Viamedia Inks Deal for Rentrak's TV Ratings

Cable ad rep firm to use Rentrak TV Essentials service

By Todd Spangler, Multichannel News -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/6/2013 9:55:45 AM

Rentrak reached a multiyear contract with Viamedia, an independent advertising representative firm catering to the cable industry, which will use the research company's TV Essentials measurement service as part of its sales process.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Viamedia claims to be the largest non-MSO-affiliated video ad sales organization in the U.S. The company will use Rentrak's television ratings measurement service that provides daily measurement of all TV networks nationally and for TV stations in all 210 media markets nationwide. The service incorporates information from over 20 million set-top boxes through arrangements with operators including Dish Network, AT&T U-verse TV and Charter Communications.

"As one of the largest advertising sales organizations, we are proud to utilize Rentrak's TV currency so we can help our clients place the right advertising messages on the best networks to reach their target customers," Becky Jones , Viamedia vice president of marketing and research, said in a statement.

Chris Wilson, president of national linear television at Rentrak, added: "Viamedia's adoption of Rentrak's TV currency extends the value proposition for highly targeted networks in the TV landscape. The stability of Rentrak's TV ratings and depth of networks reported allows Viamedia to make more viewing impressions available and monetize it across the entire TV viewing spectrum, which is great for the buyer and seller of TV and adds greater value to Viamedia and their operator partners."