DRTV has long been a key weapon in a direct marketer's arsenal. This media vehicle provides the ability to reach and engage a mass audience via a low-cost delivery system of cable and spot TV inventory. And this year, DRTV is finding a new response mechanism in the mobile phone.

Derek White, president of The Hotel Networks as well as an officer of LodgeNet, has a unique position in the industry. His company sits on a vast amount of out-of-home set-top-box data that is only now being explored for audience measurement purposes.

On June 3rd in New York City at The Helen Mills Theater, MPG, MediaContacts and Havas siblings, will stage its quarterly forum, The Collaborative Alliance, where content creators, technologists, distributors and researchers meet to vet their interactive televisual propositions (television, broadband, wireless and out of home).

Lauren Zweifler, Vice President Research & Strategy for Screenvision, has expanded the value and importance of in-theater advertising for both advertisers and viewers. Lauren has extensive background in movie research, coming to Screenvision from American Movie Classics. In my interview with her, Lauren talks about Screenvision, in-theater research, past and future competition for the movie business, behavioral targeting and its measurement -- as well as offering some predictions going forward

A telephone rings. "Hello, Joseph K." "Is this Joseph K.," a voice queried. "Yes, this is Joseph K." "Mr. K., this phone call may be monitored to assure quality customer service. Did you not receive our notice on your television screen last night?"

Ned Greenberg is a research veteran whose experience at MTV, E!, CNBC and most recently at The Weather Channel places him in the center of major research initiatives, including cross-media metrics, out-of-home measurement and commercial pod effectiveness. In my interview with him, Ned discusses his custom pod analysis studies, engagement, set-top-box data through TIVO, and the future of research.

In the world of audience research, the Set Top Box (STB) is being hailed as almost "the next best thing since sliced bread." It does everything! Want second-by-second data? You've got it! Want to see what happens during commercial breaks? Piece of cake! Wake up, people! Put down the Kool-Aid, because it's time for a reality check among national and local researchers, planners, strategists, analysts, CROs, CIOs, UFOs, EIEIEIOs -- and any of the myriad of creative titles we've dreamed up for ourselves because being a "researcher" is SO last century.Now, let the myth-busting begin!

Richard Lowden is the vice president of sales for Wunderground.com, a major Weather Web site. Richard has extensive experience in local cable and made the move into interactive about five years ago. Wunderground is a data-driven site, monitoring weather worldwide and analyzing consumer spending behavior based on varying weather conditions. Some of its research will surprise you. .

"As a Kindle subscriber to New York Times, you might like to know that effective April 2, 2010, the New York Times has raised its price to $19.99/month for new subscribers...."