to already multitasking drivers.

The move in December has sparked a court fight that local governments and the ad industry alike are watching as digital billboards with fast-changing messages become more prevalent. About 400 of the billboards have been erected nationally. The Outdoor Advertising Association of America estimates that number will grow tenfold in the next decade.

Besides being eye-catching, the billboards offer versatility the old-style signs can't match. For instance, sales can be advertised on a billboard as soon as they take effect. Or a fast-food restaurant could promote breakfast sandwiches in the morning and burgers at dinner.

"If you see a big bright screen and it's flipping its image like a computer, that's going to pull your eyes off the road for a couple seconds," says Bill Steinbicker, a retired marketing executive who supports his city's fight against Clear Channel.

Read the whole story at Houston Chronicle/AP »