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Smart Billboards Catching On

Electronic billboards that can "read" the radio stations tuned-in by passing drivers and display messages geared to the station's listeners are being installed in Northern California. The billboards will tap into a vast databank of information about people who typically listen to those stations. The electronic ads will then change to fit listener profiles. NPR's Laura Sydell reports.

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Laura Sydell fell in love with the intimate storytelling qualities of radio, which combined her passion for theatre and writing with her addiction to news. Over her career she has covered politics, arts, media, religion, and entrepreneurship. Currently Sydell is the Digital Culture Correspondent for NPR's All Things Considered, Morning Edition, Weekend Edition, and NPR.org.