Paramount picks iSpot.tv as TV ad currency alternative to Nielsen

Paramount Global chose iSpot.tv as a currency option for linear and streaming TV in the U.S., with measurement and trading on the measurement company’s data expected to begin in the first quarter, the companies announced today. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs The two companies currently are completing technology integrations to “enable fast, seamless advertising transactions inside of Paramount’s proprietary and licensed systems,” according to a Paramount statement. Also read: iSpot signs first agency deal The relationship covers the use of iSpot Unified Measurement, which joins linear and streaming viewership into a single cross-screen metric, including measures of on-target and incremental reach, ad frequency, linear and streaming overlap, broken out by channel, publisher and type of service. “We are committed to supporting all new currency providers certified by the U.S. Joint Industry Committee [JIC],” said John Halley, president of Paramount Advertising, in the statement, “and we look forward to bringing greater transparency and flexibility to the way TV is transacted and measured. Our partnership with iSpot helps facilitate that goal.” The JIC was formed earlier this year to create standards for alternative currencies. ISpot joins Comscore and VideoAmp (both adopted under ViacomCBS) as currency alternatives to Nielsen for Paramount. ISpot, Comscore and VideoAmp received conditional certification from the JIC last month. It remains to be seen whether Nielsen’s big data-plus panel offering will be offered as a currency option for Paramount. Halley indicated earlier this year that the company wouldn’t share streaming data with new data providers that don’t participate in the Joint Industry Committee certification process, which Nielsen has not. That, however, wouldn’t rule out continued trading on Nielsen panel-based data. ISpot also received Media Rating Council accreditation last month for its ad catalog in a possible step toward broader MRC audits of its data. ISpot also has attained national currency status with NBCUniveral, and beginning next year, with Amazon Prime for “Thursday Night Football.” But rivals Comscore and VideoAmp have attained broader currency status so far among the Nielsen alternatives, with both having currency status with Fox Networks, TelevisaUnivision and Warner Bros. Discovery. VideoAmp is similarly set to join iSpot as a Nielsen alternative with Amazon Prime on “TNF” next year, and became the sole currency for Allen Media Group earlier this year. Media measurement blog Tracking TV, social and digital updates Click here

Paramount picks iSpot.tv as TV ad currency alternative to Nielsen

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