• by David Goetzl , February 13, 2008

As NBC and ABC both ramp up their offerings on backseat screens in New York taxi cabs, the ABC outlet said it has a deal with Reuters to add financial news to its lineup. Reuters content will be visible along the top of the screens, operated by WABC, the local owned-and-operated station.

WABC's ad-supported Taxi TV already offers content from the local station's news and weather, sports from corporate cousin ESPN and Zagat's restaurant information.

The digital out-of-home offering is in about 4,500 of New York's 13,000 cabs, with 1,000 more coming this spring. WABC said its 5,500 screens would top the number for WNBC's presence. NBC Universal also is feeding content to screens, including stories from New York station WNBC and other company properties.

WABC, which sells the Taxi TV ads, said marketers have included MasterCard, Sprint and Coke.

Christopher Burtt, Reuters' Global Signage Product Manager, said Taxi TV will gain access to "business and financial news Reuters is constantly breaking around the world and around the clock."

Taxi TV is operated by WABC, along with technology providers Verifone Transportation Systems and the company that produces many of the cab meters in New York.