Yep - details in the wiki link :-) In fact, we even get a quantification of the potential 'value' of the billboards (to the advertisers, at least) : JCDecau

Yep - details in the wiki link :-) In fact, we even get a quantification of the potential 'value' of the billboards (to the advertisers, at least) : JCDecaux paid the scheme's start-up costs, totalling about $140 million, and employs around 285 people full-time to operate the system and repair the bikes on a ten-year contract. The city receives all revenue from the programme, as well as a fee of about $4.3 million a year. In return, JCDecaux receives exclusive control over 1,628 city-owned billboards; the city receives about half of that advertising space at no charge for public-interest advertising