A+E Networks, Scripps Networks Join the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement

Team with existing CIMM Members including television content providers, media agencies and advertisers to identify new ways to effectively measure audiences across multiple platforms

New York, NY - September 7, 2011 - The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM / www.cimm-us.org), today announced that A+E Networks and Scripps Networks LLC are the newest members of the industry alliance focused on finding the best ways to measure changing media audiences.

"The combination of rapid technology advancements and shifting consumer behavior is quickly changing the media landscape in how we consume media and how we measure that consumption," said Mike Greco, EVP Research, A+E Networks. "It’s critical that the industry comes together to map our best practice and leverage new insights and innovations. We are extremely excited to be partnering with media companies and advertisers through CIMM to activate new tools and insights into our businesses."

Mike Pardee, SVP Research, Scripps Networks LLC, said, "We are thrilled to join this exceptional coalition of top research and media experts in the search for new, innovative, yet practical and timely solutions for the increasingly complex research and technological demands of today’s media environment. We are impressed with ability of the CIMM to inspire, prototype and execute real-world trials of potential solutions to the most pressing research and measurement problems facing the industry, and, in so doing, enable the rapid commercialization bringing to market of products and services with immediate marketplace value."

Jane Clarke, Managing Director for CIMM, said, "We are delighted to welcome our two newest members to the team and look forward to working with them to explore and identify best practices for cross-platform measurement that will help enable monetization and improve ROI for member companies."

CIMM now has 24 active members.

The coalition’s most recent initiatives include a CIMM-sponsored whitepaper on ‘Best Practices in Cross-Platform Advertising Effectiveness Measurement’ as well as its cross-media research initiative USA TouchPoints that chronicles how consumers interact with media across all platforms during their daily life activities including TV, radio, print, online and mobile. The data is now being fused with existing media measurement services to create a time-based, cross-platform media planning tool.

Contacts

• Erik Milster, CIMM
  emilster@sloanepr.com
  (212) 446-1866

Press

September 7, 2011
A+E Networks, Scripps Networks Join the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement
View Story

June 14, 2011
The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement Completes Consumer Survey Phase of Its ‘USA TouchPoints’ Cross-Media Research Study
View Story

February 11, 2011
CIMM launches innovative single source, three screen measurement tests with Arbitron and Comscore
View Story

October 27, 2010
Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement Prioritizes Near Term and Long Term Uses for Set-Top Box Data
View Story

October 14, 2010
Media Industry to Explore an Open Format For Tracking Entertainment Content and Advertisements Across All Media Platforms
View Story

August 10, 2010
Groundbreaking Cross-Media Research Using "Hub and Fusion" Launched For The First Time In The Us By CIMM
View Story

May 12, 2010
Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) Introduces New Lexicon for Set-Top Box Measurement
View Story

January 25, 2009
New Members Welcomed as CIMM Announces Next Steps in Set Top Box Measurement Initiative
View Story

December 8, 2009
Jane Clarke Named Managing Director of the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM)
View Story

November 16, 2009
CIMM Posts Updated RFI on Website
View Story

November 2, 2009
CIMM to hold meeting to discuss set top box measurement
View Story

September 10, 2009
Media Industry Leaders to Launch CIMM
View Story

September 10, 2009
Executives from the 14 Founding Companies Comment on the Organization
View Story

The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement Completes Consumer Survey Phase of Its ‘USA TouchPoints’ Cross-Media Research Study

Findings chronicle how, when consumers interact with media across all platforms during daily life activities; Final phase of study will ‘fuse’ findings with existing media measurement services to create time-based, cross-platform media planning tool

CIMM to present an illustration of findings highlighting media behavioral habits of ‘Moms’ during the Audience Research Foundation’s annual conference today; USA TouchPoints named top award-winning submission at this year’s ARF conference

New York, June 14, 2011 - The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM), today announced that the consumer survey phase of its cross-media research initiative ‘USA TouchPoints’ is complete and has yielded a wealth of media usage data that chronicles how consumers interact with media across all platforms during their daily life activities including TV, radio, print, online and mobile. The data is now ready for the final phase of the "hub and fusion" approach to cross-platform media measurement whereby it will be ‘fused’ with existing media measurement services to create a time-based, cross-platform media planning tool.

As previously announced, CIMM partnered with the Media Behavior Institute (MBI) to conduct the proof of concept pilot study for the TouchPoints initiative in the United States last fall with a sample of 1000 men and women aged 18-64 who utilized an eDiary iPhone app to record their media behavior at 30 minute intervals over 10 days. The results of this survey will enable CIMM to demonstrate to media planners, buyers and sellers, how USA TouchPoints can provide a look into the full picture of how consumers use all types of media, where they are, what they’re doing, who they’re with and how they are feeling when doing so. This, in turn, can help improve efficiency and effectiveness of media planning and, ultimately, the ROI of ad buys.

The study ran from September 2010 to February 2011. CIMM members will have exclusive, unlimited access to the Hub Database & the Integrated Channel Planning Tool for six months.

Jane Clarke, Managing Director for CIMM, said, “With the proliferation of cross platform media consumption, media planners have the daunting and increasingly difficult task of trying to decide which ads to run on which platform. The data garnered in the USA TouchPoints study has the potential to be a real game changer for the industry. It provides a window into where a particular segment of consumers, like Moms, for example, is every minute of every day and, more importantly, offers deeper behavioral insights such as their mood, who they are with and what they are doing. This information will essentially enable advertisers, agencies and the media to deliver messages when and where consumers are most receptive – helping them increase the effectiveness of their ad placements and ultimately improve ROI.”

While near infinite media usage dissection is possible based on the results of the consumer survey, CIMM and MBI are using one of the most important target segments for advertisers and one that could be the recipient of the majority of advertising dollars spent – Moms – to illustrate the power and potential of TouchPoints. MBI compared three generations of moms – Millennials (Age 18-32), GenX (Age 33-46) and Boomers (Age 47-64.)

Key findings:

• The biggest difference among the three generations of Moms is the amount of time they each spend on “basic duty – the real “mom stuff” of household chores, meal prep, and grocery shopping.
• Young moms aged 18-32 spend 29% less time doing “basic duty” than older moms.
• Fewer Millennial Moms prepare meals than older moms. At the peak dinner hour, 6 o’clock at night, 25% fewer Millennial Moms are making dinner than older moms.
• Moms 18-32 years old are far less likely (24%) to be reached with television at meal prep time; they prefer mobile and print during this time of the day.
• Millennial Moms make connecting their priority. Moms aged 18-32 are spending 43% more of their day connecting to others than do those aged 47-64.
• The average days of Boomer Moms and GenX Moms are more similar than different. Both Boomer Moms and GenX Moms spend almost a third of their day engaged in “basic duty.”
• However, their media usage is different. While preparing meals, GenXers are multi-tasking with the web, email, mobile and television as part of the landscape. Boomers have more traditional media habits while they’re preparing meals. About 45% more Boomers than Millennial Moms watch TV as they prepare meals.
• Very few moms – of any age – consider themselves “happy” during meal prep occasions. In fact, it appears to be one of the least happy times of the day – under 15% of moms consider themselves happy at 6:00 pm.

“The CIMM pilot study shows that USA TouchPoints can bring a whole new level of understanding to cross-media planning and buying,” said Jim Spaeth, Partner, Media Behavior Institute. “By evaluating media in the context of consumers’ lives, advertisers’ agencies and the media we can uncover moments of receptivity – times when the environment is right and the consumer is receptive to an ad message.”

Spaeth added, “We know delivering ads in more receptive moments increases advertising ROI. Recent research shows a 20% lift in ad effectiveness when ads are placed in receptive moments. If we apply those findings across the whole media environment it means TouchPoints has the potential to help create $25 billion in value for buyers and sellers of media.”

The TouchPoints initiative originated in the United Kingdom during 2006. The USA TouchPoints project is based on the UK Institute of Practitioners in Advertising's IPA TouchPoints® service and was licensed and fielded in the U.S. by Media Behavior Institute.

CIMM and MBI presented the initial TouchPoints findings today during the Audience Research Foundation (ARF) annual conference, where it has been named top award-winning submission. The ARF conference runs from June 13-14 in New York City. The TouchPoints findings presentation is available on the CIMM website.

Contacts

• Erik Milster, CIMM
  emilster@sloanepr.com
  (212) 446-1866

CIMM launches innovative single source, three screen measurement tests with Arbitron and Comscore

New York, February 11, 2011 - Today, the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) announced two independent, “proof-of-concept” pilot tests to measure three-screen users and their behavior with content and advertising across television, Internet and mobile. CIMM will work with both Arbitron Inc. and comScore on these groundbreaking studies. This is the first time that mobile Internet usage – including mobile video and apps – will be measured in “single source” cross-platform studies.

Arbitron will recruit a sample of three-screen users from their panel of approximately 70,000 persons who already carry a Portable People Meter™ (PPM™) device to measure radio listening and television viewing both in-home and out-of-home. Online and mobile Internet behavior will be captured using software meters Arbitron acquired from Integrated Media Measurement, Inc. (IMMI) in 2010.

comScore will recruit a sample of three-screen users from their 25,000-member opt-in cross-platform multi-screen consumer research panel. comScore will collect online and mobile mea-surement using their technology and will combine it with “set top box” television viewing data and additional mobile Internet usage data from mobile server logs.

“These innovative, small scale pilot tests will independently explore different methodologies to capture all three-screen media usage for selected programming and advertising campaigns,” explained CIMM Managing Director, Jane Clarke. “Aside from testing the methodologies, we’re also hoping to gain deeper insights into the way that consumers are using media across three-screens.”

""Arbitron has unique three-screen, single-source measurement capabilities through its PPM technology and panels. By incorporating the IMMI Internet and mobile meters in this pilot, we can directly link media usage across multiple platforms to the individuals and to their rich set of demographic characteristics," said Sean Creamer, Executive Vice President, US Media Services, Arbitron Inc. “We believe our three-screen measurement solution and the outcome of this pilot will influence the future direction of cross-platform media planning and buying. We thank the members of CIMM for their support of Arbitron and its cross-platform capabilities.”

“We are very excited about the opportunity to help CIMM explore how consumers use media across multiple screens,” said Joan FitzGerald, vice president television sales and business development, comScore. “As consumers combine their TV viewing and Internet usage with media consumption from an increasing array of mobile devices, it becomes more important for advertisers, agencies and media companies to understand their total audience and how to reach them. The Multi-Screen Consumer Panel is designed to deliver these important insights.”

Both tests will enlist consumers who access media across multiple screens and will develop cross-platform metrics, such as unduplicated reach and frequency of media across screens. Single source measurement refers to the ability to understand usage across different media for the same individuals and households. Work on these pilots will begin immediately for both tests, with results available in the second half of 2011.

Contacts

• Laura Nelson, CIMM
  laura.nelson@mac.com
  646.712-1614

• Thom Mocarsky, Arbitron
  Thom.Mocarsky@arbitron.com
  410.312-8239

• Andrew Lipsman, comScore, Inc.
  press@comScore.com
  312.775-6510

Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement Prioritizes Near Term and Long Term Uses for Set-Top Box Data

New York, October 27, 2010 - On the heels of the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement's (CIMM's) Lexicon for Set-Top Box (STB) Data, the group unveiled today the results of an industry wide research project meant to prioritize the near term and long term uses for STB data. The CIMM "Roadmap for Set-Top Box Data" delineates the challenges and opportunities in using STB data across a wide range of applications.

"While working on our Lexicon of STB terms, it became obvious that there was no clear picture of the Set-Top Box landscape," explained Jane Clarke, Managing Director, CIMM. "We knew that if we could get the industry to talk with us confidentially, we could put together a comprehensive overview. This Roadmap clearly illustrates the ways in which the industry can utilize this data immediately as well as shape it for broader use in the future."

The CIMM "Roadmap for Set-Top Box Data" prioritizes four major areas of use:

1. Local Measurement –The use of STB data for measuring TV viewing in local markets has the ability to provide larger sample sizes with greater granularity than the current measurement, even though improvements are still needed to make the samples more representative. Local broadcasters are interested in this new measurement opportunity, and several research vendors are developing this capability. CIMM believes the industry will see a lot of developments in this area over the next year.

2. Granular Analytics Tool – STB data can be used for in-depth understanding of viewing patterns for programs and for advertising pods. These kinds of analyses don't require representative samples to gain considerable insights, so they will also gain traction in the next year. Multi-channel Video Programming Distributors (MVPD's) will also increasingly use STB data within their companies for marketing purposes and channel carriage negotiations.

3. National Measurement Currency – While there is some need to improve the current national measurement, STB data needs much further development to be ready to either replace and/or be combined into a new or hybrid national currency measurement. CIMM supports the foundational data standards currently in development with the MVPD's and the Media Rating Council (MRC), and also encourages greater availability of STB data to create a nationally representative sample. Judging from industry feedback received by CIMM, it will take at least two-three years for STB data to develop to the extent that it could be audited as a national media currency.

4. Database Matching to Provide ROI Analytics and Advanced Advertising - Appending custom and large industry databases to STB data for segmentation purposes do not require representative samples and will enable advertisers to transform television into a direct marketing tool with revenue producing capabilities. As our next project, CIMM seeks to work with the database companies to provide greater transparency and to help the industry understand how best to combine these secondary databases with STB viewing data.

"SMG is aggressively looking for CIMM to help drive the evolution and quality of STB datasets that can be used with high confidence in the segmentation and advanced advertising businesses that we believe will be game changing for the TV industry" said Kate Sirkin, Executive Vice President, Global Research, Starcom MediaVest Group. "We hope others join us at SMG and CIMM to further develop these capabilities."

The Roadmap is based on confidential interviews with 85 policy and decision makers in 58 separate companies. Those interviewed included buyers, planners, strategists and researchers within agencies and researchers, new business developers and technology experts within data originators, data processors and software vendors.

The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) was founded by several leading television content providers, media agencies and advertisers to promote innovation in audience measurement for television and cross-platform video. CIMM will explore and identify new methodologies and approaches to audience measurement through a series of pilot studies with independent measurement companies focusing on two key areas: the current and future potential of television measurement through set-top- box data, and new methods for cross-platform media measurement. Current participants are: AT&T, Belo, CBS Corporation, Carat USA, Comcast Networks, ConAgra, Discovery Communications, Gannett, GroupM, Hearst, Interpublic Group's Mediabrands, Microsoft, NBC Universal, News Corporation, Omnicom Media Group, P&G, PepsiCo, Publicis Groupe, Time Warner, Unilever, Viacom and The Walt Disney Company.

Contacts

FOR CIMM:

Laura Nelson - The Gilbride Group - 646.712.1614 - laura.nelson@mac.com

Media Industry to Explore an Open Format For Tracking Entertainment Content and Advertisements Across All Media Platforms

Coalition For Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) Leads Group Which Features The Association Of National Advertisers (ANA), The American Association Of Advertising Agencies (4A's) And The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB)

New York, October 14, 2010 - Today, the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) announced the launch of an initiative to study the feasibility of an open standard to track and identify both entertainment content and advertisements across traditional as well as digital media platforms. The initiative called "Project: TAXI" (which stands for "track-able asset cross-platform identifier") was designed in response to the growing difficulty that content rights holders and advertisers face in maximizing the value of assets. The Project is intended to cultivate transparency, simplify accountability and improve economic efficiency across the value chain. CIMM has partnered with the ANA, the IAB, and the 4A's on Project: TAXI.

"Given the staggering increase in the volume of content available, it is harder and harder for media companies to track where and how often their assets are consumed -- whether on TVs, PCs or mobile devices," stated Jane Clarke, CIMM's Managing Director. "This project is intended to help companies understand how and where their content is being viewed, so that they can effectively ascribe value to distribution partners, advertisers and consumers."

"This study could dramatically improve the economics of advertising," said Bob Liodice, CEO of the ANA, which represents the interests of marketers. "Ten or 15 years ago, the majority of advertisers could get exposure to a critical mass of consumers using broadcast television and the top 10 or 20 cable networks. Today, audiences are fragmented across a multitude of platforms. An identifier that tracks content and advertising at a granular level would help advertisers place their ads where it makes most sense."

Sherrill Mane, SVP of Industry Services at the IAB, added, "The IAB is pleased to be a part of the first phase of developing an open system for identifying and tracking all manner of digital content. Through Project TAXI, we hope to learn how to best ensure that technology and data with wide ranging applications are created to benefit a multitude of industry players and solve for many issues we confront today. TAXI is particularly relevant to finding better measurement solutions."

"Project: TAXI will be instructive for all of us. The results could grant media researchers access to a wealth of comparable usage data that will greatly enhance the insights they provide to our media and advertising agency constituents," explained Mike Donahue, Executive Vice President of the 4A's. "Agencies would be able to use analytics to better match content, advertising and consumers, which would more effectively drive brand awareness and affinity building. There are several asset identification schema in use around the marketplace, including Ad-ID, referring to the advertising identification system the 4A's and ANA rolled out in 2003. Hopefully, TAXI will lead the industry to coalesce around one advertising asset identifier to reduce friction in the supply chain."

CIMM has engaged Ernst & Young LLP as its lead advisor in connection with Project: TAXI. "The technical complexity required an advisor that has a deep understanding of the media and entertainment business, a strong connection to the industry and objective guidance," stated Ms. Clarke. "Ernst & Young was the clear choice for this project because of their knowledge, experience and enthusiasm."

"We are very pleased to be part of driving an initiative that has the potential to make such an impact across the industry," said Ekta Singh, Ernst & Young LLP's Advisory Partner designated to lead the firm's work on Project: TAXI. "Creating a universal standard for content and advertising asset identification could have numerous benefits to media companies. There is tremendous opportunity to simplify underlying production, publishing, media planning and buying, distribution, licensing payments, digital rights management and many other functions."

CIMM has asked Ernst & Young to meet with industry trade organizations and commercial entities involved in asset identification, tracking and measurement. Ernst & Young will conduct 30 to 40 one-on-one interviews and small group workshops with industry executives to obtain their points of view on the business, economic, technical and operational criteria that could allow the industry to create a uniform method to track media assets across television, broadband and mobile platforms. CIMM anticipates being in a position to evaluate results with its members in early 2011, and present its findings to the industry shortly thereafter.

Contacts

FOR CIMM:

Laura Nelson - The Gilbride Group - 646.712.1614 - laura.nelson@mac.com

FOR ERNST & YOUNG:

Steve Honig - The Honig Company, LLC - 818-986-4300 - steve@honigcompany.com

Groundbreaking Cross-Media Research Using "Hub and Fusion" Launched For The First Time In The Us By CIMM - The Coalition For Innovative Media Measurement

"TouchPoints" Survey Has Already Transformed The Way Media Is Planned, Bought And Sold In The UK

NEW YORK, August 10, 2010 -- The "TouchPoints" initiative, launched in 2006 in the United Kingdom, is now entering the United States thanks to the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM), it was announced today by Jane Clarke, Managing Director at CIMM. This landmark research project – based on the UK Institute of Practitioners in Advertising's IPA TouchPoints® service and licensed by the Media Behavior Institute (MBI), will be fielded by MBI in partnership with GfK MRI. IPA TouchPoints has provided the media industry in the U. K. a single source of media planning data, which cuts across a range of media including TV, radio, print, online and mobile.

"A new media world requires new tools for measurement. Developing these tools is the mission of CIMM," said Colleen Fahey Rush, Executive Vice President, Strategic Insights and Research for MTV Networks and Chairman of the CIMM Executive Board. "As we approach the first anniversary of CIMM's founding, we're pleased to be launching this innovative US version of ‘TouchPoints.'"

"We scoured the globe to find the most consumer-centric cross-platform approaches before identifying and initiating a thorough consultant-led study of U.K. Touchpoints," explained Clarke. "It is by far the most comprehensive and provides the best way to link cross-media measurement and understand media usage in the context of daily life activities. We're delighted to be partnering with MBI to bring this innovative measurement tool to the US Media industry."

The project will include a sample of 1000 men and women aged 18-54 drawn from respondents who have completed GfK MRI's widely used "Survey of the American Consumer," and will employ eDiaries in which participants will record their media behavior at 30 minute intervals over 10 days. That data will be fused with existing media measurement services. This "hub and fusion" approach to cross-platform media measurement provides a time-based way of understanding consumers' media behavior. The final database will, for the first time in the U.S., allow media planners, buyers and sellers a look into the full picture of how respondents use all types of media and how to measure unduplicated reach across all media.

The study will run from September 2010 to February 2011. CIMM members will have exclusive, unlimited access to the Hub Database & the Integrated Channel Planning Tool for six months.

"The Media Behavior Institute was formed to address the growing need for more actionable multimedia planning insights. Working with CIMM enables us to realize this critical capability with the full support of the industry we plan to serve. We can't imagine a better way to launch USA TouchPoints," said Bill Moult, MBI's CEO.

About MBI

Media Behavior Institute LLC was created in 2008 to address the industry need for advanced multimedia measurement and analysis. Building on years of Sequent Partners' collaboration with Ball State University's Center for Media Design, starting with Middletown Media Studies II in 2005, these two organizations conducted a number of unique observation studies, including a Media Acceleration Project in 2006 and the Video Consumer Mapping Study for the Nielsen-funded Council for Research Excellence in 2008-2009. ??Shortly after Media Behavior Institute was formed in 2008, MBI struck an exclusive agreement with the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) of the UK to bring their TouchPoints© brand and method to the US. In its very first year of existence, therefore, Media Behavior Institute was making a clear commitment to not only be multimedia, but also be multi-method. MBI has made significant investments of time and money to update the electronic diary data collection platform to one that is mobile phone-based. The March 2010 announcement of MBI's partnering with GfK MRI has taken the USA TouchPoints multi-method approach to an even more highly integrated level.

About CIMM

The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) was founded by several leading television content providers, media agencies and advertisers to promote innovation in audience measurement for television and cross-platform video. CIMM will explore and identify new methodologies and approaches to audience measurement through a series of pilot studies with independent measurement companies focusing on two key areas: the current and future potential of television measurement through set-top-box data, and new methods for cross-platform media measurement.

Current participants are: AT&T, Belo, CBS Corporation, Carat USA, Comcast Networks, ConAgra, Discovery Communications, Gannett, GroupM, Hearst, Interpublic Group's Mediabrands, Microsoft, NBC Universal, News Corporation, Omnicom Media Group, P&G, PepsiCo, Publicis Groupe, Time Warner, Unilever, Viacom and The Walt Disney Company.

Contacts

FOR CIMM:

Laura Nelson - The Gilbride Group - 646.712.1614 - laura.nelson@mac.com

Mark Jafar - MTV Networks - 212.846.8961 - mark.jafar@mtvstaff.com

FOR MBI:

Jim Spaeth - Media Behavior Institute - 212.696.9299 - jim@mediabehavior.com

Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) Introduces New Lexicon for Set-Top Box Measurement

NEW YORK – (May 12, 2010) – The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) today introduced the CIMM Set-Top Box (STB) Lexicon, a common set of more than 800 terms for use in analyzing and processing STB measurement.

Available at http://www.cimm-us.org/lexicon.htm, the CIMM STB Lexicon will provide a shared, foundational language to inform CIMM's forthcoming STB pilot projects. The Lexicon will also support broader industry innovation and collaboration among end users of STB data, including television content providers, media agencies, and advertisers.

"Analysis of set-top box data remains in its formative stages, and getting to the next level in data collection, aggregation, and measurement will require that everyone in the industry speaks the same language," said Jane Clarke, Managing Director, CIMM. "With the CIMM STB Lexicon, we're providing a strong foundation for cross-industry collaboration around set-top box data as it becomes increasingly available."

"We are delighted that CIMM has been so active in addressing the critical common language gap for STB," said Kate Sirkin, Executive Vice President and Global Research Director for Starcom MediaVest Group. "We believe this will allow all suppliers and data owners to provide a more actionable product to the marketplace and inspire users to really start to integrate insights from the data into their day-to-day plans and buys for their clients."

The CIMM STB Lexicon covers terms and definitions for actions, business units, data types, ad and program formats, hardware, software, indicators, measurement and metrics related to STB data. CIMM submitted the Lexicon for review to more than 30 companies and organizations, including cable, satellite, and telco distributors, hardware and software companies, and industry associations. CIMM will continue to solicit feedback from across the industry to edit and expand the Lexicon as STB measurement evolves.

Media research consultant Charlene Weisler authored the STB Lexicon, drawing from the RFIs submitted by data and technology providers. Weisler worked closely with Clarke, the companies that submitted RFIs, and the CIMM STB Working Committee.

About CIMM

The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) was founded by several leading television content providers, media agencies and advertisers to promote innovation in audience measurement for television and cross-platform video. CIMM will explore and identify new methodologies and approaches to audience measurement through a series of pilot studies with independent measurement companies focusing on two key areas: the current and future potential of television measurement through set-top-box data, and new methods for cross-platform media measurement.

Current participants are: AT&T, Belo, CBS Corporation, Carat USA, Comcast Networks, ConAgra, Discovery Communications, Gannett, GroupM, Hearst, Interpublic Group's Mediabrands, Microsoft, NBC Universal, News Corporation, Omnicom Media Group, P&G, PepsiCo, Starcom MediaVest Group Worldwide, Time Warner, Unilever, Viacom and The Walt Disney Company.

Contacts

Liz Fischer - NBC Universal - 212.664.4825 - liz.fischer@nbcuni.com

Mark Jafar - MTV Networks - 212.846.8961 - mark.jafar@mtvstaff.com

Elissa Johansmeier - Fox - 212.556.2567 - elissa.johnsmeier@fox.com

Scott Grogin - Fox - 310.369.4733 - scott.grogin@fox.com

Gannett, Pepsico, Belo, ConAgra, Hearst and Microsoft Join Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM)

New Members Welcomed as CIMM Announces Next Steps in Set Top Box Measurement Initiative

NEW YORK – (January 25, 2010) – In its first member meeting of the new year, The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) today announced that Gannett, PepsiCo, Belo, ConAgra, Hearst and Microsoft have joined the group, expanding its membership to 21 television content providers, media agencies and advertisers.

"As our set top box measurement initiative gets underway, it's exciting to bring aboard new members who will strengthen and bring a greater diversity of perspectives to CIMM," said Jane Clarke, Managing Director of CIMM. "We are pleased to welcome Gannett, PepsiCo, Belo, ConAgra, Hearst and Microsoft into CIMM."

Next Steps in Set Top Box (STB) Measurement Initiative

Upon welcoming the new members, CIMM unveiled the next steps in its set top box (STB) measurement initiative. CIMM will first establish the CIMM STB Lexicon, a common set of terms for analyzing and processing STB measurement, and then begin testing the methodologies behind those terms, using test data from STB data providers.

"Upon review of the RFIs we collected last month, it is clear the industry needs a common language around set top box data," said Clarke. "By establishing common definitions for processing and analyzing set top box data, CIMM is strengthening the foundation for cross-industry collaboration around new measurement."

To help develop the STB Lexicon, CIMM has hired media research consultant Charlene Weisler. In addition to writing columns for MediaPost and CableFax, Weisler is working on STB initiatives as part of the MPG Collaborative Alliance. For CIMM, Weisler is analyzing all the RFIs received from the data and technology providers and is developing a draft set of terms. She is working closely with the companies that submitted RFIs and the CIMM STB Working Committee.

About CIMM

The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) was founded by several leading television content providers, media agencies and advertisers to promote innovation in audience measurement for television and cross-platform video. CIMM will explore and identify new methodologies and approaches to audience measurement through a series of pilot studies with independent measurement companies focusing on two key areas: the current and future potential of television measurement through set-top-box data, and new methods for cross-platform media measurement.

Current participants are: AT&T, Belo, CBS Corporation, Carat USA, ConAgra, Discovery Communications, Gannett, GroupM, Hearst, Interpublic Group's Mediabrands, Microsoft, NBC Universal, News Corporation, Omnicom Media Group, P&G, PepsiCo, Publicis Groupe, Time Warner, Unilever, Viacom and The Walt Disney Company.

Contacts

Liz Fischer - NBC Universal - 212.664.4825 - liz.fischer@nbcuni.com

Elissa Johansmeier - Fox - 212.556.2567 - elissa.johnsmeier@fox.com

Scott Grogin - Fox - 310.369.4733 - scott.grogin@fox.com

Jane Clarke Named Managing Director of the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM)

NEW YORK – (December 8, 2009) – The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) today named Jane Clarke its Managing Director. As the newly created group's first Managing Director, Clarke will oversee all day-to-day operations for CIMM, including management of the RFI process, vendor relationships and the resulting research studies. Clarke will report directly to the CIMM Executive Board.

"Jane has the knowledge, experience and relationships to drive a collaborative effort like CIMM toward identifying excellence in media measurement innovation," said Colleen Fahey Rush, Chairman of the CIMM Executive Board and Executive Vice President of Strategic Insights and Research for MTV Networks. "CIMM needs a strong dedicated leader to maintain and grow its early momentum, and we're thrilled to have someone of Jane's caliber in this crucial role."

As Managing Director, Clarke will be responsible for developing CIMM's strategy and vision as it promotes innovation in traditional and new media measurement. Clarke will coordinate communications among and supply monthly updates to CIMM member companies, while facilitating new membership for interested television content providers, media agencies and advertisers.

"As change accelerates across the media landscape, it's imperative that content providers and marketers work together to articulate our shared needs and spark innovation in measurement," said Clarke. "I'm looking forward to working with all our member companies to develop measurement that will power the continued growth and evolution of the media industry."

Clarke brings to her new role more than 30 years experience in the media industry collecting and analyzing strategic insights into global consumers. Most recently, Clarke was Vice President of Insights and Innovation at Time Warner Global Media Group where her work fueled marketing solutions across television, online, mobile and print. She led cross-media measurement initiatives both internal to Time Warner as well as external, as a co-chair of the Advertising Research Foundation's 360 Media & Marketing Super Council and a contributor to the Council for Research Excellence's Video Consumer Mapping Study. Over the course of her career, Clarke has held positions at Time Warner divisions including Warner Music Group, Time Inc and the Time Video Development Group. She's also served in the research organizations of the Children's TV Workshop and National Geographic Society.

About CIMM

The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) was founded by several leading television content providers, media agencies and advertisers to promote innovation in audience measurement for television and cross-platform video. CIMM will explore and identify new methodologies and approaches to audience measurement through a series of pilot studies with independent measurement companies focusing on two key areas: the current and future potential of television measurement through set-top-box data, and new methods for cross-platform media measurement.

Current participants are: AT&T, CBS Corporation, Carat USA, Discovery Communications, GroupM, Interpublic Group's Mediabrands, NBC Universal, News Corporation, Omnicom Media Group, P&G, Starcom MediaVest Group Worldwide, Time Warner, Unilever, Viacom and The Walt Disney Company.

Contacts

Liz Fischer - NBC Universal - 212.664.4825 - liz.fischer@nbcuni.com

Scott Grogin - Fox - 310.369.4733 - scott.grogin@fox.com

Mark Jafar - MTV Networks - 212.846.8961 - mark.jafar@mtvstaff.com

Elissa Johansmeier - Fox - 212.556.2567 - elissa.johnsmeier@fox.com

CIMM Posts Updated RFI on Website, www.cimm-us.org

Deadline for RFI Submission is December 4

New York -- November 16, 2008 -- Based on feedback received during its recent meetings with five different providers of set top box data, the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) has posted a revised RFI (Request for Information) on its website, www.cimm-us.org. Deadline for submission of the RFI is December 4, and all interested parties are invited to visit the website for more information.

The RFI is part of CIMM's overall RFP process, which will initially focus on set top box data measurement. The group's other area of focus – cross platform video measurement -- will be addressed shortly. CIMM recently met with five current providers of set top box data – Nielsen, Rentrak, TiVo, TRA and TNS – to solicit feedback on the set top box RFP process and discuss how those companies would like to work with CIMM going forward.

The meetings were a first step in a new approach CIMM is taking with the overall RFP process. Rather than designating one "winner" among multiple proposals across the industry, CIMM intends to foster a collaborative relationship with various data and technology providers to help identify and fund multiple projects that meet the group's criteria.

Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) to Hold Meeting to Discuss Set Top Box Measurement

Five Current Providers of Set Top Box Data Invited to Participate

NEW YORK – (November 2, 2009) On November 10, the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) will meet with the first five in a group of companies that are currently providing set top box data to see how they and CIMM can work together to help foster research innovation in that area. The meetings are a first step in CIMM's RFP process, which will initially focus on set top box measurement. The group's other area of focus, cross platform video measurement, will be addressed shortly.

The five companies are Nielsen, Rentrak, TiVo, TRA and TNS. The meetings will be completely proprietary and will solicit feedback from the organizations about the set top box RFP process and how they would like to work with CIMM going forward. CIMM will also help provide the organizations with more detail on their expectations and discuss potential projects they'd like the groups to consider.

CIMM is holding this first series of meetings to break away from the traditional RFP process of designating one "winner" among multiple proposals across the industry. Instead, recognizing that the development of new measurement systems poses significant challenges, CIMM intends to foster a collaborative relationship with various data and technology providers to help identify and fund multiple projects that meet the group's criteria.

A set of RFIs as part of the RFP process are available on a newly created website, www.cimm-us.org, which will serve as the central source for all CIMM related information. All interested parties are invited to visit the site and submit proposals for the various projects.

Media Industry Leaders to Launch The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM)

Unprecedented Research Effort to Foster Innovative Cross-Platform Media Measurement

NEW YORK – September 10, 2009 –In an effort to promote innovation and explore new, high quality ways to measure audiences across traditional and new media, a group of leading US television content providers, media agencies and advertisers are joining together in an historic initiative to create the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM).

Signaling the critical importance within the industry for such an organization, CIMM is being announced today by the following executives from all 14 founding member companies:

• Jeff Bewkes, Chairman and CEO, Time Warner
• George Bodenheimer, President of ESPN and ABC Sports, and Co-Chair, Disney Media Networks
• Nick Brien, President & CEO, Interpublic Group's Mediabrands
• Chase Carey, Deputy Chairman, President and COO, News Corporation
• Philippe Dauman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Viacom
• Laura Desmond, CEO, Starcom MediaVest Group Worldwide
• Dina Howell, Vice President, Global Media & Brand Operations, The Procter & Gamble Company
• Laura Klauberg, Senior Vice President, Global Media, Unilever
• Esther Lee, Senior Vice President, Brand Marketing and Advertising, AT&T
• Sir Martin Sorrell, Group Chief Executive, WPP, holding company for GroupM
• Anne Sweeney, President, Disney-ABC Television Group and co-chair, Disney Media Networks
• Nancy Tellem, President, CBS Paramount Network Television Entertainment Group
• Page Thompson, CEO, North America, Omnicom Media Group
• David M. Zaslav, President and CEO, Discovery Communications
• Jeff Zucker, President and CEO, NBC Universal

CIMM will work to explore and identify new methodologies and approaches to audience measurement. The group will initiate, fund and evaluate a series of pilot studies with independent measurement companies focusing on two key areas: the current and future potential of television measurement through set-top-box data, and new methods for cross-platform media measurement. CIMM will publish all research findings to its members and make them publicly available as well.

CIMM will be funded by the group's founding participants, who will hire an independent managing director to oversee day-to-day operations. Any US television content providers, buying agencies or advertisers that are interested in joining CIMM should contact NBC Universal Research President Alan Wurtzel, alan.wurtzel@nbcuni.com, for additional information.

Media Industry Leaders to Launch The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM)

Executives from the 14 Founding Companies Comment on the Organization

NEW YORK – September 10, 2009 Executives from the 14 companies representing the founding members of the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) today commented on the formation of the organization:

Jeff Bewkes, Chairman and CEO, Time Warner:
"As we continue to make our content available across additional and emerging platforms through initiatives like TV Everywhere, it becomes increasingly important to measure consumer interaction with our brands. Comprehensive and accurate measurement will have a direct effect on the continued growth of our industry."

George Bodenheimer, President, ESPN, Inc. and ABC Sports, Co-chairman, Disney Media Networks:
"When you get down to it, we're all looking for answers to some very similar questions. It makes sense to come together to help advance the measurement of media across all platforms to serve our strategic needs, while helping the industry build smarter accountability for our advertisers."

Nick Brien, President and CEO, Interpublic Group's Mediabrands:
"The velocity of today's technology developments enables us to demand a more sophisticated measurement model that provides greater accountability and accuracy to increase the effectiveness of our clients' media and marketing investments. We can no longer subscribe to outdated perceptions of engagement. As we strive for the most accurate and useful data, we must support innovation in measurement and build new platforms to compete with our increasingly measurable world."

Chase Carey, Deputy Chairman, President and Chief Operating Officer, News Corporation:
"At News Corp we've been calling for more accurate television measurement for some time. We're happy to support this bold industry initiative—which is the first step in a major movement by media companies and their advertising partners to explore available ways to better measure the various platforms that support video content."

Philippe Dauman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Viacom:
"Today's audiences are consuming more media in more ways than ever before. We all have an urgent need to evolve our methods of measurement such that advertisers and programmers can better understand consumer behavior. CIMM's strong and coordinated commitment to driving advances and innovation in audience measurement will ultimately help us deliver more value to our advertising and marketing partners."

Laura Desmond, Global CEO, Starcom MediaVest Group:
"It's a new media ecosystem, yet the industry relies on old media metrics. This simply can't continue. Finding consistent, reliable measurement for today and future realities, needs to be a top priority. With CIMM we look to address the issues--from unlocking the full potential of set-top-box data to identifying standards for assessing cross-platform performance--head on and with vigor."

Dina Howell, Vice President, Global Media & Brand Operations, The Procter & Gamble Company:
"P&G is focused on serving more consumers more fully with our marketing communications. We believe a system that holistically measures the range of touchpoints across media is essential if we are to better engage our consumers when and where they are most receptive. And, it only makes sense that we explore and learn in this area as an industry."

Laura Klauberg, Senior Vice President, Global Media, Unilever:
"Unilever is aggressively pursuing new ways to connect our brands with consumers. The ability to accurately measure the impact of our investments in this evolving and fragmented media landscape is critical for informing business decisions. To that end, we are extremely pleased to join with our industry peers in this initiative."

Esther Lee, Senior Vice President, Brand Marketing and Advertising, AT&T:
"Connecting customers is at the heart of the AT&T brand, so having a better understanding how our customers actually connect and respond to our advertising – whether it's TV, online or over their handsets – will help us do a better job of driving value through those media investments. That's why we are excited to be involved with this coalition of industry leaders who are committed to working with the best data providers and analysts to create an effective cross-platform media metric solution."

Sir Martin Sorrell, Chief Executive, WPP, holding company for GroupM:
"Given the recent changes in media consumption habits, it is critical for the various constituencies of our industry to agree on the priorities for the next generation of media measurement systems. Once we have agreed on these priorities, we can identify the most promising opportunities and initiatives and concentrate our future investments on the most effective systems that meet our objectives in this new media environment."

Anne Sweeney, President, Disney/ABC Television Group, and Co-chair, Disney Media Networks:
"The digital era has empowered the viewer with choice of content and platform. Better understanding the evolving dynamics of how the audience connects with our content will help us reach them more effectively. This is essential for content providers, agencies, and advertisers alike; and working together will ensure we achieve it."

Nancy Tellem, President, CBS Paramount Network Television Entertainment Group:
"As more professional content finds its way to multiple platforms it's imperative that content owners receive value for viewing on these screens. CIMM underscores the mutual need for those on the buying and selling side to come together to establish metrics across all platforms in an accurate and credible way. This announcement shouldn't be seen as an alternative to Nielsen. It's quite the contrary; we expect Nielsen, along with other research entities, to be a part of the solution."

Page Thompson, CEO, North America, Omnicom Media Group:
"There is only one constant in the media industry today -- and that is that everything is changing. New ways of thinking and new technologies are driving this change. As an industry, we've been quick to adapt to sharp and swift changes in how, when, where and even why people use media. The goal of this alliance is to ensure that we can provide a context for measurement that is more relevant and reliable in the brave new media world that we have helped create. There is no better time than now to harness this new thinking and technology to provide a new measurement currency."

David Zaslav, President and CEO, Discovery Communications:
"CIMM's mission is to tackle the industry's most pressing issues—higher levels of accountability and cross-platform measurement—to enable solutions that keep pace with innovation at the consumer level which will ultimately benefit advertisers, agencies and media companies alike.

Jeff Zucker, President and CEO, NBC Universal:
"Twenty-first century media needs 21st century measurement techniques. Existing systems are incapable of accurately measuring the media habits of our audience across today's multiplicity of platforms. CIMM is an important step in helping to address this problem. As an industry, we can't afford not to do this, because if we can't measure our audience accurately, we can't sell it."