MUMBAI: The Richards Group has committed to use Rentrak’s StationView Essentials set-top box database measurement service as one of its resources for local TV planning and buying across the Dallas and Waco markets.

The Richards Group, located in Dallas, is the nation’s largest independent branding agency and the signing represents expanding agency support for Rentrak’s database approach to be used in local market television planning, buying and posting.

"We applaud Rentrak’s contemporary approach to measuring television. Their set-top box database provides stable and granular information that is available from hundreds of thousands of households in each local market and is available on a daily basis so we can gain a better understanding of how to buy most effectively for our clients. We are strong believers in set-top box data and Rentrak is the category leader," said The Richards Group director of media negotiations Jim Gaither.

"We’re very pleased to have The Richards Group using Rentrak’s local market Station View Essentials tool in their planning and buying of local television," said Rentrak AMI division senior vice president, agency sales Evan Goldfarb.