Comscore and VideoAmp get JIC certification, while iSpot.tv will have to wait

The U.S. Joint Industry Committee certified Comscore and VideoAmp as currencies for the coming upfront for advanced audiences and household measurement. But iSpot.tv, which had earlier received conditional certification, will have to wait until the next cycle for full certification. While Comscore and VideoAmp received certification, the JIC said both need to make improvements on person-level measurement, or the ability to count individuals and break down viewing by age and gender demographics. ISpot maintains its conditional certification pending further evaluation in the next round of certifications, which begins in June. Whether industry heavyweight Nielsen will join in the certification process remains to be seen. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs Nielsen is focused now on its Media Rating Council accreditation application for adding big data measurement from set-top boxes and smart TVs to its current accredited panel-based measurement, which “will consume our attention at least through May,” a spokeswoman said. “We remain uncertain of the value of undergoing a formal certification review,” Nielsen’s spokeswoman said in an email, “but are willing to discuss how that would work and whether there are other alternatives we could explore.” The JIC, made up of network and agency representatives, found Comscore and VideoAmp to be “transactable” for traditional average minute TV metrics and cross-platform exact spot measurement for both advanced audiences and households, according to a statement by the group. But the JIC determined that each of those two companies would need to make improvements to be “transactable at scale for cross-platform personified demos” (such as age and gender), which is “a core requirement outlined by media buyers,” according to the group. JIC members conducted more than 670 tests to ensure data produced was transactable across specific currency uses. The process included looking at cross-platform campaign data across a variety of advertiser categories and deal types, including a detailed analysis of sports program measurement. ISpot isn’t getting certified at this time because of ongoing updates to its methodology, but the JIC will continue its evaluation following revisions, according to the group’s statement. Recent news: Comcast will test iSpot.tv data to link ads and sales “We know from extensive work with brand customers that unified, cross-platform measurement and solving issues of fragmentation and business outcomes are the most important issues facign buyers this upcoming season,” said an iSpot spokesman. To meet those needs, iSpot spent the first quarter focused on launching a new streaming dashboard and rolling out its next generation identity, big data and streaming measurement infrastructure, which will power all of its measurement and currency products, he said. “We have begun shipping all requisite data to the JIC for evaluation,” he said, to achieve currency certification in the next evaluation cycle. The JIC certification process collected data through the end of 2023, but Comscore was still in the process of rolling out its person-based measurement, said Brian Pugh, chief information officer of Comscore. “We didn’t have all the features we like, including under-18 reporting,” he said. “We released that in January, so some of this was timing and getting a feature complete that overlaps with the evaluation.” Initial JIC feedback on the updates, he said, has been positive. Media measurement blog Tracking TV, social and digital updates Click here

Comscore and VideoAmp get JIC certification, while iSpot.tv will have to wait

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