Mobile TV ad metrics begin

by: admin Saturday, May 26th, 2007

Rating: tough job, but someone has to do it

Rentrak has entered into an agreement with Hiwire to conduct a joint measurement trial of mobile TV viewing by consumers in Las Vegas. Hiwire specialises in delivery of mobile TV entertainment and is a subsidiary of Aloha Partners, the largest owner of 700MHz spectrum in the US.

During the trial, Rentrak will anonymously monitor mobile TV viewing data from Hiwire to provide a web-based statistical reporting service. In effect, it will serve as Hiwire¹s primary data analytics and third-party verification provider, delivering audience viewing metrics, such as the total number of viewers, of video and video advertising watched on mobile phones. The joint trial will begin this summer.

Mobile TV is very new and there is a lot of contradictory information about viewing habits and preferences floating about in the market. The only way that mobile TV will become an ad-funded or supported channel is if reliable, accurate metrics are available. All parties need to remember that this is NOT bog standard TV on a smaller screen and therefore the metrics used for TV will only be applicable in part and that entirely new modes of behaviour are of most interest. In other words, in this emerging market, it’s important to be measuring the right things.

For more information see http://www.rentrak.com/mc_press_release?file=052307