Top Networks and Ad Agencies Join Rentrak at the Company's Inaugural Highly Targeted Network Summit

PORTLAND, Ore., Feb. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Rentrak Corporation (Nasdaq: RENT), the leader in multi-screen media measurement serving the advertising and entertainment industries, today announced key findings from Rentrak's first Highly Targeted Network Summit  held on Tuesday, February 23 at the Cornell Club in New York.  

Confirming Rentrak's commitment to working closely with agency buying and planning leadership at both the national level and in local markets, representatives from 20 highly-targeted networks including Discovery Network Group ("Discovery Science," "Planet Green"), HSN, Inspiration Network and WealthTV,  together with six of the top national advertising agencies including Horizon Media, MPG and Starcom Mediavest Group, joined Rentrak in a lively and direct dialogue on the acceptance of set-top-box (STB) data as a parallel audience measurement currency. Discussions focused on how to prioritize tactics to ensure that Rentrak's metrics become a more widely accepted source of television audience currency for the industry.

During the Summit, communication challenges within the agency hierarchy were identified. Michael O'Connor, Director of National Television at Horizon Media, said, "Horizon Media charges all of their buyers to dig into any quantative and qualitative data available to make the most informed decisions we can on behalf of our clients."

Summit participants were united in their support and enthusiasm for STB data as well as for Rentrak's industry-leading Satellite/Telco TV/Cable dataset which combines segmentation and customer file overlays. The emergence of Rentrak's STB and segmentation database overlays presents the industry with a fundamental "must have" currency in its overall "basket of currencies," and proves that in the 21st Century there are a number of syndicated metrics that are central to the media transaction process.

"It is incumbent upon all involved in understanding TV audiences to explore new and/or more granular measures to better understand how people are watching television in today's fragmented viewing environment. I am surprised in today's economy that any agency group would rely on a traditional CPM instead of looking for multiple currencies to provide the best and most targeted delivery for their clients," commented Helen Katz, senior vice president, Research Director, at SMG.

HITN's Chief Technology Office, Kevin Liga, echoed the sentiment from both the networks and agencies that the Summit was an informative and valuable opportunity to discuss the needs and concerns of highly targeted networks and also provided an open forum on how to best present the quality and value of these networks.  "In addition to clear, quantitative measurement, a subscription to Rentrak's TV Essentials service, which HITN is currently evaluating, could be a key resource to access audience behavior analytics that are currently not available through other STB or sample-based sources," said Mr. Liga.

Based on the positive response, Rentrak has scheduled it next Highly Targeted Network Summit for April 20, 2010.  To receive more information or to attend the next Highly Targeted Summit event, please email [email protected].

About Rentrak Corporation

Rentrak Corporation (NASDAQ: RENT) is a global digital media measurement and research company, serving the most recognizable companies in the entertainment industry.  With  reach across numerous platforms including box office, home entertainment, on-demand and linear television, broadband and mobile, Rentrak is headquartered in Portland, Oregon, with additional offices worldwide in Los Angeles, New York City, Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Mexico, Russia, Spain and the United Kingdom.  For more information on any of Rentrak's services, please visit www.rentrak.com.

SOURCE Rentrak Corporation