From now on, riders on the circular subway line will no longer see pitch black inside the subway tunnel. Next year, the circular subway line will install panels throughout its entire line to continuously play color animation, to enable riders to watch brightly contrasted animated features while seated inside the train.

At the same time, these screens can also broadcast some public interest films and advertisements. This is learned by this reporter during the signing ceremony on a unified advertising system cooperative plan between the Beijing Subway and the Beijing Jinri Company.

According to subway officials, beginning this March, the circular line started to test its advertising placements in the section between the Jianguomen station and the Chaoyangmen station. When the train passes through the tunnel, the originally pitch black interior of the tunnel will suddenly turn bright and project images of animated figures dancing on the wall in this 360 meter subway segment. After four months of testing, relevant departments approved the testing and examination regarding the advertisements soon to appear, while at the same time actually proved that this project would not cast a negative influence on other subway drivers. As a consequence, it approved the wholesale introduction of this facility along the entire subway line.

Sources revealed that what the riders will see as blinking and non-stop moving images are nothing but a still photograph, this is equivalent to the continued action observed on celluloid film shown in cinemas. When the subway train passes by at a certain speed, these sequential passive pictures seem to go for sports and the rider seem to be watching a movie. After the system was completed, other than broadcasting advertisements, other small films and public interest propaganda would also be played.

In addition, to conserve energy, Beijing's subway advertising program has a speed testing system. When the subway train passes by this system at a certain speed, the system will kick off. The light switches within the subway will emit light by itself after receiving orders, and then riders will be able to see the interactive advertisements.

(Chinanews.cn July 20, 2005)