U.S. Joint Industry Committee Completes Audit of Certified Currencies to Validate Transactability of New Data for the Upcoming Broadcast Season

Review of new methodologies confirms currency-grade readiness of Comscore, iSpot and VideoAmp as each company passes the audit and maintains certification

JIC releases new "Guidelines for Transactability" report to reflect the critical importance of methodological transparency in a multi-currency marketplace

NEW YORK, July 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Joint Industry Committee (JIC) today announced the completion of its mid-term audit which evaluated enhancements to Comscore, iSpot and VideoAmp's certified currencies of record ahead of the 2025–2026 broadcast season. The results reaffirm the certification and currency-grade readiness of all three providers.

The audit was a rigorous, real-world evaluation that was designed to ensure measurement providers can meet the baseline requirements for operational functionality, transparency and usability. Of particular note, Comscore has now met the JIC's benchmark for transactability in personified demographics as part of the audit, joining iSpot and VideoAmp to offer the market three solutions that have been verified as transactable across personified demographics, households and advanced audiences.

Built By the Industry, For the Industry

The JIC's audit process was designed and executed as a collaborative effort led by a cross-functional working group of data, analytics, and investment leaders from both leading media agencies and national TV publishers. The JIC working group defined, applied and evaluated more than 699 tests across three primary deal types to ensure new currencies are not only technically viable, but operationally ready for real-world planning, pricing and reconciliation. Results of the audit were reviewed and approved by the JIC's Measurement Subcommittee before reaching a majority vote within the Full Committee of combined media buyers and sellers.

The Audit Framework: Three Critical Pillars

The Data Evaluation consisted of three parts, including Data Evaluation Questions, Total Ad Supply and a detailed analysis of Sports. All tests followed a standardized format, with the basis of analysis spanning Transparency, Completeness, Methodology Checks and Stability of Data. Each part of the evaluation served as a critical pillar of determining transaction readiness, as outlined below.

Methodological Transparency – The Foundation for Trust
Each provider responded to 116 detailed Data Evaluation Questions covering nine essential areas—including big data infrastructure, governance, personification, and interoperability with media systems. Scoring emphasized transparency and completeness, ensuring certified providers are not only functional but open, auditable and future-ready. This level of disclosure is essential for the buy and sell sides to understand how a number is made.

Total Ad Supply – The Engine of Planning and Pricing
Providers submitted two years of ad- and telecast-level data across all currency types. The JIC tested whether audience impressions were stable over time, logically additive, and consistent across networks and inventory tiers. These tests mirror how buyers model GRPs, negotiate pricing, and forecast reach. The verdict: all three providers passed, confirming their data can reliably be used to value media.

Sports Supply – The Stress Test for Currency
Live sports is the most demanding arena in TV advertising. The audit examined major events such as the NFL, NBA, and March Madness, using both PLSD and exact spot methodologies. Providers were evaluated on impression stability, deduplicated reach across overlapping games, and consistency between planning and posting metrics—ensuring currencies hold up where precision matters most.

"Guidelines for Transactability" Update for the Upcoming Broadcast Season

To complement the audit, the JIC has released an updated version of its "Guidelines for Transactability," reflecting the growing importance of methodological transparency in a multi-currency reality. The paper outlines why understanding how a measurement number is constructed is now essential to ensuring trust, comparability, and responsible investment. The full detailed report is available for the industry for download here.

It introduces the beginning of a standardized framework for evaluating measurement providers across core domains such as data sourcing, personification modeling, identity resolution, and cross-platform deduplication. As AI becomes more deeply embedded in planning and optimization workflows, flawed or opaque input data poses a greater threat. The JIC emphasizes that transparency is no longer optional—it is foundational to protecting investments and sustaining innovation.

"As innovation in measurement continues, it is critical that media buyers and sellers have the time and ability to thoroughly analyze updates to new methodology so that we can have confidence in each currency. This requires a level of transparency from each provider that ultimately breeds trust and confidence in their solution. We applaud Comscore, iSpot and VideoAmp for their continued commitment to building and operationalizing currency grade solutions and equally as important for dedicating the time and resources to participating in this critical process," commented the U.S. Joint Industry Committee.

About the U.S. Joint Industry Committee
Formed in January 2023, the U.S. Joint Industry Committee (JIC) is a collaborative forum bringing together media buyers and video suppliers to define a more transparent and sustainable model for long-form video measurement. Its initial charter includes evaluating the transactional readiness of new currencies and advancing standards for cross-platform measurement. Through certification audits and data initiatives such as the OpenAP streaming data solution, the JIC aims to modernize audience measurement and support a more sustainable advertising ecosystem.

SOURCE U.S. Joint Industry Committee