Measurement firm to track US video viewers across many devices

New York

PEOPLE are spending an exploding amount of time watching video on their mobile phones or streaming programmes to their television sets, but so far the industry has struggled to track that behaviour. The measurement firm comScore plans to introduce this week a new measurement for tracking video audiences across computers, mobile and other streaming devices. ComScore previously measured digital video audiences only on desktops and laptops. The new metric should provide additional information for television networks and advertisers. ComScore's initial research revealed that by counting the number of people watching video on mobile and other digital devices beyond a computer, the total digital viewership for television networks increased by a range of 8 per cent to as much as 30 per cent.

"We want to make sure that video audiences get properly counted across all platforms," said Serge Matta, comScore's chief executive. "Everyone knows, for a platform to increase in usage, you need to have measurement," he added. "If you don't, there is no way you will get the appropriate credit, and there is not a lot of advertising happening on that platform."