AOM: With the development of urbanization, especially in China, citizens’ needs for information receiving and informing grow a lot and you had mentioned the “urban information environment” notion. Could you please explain it in detail to us? What kind of role does DOOH play in the specific environment? What will the DOOH actually bring in to citizens?
Vladimir Krylov (Hereinafter Called “Vladimir”): Previously separate DOOH systems filled all the space available for advertising. Today these discrete networks are actively merged into public IP-broadcasting systems and create “unified city informational environment”.
Today the informational environment of modern cities includes the following areas:
A)    Transport: Hubs, terminals, external and internal space of public transport vehicles (buses, taxis);
B)    Metro and railways: Terminals, carriages of commuter trains, express trains, hubs and station public zones;
C)    Public city areas: city streets, squares, intersections, consumer and trade centers, parks, pedestrian zones, etc.
Depending on their location and functions, these IP devices (public LCD monitors, LED screens, city SMART systems, Public Internet Terminals) may serve as:
A)    News portals (news, weather forecast and other useful data)
B)    Digital informational search systems
C)    Advertising space
D)    Multifunctional informational complexes (one strategically-placed installation, e.g. near the metro entrance, including several such devices in one frame offers people a variety of services at once).
It means that the DOOH systems transform into multifunctional kiosks that offer citizens useful and current news, entertainment (during long waiting periods), advertising and reference data.The main difference between the informational environment today and what we may expect to emerge in the near future is the concept of network structure. At present we observe the extensive growth model when the number of DOOH and DON systems and IP-points grows exponentially. The majorities of these systems are disconnected and are installed without any system in mind. This will not continue for long.Soon enough the concept of the unified city public IP-broadcasting will prevail and a comprehensive informational environment will emerge as a well-planned combination of public and private informational networks. This new concept will have to take into account multiple factors that include city architecture, size of halls and public waiting areas, sitting arrangement in busses and carriages, pedestrian flows, statistically verified numbers of people in each place, etc.The time of simplistic approach and unplanned growth in the number of displays and other such installations has passed. We must now focus on a thoughtful approach to city environment, user-friendly, effective and architecturally balanced informational and advertising installations. In China there are several companies that have initiated large scale projects that will in time drastically transform our informational environment: these are Vision China Media, Phoenix Metropolis Media, HKC News Express, Touch Media and some other.
AOM: I have learned that the “OKSION” Program is using various digital OOH informational channels for reaching the vast majority of urban population in the event of emergency. How do you think about the program? Can you share with us other cases in which digital OOH plays an important role in news spreading and emergency broadcasting.

Vladimir: The “OKSION” program itself is fairly useful and interesting. However it has a serious shortcoming: this is the program initiated by one Governmental Agency (Ministry) and it focuses on the tasks of this Agency only: on emergency broadcasting and promoting programs of this same government agency. The one-sidedness of “OKSION” Program has already been noticed by Russian authorities. Another Federal Agency – Russian Broadcasting Networks – has been tasked with using modern IP-technology to combine the necessary official tasks with public service in local areas using available DOOH resources.

                                                                                    

A more useful and forward-looking approach would be to combine interests of several agencies and/or companies: use the informational network for a variety of purposes and broadcast both news, useful data, advertising, and urgent public announcements, when necessary. Then the network would become truly multi-functional, socially useful and commercially viable. Multi-functionality is the key that would make such systems in future more effective both in terms of public service and commercial profit.

Similar programs have been initiated in other countries. Consider for example, Amber Alert Program in the USA that uses public displays and LED screens to announce search for criminals, DOOH campaigns in the UK searching for missing persons and children, news broadcasting in MTR coaches in HongKong, etc.

The main modern trend is to put the informational systems to better public good: to make them useful for the state and for each citizen alike at the level of the city, district, or transit area. This is the main purpose of the new mass media: IP-broadcasting systems.
AOM: In the urban information environment, the running of DON (Digital Outdoor Network) is essential. What progresses have you guys made in the networked outdoor TV recently?
Vladimir: The number of DOOH, DON and outdoor TV systems has been steadily growing proportional to the falling prices for displays and other IP devices. At the same time, the number of hacker attacks has grown as well. This makes it necessary to actively develop affordable but hacker-proof systems based on open crypt algorithms that would protect public networks and terminal points from hacking and content substitution, use complex hardware and software approach to secure network operation.
Moreover, we work on combining various functional systems – both indoor and outdoor – into systems with single unified control. Our R&D is focused on secure log generation (preventing potential corruption, erasure or substitution o f information) and providing objective statistical data using digital counting of audience and analyzing its ethnic, gender and age characteristics.
The research is conducted by me, and my team in close cooperation with experts from the Russian Broadcasting Networks Agency, Prof. Dr. Mark Krivosheev, chairman of the Broadcasting Committee MREC. Together they promote the ideas of public IP-broadcasting and recently came up with a slogan “IP-broadcasting everywhere and forever”. We all live now in the time of multifunctional IP-broadcasting which is an essential part of the new informational community. 
AOM: With the combination of technology and outdoor, disruptive technologies inject much more vigor into out-of-home. What do you think will these technologies bring to OOH?
Vladimir: The development and progress in IT has always been robust and vigorous. But today we all witness new trends that exceed all our expectations. I mean the development of Cloud technology, public data banks, new approaches to data control, merging of governmental and private networks, explosive growth in digital networks. Digital age brought serious changes to advertising. Today clients demand proof of effectiveness, and advertisers stop selling time and start selling contacts.
We should not forget about peculiarities of the informational city environment. The public IP-broadcasting networks are focused on public OOH spaces with great number of viewers. We shouldn’t mix up the IP-broadcasting networks and smart TV, for outdoor and indoor are the different environments that demand different approach to displays (size, positioning, brightness, functions). They also have many common features that can be utilized effectively (common data formats, similar ways of operation control, e.g. through Clouds or unified control center).
Progress is unstoppable. The Age of Theaters was replaced by the Age of Cinemas, then came TV, now the world is ruled by the Internet. Each period brings along new functions for the Mass Media, and IP-broadcasting using DOOH, Оutdoor TV and Smart City is no exception. But it is the combination of all these informational sources that turns DOOH, Оutdoor TV and Smart City into full-scale Mass Media.
AOM: Please imagine the DOOH’s future in the Smart City.
Vladimir: The future takes shape in the reality of today. Smart City is no longer a concept with bleak potential. Digital technology transforms us daily. We depend on smart phones, we read electronic books, we pay bills and cash money at ATMs outdoor already. In future the coverage will improve, the informational city environment will acquire new functions, multifunctional informational complexes on the basis of LCD, LED screens and Smart systems will be installed in key areas of even minor cities.
People will not be assaulted by advertising from every direction: advertising will also turn smart and will be combined with informational and news clips, more interactive functions will be incorporated into digital systems. The quality of LED and LCD screens will improve so that the public areas and transport hubs will become brighter and more attractive and entertaining, thanks to colorful video presentations.
Control systems for public DOOH complexes will become more secure, content delivery and log reporting more protected. As a result, efficiency and significance of public IP-broadcasting systems and new informational outdoor media will continue to grow.
Smart City will remain what it already is, an interactive system and part of the public IP-zones. Smart City screens have different purpose: to inform and advertize out-of-home to massive number of people with very little time to spare watching screens.
公共IP传播系统，户外布局新理念
        城市呼唤统一的公共IP传播系统
        AOM: 随着城镇化进程的发展，尤其是在中国，市民对于信息接收与传达的需求越来越明显。同时，您曾提到“城市信息环境”的概念。您能为我们解释一下这个新概念吗？在这样一个特定环境下，数字户外又扮演着一个怎样的角色？或者说，数字户外能给市民带来些什么？
        Vladimir Krylov( 以下简称“Vladimir” ): 在过去，单独的数字户外系统被运用于城市的各个广告空间。但是如今，这些单独的网络都整合成一个公共IP传播系统，或者可以说是一个统一的城市信息环境。
       如今，一个现代化城市的信息环境应该包括以下几个环节：
       一）运输点：港口、航站楼、公共交通工具的外部和内部环境（公交、计程车的外、内部环境）；
       二）轨道交通（地铁、铁路）：终点站、往返火车车厢内、特快、铁路枢纽站、站台公共区域；
       三）城市公共区域：城市街道、广场、十字路口、商贸中心、公园、人行道等。
       根据IP终端设备不同的位置和功能，这些终端设备（例如：公共LCD屏幕、LED屏幕、城市SMART系统以及其它公共网络终端设备）可运用的范围包括：
        一）信息门户（播报新闻、天气预报以及其它有用信息）；
        二）数字信息搜索系统；
        三)  广告位；
        四）多功能信息综合体（当综合设备被安置在地铁入口附近，它能一次性地向人们提供多样的服务）。
       这就意味着，数字户外系统将变成一个多功能的系统，向人们提供实用、实时的新闻、广告以及其它参考信息等。特别是当人们在排长队等待的时候，人们是很乐于接收娱乐类信息的。
       如今与将来我们所期待的信息环境的区别，就在于“网络布局”的概念。当今，数字户外设备、数字户外网络系统和IP点位正以指数级的速度增长，这是有目共睹的事实。但是，绝大多数的系统都是分割的、不相连的。当我们在部署这些设备的时候，脑中根本没有一个“整体系统”的概念。不过我相信这种态势是不会持续太久的。
       用不了多久，统一城市公共IP传播的概念就会盛行起来，一个更广泛的信息环境就会腾空出世，它将很好地融合公共和私人两大信息网络。这个新概念的推广需要把多种因素都考虑进来，例如：城市建筑、公共等待区的尺寸、公交车内的座位安排、人行道走向，以及对人流量数据的核实等等。单一、无计划地安装设备的方法已经过时了，现在我们必须给予城市环境更多的关注，致力于把城市打造成为一个友好、高效、均衡信息和广告比例的信息大系统。中国的一些公司，包括华视传媒、凤凰都市传媒、HKC、触动传媒等，已经开始帮助我们展开大规模的项目改造计划，从而彻底改变我们的信息环境。
        多功能是城市信息系统的重要特征
        AOM: 我了解到“OKSION”项目的卖点是在遇到紧急情况时，通过各类数字户外信息频道，达到广泛传播的效果。您如何看待这个项目？您能和我们分享一些其他类似的案例吗？
       图片来源：Screens 杂志
       Vladimir: 从“OKSION”本身来看，这是一个有用且有趣的项目。但是它存在许多严重的漏洞，例如：这个项目是由政府机构发起的，所以不管是紧急信息公告还是其他的内容，它都是由这个政府机构所提供的，内容相对单一。“OKSION”项目已经受到了俄罗斯政府的重视，同时另一个联邦机构，俄罗斯广播网络公司也开始利用现代IP技术和数字户外资源，着手把公务事宜与公共服务结合起来运营。
       我比较推崇的是某种确实有用的、有发展前景的项目，这就需要多家媒体机构或者公司的相互配合，运用信息网络来传播新闻、广告、紧急公告和其它有用的信息等，从而满足人们的多种需求。这种数字网络的特征是：多功能、被大众接受、经济实用。多功能就是至关重要的一个特征。在未来，它能使公共服务和商业收益都更加有效。
        在其它国家，有类似的项目已经开始运行。例如，美国的Amber Alert项目，就是利用公共显示屏、LED屏幕来告知民众犯罪嫌疑人的特征信息，从而更有效地追踪到凶手。还有在英国，有一个数字户外活动，利用数字户外屏幕来寻找失踪人群，特别是失踪儿童。
       如今的趋势是把信息系统运用到更广泛的公共环境中去，使得国家以及人民从中获得实质益处。这就是新大众传播的主要目的所在，即IP传播系统。
       AOM: 在城市信息环境中，数字户外网络布局是至关重要的。近来，您在这方面有什么新发现吗？
       Vladimir: 随着屏幕显示器和其它IP终端设备价格的下降，数字户外设备、数字户外网络以及户外电视的数量都稳固攀升。与此同时，黑客袭击户外网络系统的数量也在上升。所以，我们需要一种经济适用并能防范黑客的系统，它基于一种开放式密码运算法则。这样就能保护公共网络和终端连接点不被黑客侵袭或遭到内容置换。换句话说，我们是运用一种较为复杂的，将软、硬件相结合的方式来保护数字户外网络的安全运行。
       另外，我们还致力于整合系统的多功能性，不管是室内的还是室外的，都需要整合为一种单一、统一的控制系统。我们的研发部门开发了一款安全程序，它能防止潜在问题的出现，例如：信息内容被删除或者替换，并且它能根据受众数量、种族、性别、年龄的差异，提供量化、有目的性的数据。
       这一研究主要是在我的带领下进行的，整个团队与俄罗斯广播网络公司的专家们一直保持着紧密的合作关系。作为MREC传播委员会的主席，Mark Krivosheev教授与我们一起来做这个公共IP传播理念的推广。最近，甚至提出了“IP传播无处不在，无所不往”的口号。我们如今生活在一个多功能IP传播的环境中，更是处于一个新型信息大社区中。
       户外广告将变得智慧化
       AOM: 随着户外与新技术的结合，颠覆性的技术给户外注入了无限活力。那么您认为这些技术能给户外带来什么？
        Vladimir: IT技术的发展和进程一直是稳健而有力的，但是我们仍然能看到新的趋势超出我们的预想。我指的新技术包括：云技术、公共数据库、数据控制新技术、政府、商业网络系统融合以及其它数字网络新技术等。可以说，现在是一个数字时代，它带给广告传媒行业很多深刻的变化。如今，客户关心广告的效果到底如何，媒体代理商们不再出售广告时间而出售广告接触点。
       我们千万不要忘记城市信息环境的特征，公共IP传播网络是运用于公共户外领域，拥有大量的受众。我们不能混淆公共IP传播网络与智能电视的概念，因为户外与室内是两个完全不同的环境。由于不同的尺寸、位置、亮度、功能等，所以需要不同的方法来呈现。当然，它们之间还是存在一些共通点，例如：相同的数据形式、类似的运营控制方法，相同的云终端、统一的控制中心等等，所以我们需要有效地利用好这些共通点。
       数字户外的进程是势不可挡的，就如原来的电影院时代替代了剧院时代，相信未来会是智能电视的时代，因为如今的世界被网络所统治着。每个时代都会给大众传播带来一些新事物。所以处于智慧城市中，基于数字户外、户外电视的IP传播系统也不会例外。IP传播的关键就是把所有信息资源整合起来，欲把智慧城市环境下的数字户外、户外电视转变为更广范围的大众媒体形式。
       AOM: 请设想一下未来数字户外在智慧城市中的愿景
       Vladimir: 如今，未来的模样已经初露端倪。智慧城市不再是一个虚无缥缈的概念，因为数字技术无时无刻地改变着我们的生活。我们依赖智能手机，阅读电子书籍，在户外ATM机上付款或取钱。在未来，会有更多智能形式的生活方式出现，同时城市信息环境也会迎来新的功能。基于LCD、LED屏幕的多功能信息综合设备将会出现在城市的重要位置，甚至在小型城市也会出现它们的身影。
       人们也不用再防广告了，因为广告有了信息、新闻的穿插，变得不再无聊。同时将互动功能并融入到数字系统中去，人们能明显感到广告变得智能起来了。LCD、LED屏幕的质量提高了，多彩的视频展示使得公共空间、运输枢纽点变得更智能、更有吸引力，达到了吸引大众的目的。
       我相信智慧城市仍将沿着这条路一直走下去，即：智慧城市需要互动系统，同时，这个系统必然属于公共IP系统。我认为处于智慧城市中的户外屏幕将会沿着不同的道路向前发展。其中重要的一点就是，说服民众在繁忙中抽出时间来看户外屏幕。与此同时，将新闻、信息、广告信息传达到他们的心中。