LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--VeriFone Systems, Inc. (NYSE: PAY), today announced an agreement with Sky News to broadcast news bulletins in London's iconic licensed taxis. With the launch of the service expected in May, VeriFone Digital Network (VNET) will deliver Sky’s breaking news to passengers as they travel around the capital.
VNET’s TaxiTV now spans more than ten major media markets across the Atlantic. Last year VeriFone reached an agreement with NBC owned television stations to deliver NBC Universal’s award-winning content to more than 12,000 taxis in markets throughout the US, including New York City, Boston, Chicago, and Las Vegas. In addition to TaxiTV, VNET’s expanding footprint includes thousands of petrol forecourts and convenience stores throughout the US.
“In addition to providing passengers with access to entertainment and news, VNET provides advertisers with a unique opportunity to engage directly with their audience through targeted promotions and information, reaching affluent business professionals and consumers inside the London black cab when they are at their most receptive and least distracted,” said VeriFone Vice Chairman Bud Waller.
Andrew Hawken, Editorial Director, Sky News Digital, commented: “Sky News aims to provide breaking news to users in an as many places as possible. This deal allows us to bring news directly to a large market across London, providing an innovative service in a new location. We are delighted to have the opportunity to allow people to enjoy our news on a high quality screen in the comfort of a black cab.”
Passengers can watch Sky News as soon as the taximeter is activated, controlling settings with a remote just as they would their own TV. Delivered on a 14-minute loop cycle that matches the length of an average London taxi journey, the Sky News content is refreshed between six to eight times daily.
“Advertising on VNET between Sky programming is a compelling and cost-effective way to extend video brand campaigns. VeriFone Media creates a powerful platform for marketers seeking innovative, dynamic campaigns that resonate with an increasingly ‘on-the-go’ urban consumer,” said Waller.
VeriFone was recently awarded “Best Contactless/NFC Infrastructure” for its London taxi operations at the 2012 Contactless Intelligence Contactless & Mobile Awards sponsored by Visa Europe and Telefonica O2. Over the past 12 months, VeriFone has changed the landscape of the London taxi market with deployments that allow passengers to pay for their journey with a “tap and go” contactless card if they have one and the fare is less than £15.
VeriFone taxi solutions are established in more than 50 cities worldwide. VeriFone has been active in the London taxi market since 2010, combining card payments with in-taxi media screens and enabling taxi drivers to securely take debit, credit and contactless cards via integrated payment devices for improved passenger convenience.
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About Sky News
Since its launch in 1989, Sky News has established itself as an unrivalled, world class breaking news service with a spirit of innovation and a fresh approach to news broadcasting. As the UK's first dedicated 24-hour news channel, Sky News has built a deserved reputation for being the first to break major news, and is renowned for the speed of its coverage and flexibility of reporting news live across all its platforms - TV, mobile, online, radio and iPad.
Sky News has increased global reach to almost 103m homes, surpassing the 100m mark for the first time. This is the effect of acquiring FTA capacity on Thor, meaning an increased reach in Scandinavia and CEE, more homes now capable of receiving FTA channels on the Astra platform and encouraging operators to move Sky News to the basic packs. In addition to its status as one of Europe's leading 24-hour news channels, viewers can access exclusive content on its award-winning website skynews.com and real-time updates, live video and rich graphics on the Sky News for iPad. A dedicated Twitter feed (@skynewsbreak) and Facebook fan page keeps web-users up-to-date with breaking news. Its custom-built iPhone app, named in Apple’s top ten free apps of all-time, delivers breaking news by text, picture and video, and has been downloaded over two and a half million times.
In 2009, Sky News Radio became the sole provider of national and international news to all commercial stations in the UK when it took over the contract to supply IRN stations, in addition to its existing clients. It now reaches 34 million listeners a week on over 300 commercial stations including Magic FM, Classic FM and Real Radio.
Sky News’ success and quality of coverage continues to be recognised by its viewers and the industry. The 2012 RTS awards saw Sky News awarded multiple accolades including Journalist of the Year for Alex Crawford – for a record fourth time; Presenter of the Year for Anna Botting; and wins in the Home News category for Sky’s coverage of the UK riots and the International News category for their coverage in Libya. Sky News also scooped two Golden Nymph awards at the 51st Monte-Carlo Television Festival for its dramatic coverage of the Arab Spring.
About VeriFone Systems, Inc. (www.verifone.com)
VeriFone Systems, Inc. ("VeriFone") (NYSE: PAY) is the global leader in secure electronic payment solutions. VeriFone provides expertise, solutions and services that add value to the point of sale with merchant-operated, consumer-facing and self-service payment systems for the financial, retail, hospitality, petroleum, government and healthcare vertical markets. VeriFone solutions are designed to meet the needs of merchants, processors and acquirers in developed and emerging economies worldwide.
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 for VeriFone Systems, Inc.
This press release includes certain forward-looking statements related to VeriFone Systems, Inc. within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on VeriFone management’s current expectations or beliefs and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements herein due to changes in economic, business, competitive, technological and/or regulatory factors, and other risks and uncertainties affecting the operation of the business of VeriFone Systems, Inc. These risks and uncertainties include: the successful launch of the VeriFone Digital Network, customers’ acceptance and adoption of VeriFone’s taxi and media solutions and other new product and service offerings, our ability to protect against fraud, the status of our relationship with and condition of third parties upon whom we rely in the conduct of our business, our dependence on a limited number of customers, uncertainties related to the conduct of our business internationally, our dependence on a limited number of key employees, short product cycles, rapidly changing technologies and maintaining competitive leadership position with respect to our payment solution offerings. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our annual report on Form 10-K and our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. VeriFone is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions or otherwise.
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