McDonald's Launches Own TV Channel

Bored with merely eating and talking when you indulge in a McDonald's visit? Soon you'll be able to watch TV—that is, McTV. The mega-fast-food chain is launching its own exclusive channel, McDonald's Television, with corporate-approved content like entertainment news, advertising, and bits on local moms and athletes. "The intention is to catch and engage the customer, and then enhance their experience," says an executive behind the project.

Already testing in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Las Vegas, the McDonald's channel is expected to reach 18 million to 20 million people there—one of the region's biggest daytime audiences. Soon it will be in 800 California restaurants and could expand nationwide, the Los Angeles Times reports. Experts see it as another venue for corporate self-promotion: In past decades "the television didn't move," says one, but now companies "can tap into anyone's consumer behavior at every of the day and brand their message." (More McDonald's stories.)