During the showcase, which will run through the first quarter of 2010, eight local TV stations will transmit up to 20 channels of free and premium TV programming to hundreds of mobile devices that have been handed out on a trial basis to local residents.

Harris and Rentrak will work with OMVC, an industry association dedicated to accelerating the development and rollout of mobile DTV products and services, to perform a detailed analysis of viewing trend patterns.

Data will be collected via Rentrak’s Mobile Essentials service which measures content viewed on mobile devices, and Harris’ Early Adopter Community offering, a web based research tool that will survey testers about their attitudes to mobile DTV viewing.

Some of the key metrics that will be examined include how long viewers remain engaged, which parts of the day see the most viewing activity and what sort of content is most frequently viewed.

OMVC president Brandon Burgess said: “One of the key advantages of mobile DTV is the built-in ability to measure viewing activity, giving broadcasters a much better picture of what consumers are watching, when they watch and where. We’ve selected Harris Interactive and Rentrak to perform this important service with devices that have a return channel, and we anticipate that this window into consumer behaviour will help us deliver more relevant information and entertainment to viewers who are on the go.”