• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, January 18, 2012

Katz Marketing Solutions, the national marketing arm of broadcast and digital media sales rep Katz, has signed an agreement to license the Media Behavior Institute's USA TouchPoints research tracking and correlating consumer behavior and media consumption.

Katz said it would use the data and insights to help market the radio station inventory it represents to marketers and agencies.

The TouchPoints data is highly regarded among marketing and media researchers, and the Media Behavior Institute is backed by research giants Nielsen and GfK MRI, which hold stakes in the startup.

The deal also comes at an interesting time for the radio industry, which has begun repositioning itself from a single, broadcast-centric media platform play to a multimedia option, as symbolized by industry leader Clear Channel Radio's rebranding this week to Clear Channel Entertainment.