Rentrak to buy Nielsen film-tracking arm for $15 mn

MUMBAI: Rentrak Corp is snapping up Nielsen Co’s EDI division for $15 million, a move that will make it a powerhouse to provide box-office information to studios and other subscribers.

The sale, expected to close in the first quarter of 2010, will help Portland-based Rentrak expand its footprint across 15 countries for capturing theatrical box-office results.

Having presence in markets like India and Russia, Rentrak will gain from Nielsen’s strong footprint in major markets such as Britain, France, Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and Australia.

Rentrak’s Box Office Essentials business, an online database that provides real-time ticket sales information, will be integrated with Nielsen EDI.

Nielsen will get to shed its non core assets while retaining its focus on the core business. Last week, Nielsen agreed to sell seven trade publications, including the Hollywood Reporter and Billboard, to a consortium of investors led by print media mogul James Finkelstein.