Cowles has signed up to receive data from StationView Essentials for six of its stations spread over four markets – Monterey and Santa Barbara in California, and Spokane and Yakima in Washington.

StationView Essentials viewing data is based on tuning information gleaned from digital cable and satellite set-top boxes, as is Rentrak’s national TV data offering, called TV Essentials.

Speaking at the Advanced Advertising 2.0 event earlier this week, Rentrak’s chief researcher Bruce Goerlich said the firm planned to submit TV Essentials for an audit by the audience measurement watchdog MRC as early as autumn time.

Goerlich’s comments were first reported by Mediapost.

• Rentrak also announced today the opening of a new office in Chicago and the hiring of Nancy Beall as director of local sales for the Midwest region. She joins the firm from Frank N. Magid Associates, where she was executive director of business development.