Mag Rack and sportskool will Use Rentrak’s OnDemand Essentials to Track Viewership on 24-Hour Basis
New York, NY – April 19, 2005 – Mag Rack and sportskool will be the first VOD-only programming networks to test OnDemand EssentialsTM, Rentrak’s proprietary on-demand VOD usage reporting technology.
Mag Rack, the original on-demand television network and sportskool, the one-of-a-kind sports instruction network, will have access to a wide range of usage data including timely in-depth customized reports of anonymous viewing data available twenty-four-hours-a-day within four hours of receipt from participating cable operators.
Both Mag Rack and sportskool will use this data for internal evaluation and feedback on their diverse programming. Through Rentrak’s OnDemand EssentialsTM, Mag Rack and sportskool will have the ability to track on-demand consumer usage data using a sophisticated web-based system and toolset that aggregates and presents metrics from various cable systems and different server technologies in one easy-to-use, uniform reporting system. The reports will offer instant analysis of business data that can be used to identify viewing trends.
“Mag Rack and sportskool remain ahead of the VOD curve by forming this important relationship with Rentrak.” said Dan Ronayne, General Manager and Senior Vice President, Mag Rack and sportskool. “Viewer data from OnDemand EssentialsTM will help us to launch our ad sales and sponsorship initiatives, while continuing to evolve our brands.”
“Rentrak is pleased to be working with Mag Rack and sportskool to more accurately measure and analyze the performance of their unique and engaging content,” said Cathy Hetzel, senior vice president, OnDemand Esssentials at Rentrak. “Using OnDemand Essentials, both Mag Rack and sportskool will be able to better understand viewer preferences and develop new programming as the use of on demand entertainment increases.”
About Mag Rack
Launched by Rainbow Media in 2001, Mag Rack is the original on-demand television network. Mag Rack helps viewers get into the things they love by offering programs and signature series that fully engage consumers and provide them with a compelling television viewing experience, such Yoga Retreat, Motorcycle Freedom, Guitar Xpress and 24seven gamer. The service offers special interest programming not widely found on other channels with advanced ability to fast-forward, rewind or pause the program. Every month, 40 total hours of content is 100% refreshed, so there’s always something new to watch on Mag Rack.
About sportskool
Launched by Rainbow Media in 2004, sportskool delivers in-depth expert instruction, coaching and guidance for a wide range of sports activities. The network – featuring exclusive and original programming custom-built for VOD – boasts some of the most recognizable pros in sports, including Mia Hamm, Nomar Garciaparra, Bill Walton, Mike Vallely, tennis coach Brad Gilbert and sportskool host, Mike Verstegen. sportskool is available on the following cable systems: Cablevision, Mid-Hudson Cable, and Blue Ridge Cable. For more information about sportskool, visit http://www.sportskool.com.
About Rainbow Media Holdings LLC
A leader in sports, news and entertainment programming, Rainbow Media Holdings LLC is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE:CVC). Rainbow Media owns and manages national networks: AMC, Fuse, IFC (The Independent Film Channel) and WE: Women’s Entertainment; as well as the on-demand services: Mag Rack, sportskool, Uncensored On Demand, World Picks On Demand and World Picks Networks. Rainbow Media’s other businesses include its regional programming services – MetroChannels, News 12 Networks and Rainbow Sports Networks – in addition to the Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation and Rainbow Network Communications. Rainbow Media is also a 50 percent partner in Fox Sports Net.
About Rentrak Corporation
Rentrak Corporation, a Portland, Oregon-based information management and business intelligence company, is the developer of the EssentialsTM suite of information management products that are used by clients in the media, entertainment, retail and manufacturing industries. Through the specialized vertical market editions of the Essentials web-based applications that are customized to the needs of each licensee, marketers are able to collect, manage and analyze detailed point-of-sale and supply chain data on a real-time basis. The EssentialsTM suite of services offers bottom-line enhancing and competitive advantages to executives by providing timely and actionable insight into both their own company’s performance, as well as perspective from access to aggregated industry-wide data. For further information, please refer to Rentrak’s corporate Web site at http://www.rentrak.com