50,000 IMPRESSIONS COMING YOUR WAY DAILY! 

Not long ago one of my columns pointed out that each person was receiving 3,000 "impressions" a day from the media, including newspapers, magazines, radio, TV, and billboards, direct mail, skywriting, balloons and even on chocolate bars ("Edible Holography"). Such innovative advertising as TV on shopping carts and at the checkout counter were mentioned in a later column. Now the attack for our attention is stepping up.

The Checkout Channel, another of Ted Turner's gifts to the world, occupies shoppers waiting at the checkout counter. It's made up of 70 percent news, sports, business, weather and consumer information. The rest is advertising, that may make shoppers go back to a missed counter and pick up something else. The Healthlink Channel is coming soon to a room you're waiting in. In doctor's offices, mainly primary care and pediatricians you'll be able to absorb more than you ever wanted to know about health care.

Special Reports Television, a competitor to the Healthlink Channel, is also beamed to medical and other waiting rooms via satellite. With partner Time Warner, one of the largest players in the media business, SRT will display advertising-supported editorial copy that just happens to tie-in with magazines owned by Whittle. The one-two punch has been shown to work effectively. Whittle already is creating controversy with its invasion of school rooms with news and features, some definitely educational, sandwiched between ad's attractive to teen-agers.

CNN Newsroom is the school version of the Checkout Channel. However, no commercials with broadcasts from 121 countries, CNN doesn't need more commercials. Shows are designed to be taped and played back by teachers when appropriate.

Thought you would get away, didn't you? Not before the Airport Channel gets to you. Now testing in Atlanta (Mr. Fonda's home town), Dallas and Chicago, the AC is a mix of CNN Headline News and Cable News Network tailored so you won't miss a single earthquake (physical or psychological) while waiting in an airport. Snack bars, baggage carousels, ticket counters and maybe even public washrooms. No set of eyes should miss it.

In flight not just one movie but a selection of more than 50 different TV programs on your very own TV, built right into the back of the passenger seat in front of you. Like to see the view between the wheels on take-off or landing? That's on Channel 11. Now you get in an extra three hours viewing a day. Going to take a nap? Not without the Sleep Channel, with programmed dreaming, if that electronic-god-in-the-sky Ted Turner can find a way. Happy viewing.

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