NetRatings and ComScore commit to MRC audits
Share
Online audience measurement firms NetRatings and ComScore have both committed to full audits of their measurement methods, following a meeting yesterday with advertising industry bodies.
The meeting resulted from an open letter from the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), challenging the two firms to submit to third-party audits of their processes.
It was hosted by the IAB and attended by bodies including the American Association of Advertising Agencies, the Association of National Advertisers, and the Media Rating Council (MRC) – which will conduct the audits.
NetRatings, which has completed a pre-audit, said it will now commence the full accreditation process. ComScore is still undergoing its pre-audit, but said it had confirmed its commitment to move forward with a full audit in what it called a “very positive and wide-ranging discussion”.
In a statement released by NetRatings, George Ivie, CEO and executive director of the MRC, praised the firm's ‘leadership' in answering the call for increased transparency. He said: “We look forward to working with them in the full MRC audit for the collective benefit of advertisers, advertising agencies, publishers and other users of internet audience measurements.” No comment was made regarding ComScore's progress, and MRC representatives could not be reached as Research went to press.
In his letter to NetRatings and ComScore, IAB president Randall Rothenberg criticised ‘outdated' panel-based measurement systems, which could “deny marketers the insights they need to build their businesses”.
In their responses, both NetRatings and ComScore underlined the importance of combining server and panel data to get the clearest picture of web audiences.
The MRC will review NetRatings' desktop meter, which tracks internet usage, as well as the page-tagging technologies which drive its web analytics products. ComScore plans to make a fuller statement on its own audit plans in due course.
Author: Robert Bain
Related links:
ComScore and NetRatings agree to meeting with IAB
ComScore and NetRatings claim transparency
IAB sets audit challenge for NetRatings and ComScore
