A lot of the measurement issues facing the TV industry, such as the challenges of measuring across fragmented platforms, and finding common measurement standards for different types of video content, cut across markets. So while each country has its own nuances and set of pressing priorities, the TV measurement JICs in each market are often working on solutions to solve a common set of core issues.
As such, it’s often worth a look overseas to see how local JICs are approaching these core measurement problems, and where they’re each putting their focus. VideoWeek asked JICs from five major European markets about the most pressing issues in their markets, and what they’ll be focussing on in the year ahead.
Barb, UK
As the UK industry’s standard for understanding what people watch, our strategic priorities are determined in response to our clients’ needs.
In a world of data abundance, easy access to trusted data is crucial. Our clients asked for more choice and flexibility in how they access our data. Future-proofing our data-distribution strategy is therefore a key priority. In December, we launched the Barb Data Hub, a new cloud-based system for storing, processing and distributing our data. In January, we appointed RSMB to deliver the third phase of our API, which will offer clients pre-calculated metrics for ingestion into their own systems. This is expected to launch in H2 2026.
Another priority is embracing more device-based data to improve data consistency and reduce zero-rated spots. We’ve been collecting BVOD data from devices and combining it with our panel data through Dovetail Fusion since 2018. Now Barb Panel Plus aims to incorporate device-based data from TV sets and set-top boxes into this fusion. This is in the prototype phase; we’ll decide how to proceed later this year.
For UK buyers and sellers of advertising, our data informs every part of the media-measurement loop. These clients want end-to-end campaign reporting. In response, in January we launched Barb Ads Hub, a new analytics system for full-cycle campaign planning and reporting. At launch, Barb Ads Hub includes post-campaign analysis through CFlight, with pre-campaign planning to follow in Q1. We’re working on further developments, including an MMM data pack and integrating streamers into CFlight.
There is widespread industry demand for independent audience data for what people watch on video-sharing platforms in the UK. An ongoing priority is to extend our content reporting to cover more of this. We’ve paused our reporting of TV-set audiences for 200 of the most-watched YouTube channels, but we remain committed to meeting industry demand for this insight.
Finally, it’s crucial we maintain a great core service, including preserving and enhancing our nationally-representative panel of 7k homes. In January, we appointed NatCen and RSMB to deliver our Establishment Survey and Ipsos to deliver panel top-up recruitment. The Establishment Survey is one of the largest ongoing annual surveys of UK households and provides information which underpins our ability to deliver trusted audience figures from our panel. We’ll be reviewing the Establishment Survey questionnaire and methodology to ensure it continues to be robust, high quality and future-focused.
We’re also exploring delineating audiences at second level, a granularity more suited to the on-demand world. This will require methodology and file changes, as well as the reconfiguration of external systems. We’ll decide how we proceed early this year.
AGF, Germany
On general priorities within the market:
For the AGF, the video market continues to be characterised by strong dynamics. Usage is becoming increasingly fragmented, while platforms and new distribution and user interfaces are gaining relevance. At the same time, market participants are calling for greater orientation, transparency and reliable comparability.
Against this backdrop, our central priority is the further development of measurement towards converged, cross-platform and cross-media approaches. The aim is to reflect the video ecosystem more holistically while maintaining a single, comparable measurement standard. Comparability is essential to ensure that measurement and performance metrics are broadly accepted and can be reliably used for planning, evaluation and investment decisions.
A key principle for us is the clear focus on comparable measurement, rather than the simple aggregation of delivered data sets. Different usage signals should be integrated into a methodologically standardised measurement framework to ensure transparency, comparability and equal treatment across the market.
An important building block is the integration of international streaming platforms via server-to-server measurement, where this is meaningful and feasible. This represents a certified extension of the existing AGF measurement technologies provided by Nielsen, complementing established standard technologies such as SDK and Cloud API. Server-to-server integration is therefore not an alternative approach, but a technological extension within a unified measurement standard.
In linear TV, we are also further developing our systems by advancing the integration of return-path data. Hybrid approaches combining representative panel data with large, anonymised data sets help to stabilise reporting, particularly for smaller and more fragmented channels and target groups.
Overall, AGF relies on a panel-centric measurement model, complemented by census-level data. As a Joint Industry Committee, our role is to use these data responsibly, transparently and in a comparable way, while continuously evolving a measurement system that has been established for more than 30 years.
On specific plans for the year ahead:
Also this year, the further development of our measurement systems focuses on convergence as well as cross-platform and cross-media capability.
A key milestone last year was the integration of additional streaming services into the AGF standard. A prominent example is Amazon Prime Video, whose ad-supported offering was integrated into comparable AGF digital measurement in November 2025 via Nielsen’s server-to-server technology.
Crucially, this form of integration fully meets the requirements for standardisation, comparability and certification. Platform integration therefore means embedding usage data on an equal footing within a shared measurement standard, rather than incorporating them in isolation.
Another major focus is the continued development towards cross-media campaign measurement. The market increasingly demands deduplicated reach and consistent campaign evaluation across media types, which is why cross-media comparability remains a priority.
In parallel, we are continuing our work on the integration of return-path data in TV measurement, with the aim of improving stability and robustness, particularly for small and fragmented channels and target groups.
As a Joint Industry Committee, AGF stands for neutral, transparent and comparable measurement. These principles are also gaining importance at European level. Through AGF’s membership in the Audience Measurement Coalition (AMC), we are actively engaged in media-policy discussions, including the application of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) in the context of audience measurement.
Our objective remains to reflect the diversity of the video market based on a single, comparable and future-proof measurement standard.
Auditel, Italy
Market expectations in the advertising industry are closely tied to the introduction of CUSV as a standardised tool for encoding advertising campaigns. Auditel, working closely with its key stakeholders — including UNA, UPA and TV Publishers — is actively promoting its adoption across the entire advertising ecosystem. Coverage is already substantial and is expected to expand further throughout 2026.
CUSV represents the enabling pillar of Auditel’s Total Campaign solution, strongly advocated by advertisers and scheduled for release in the second half of 2026.
On the publisher side, expectations focus on the continued evolution of the Total Audience framework, aimed at delivering deeper and more granular data analysis capabilities to users.
Alongside these initiatives, Auditel is also engaged in supporting the development of leading analytics software platforms, which are essential to fully operationalise and unlock the value of the new functionalities.
Both advertisers and broadcasters are also expecting Auditel to further expand the collaboration with the other Italian JICs (online, press, radio, OOH and cinema).
As outlined in the previous question, upcoming major releases will primarily deliver Total Campaign data to the advertising market, alongside respondent-level data for the publishing sector.
At the same time, Auditel will provide the first datasets related to the census-based measurement of Audicom (the web and print JIC) and Audiradio (the radio JIC) clients, following their decision to appoint Auditel as the technology provider for this type of measurement.
NMO, Netherlands
In addition, we are currently working on two major launches.
The first is Video Totaal (Total Video), an expansion of NMO’s TV and video audience measurement that captures all viewing behaviour in the Netherlands; linear, time‑shifted and on‑demand. The second is NMO Crossmedia, which looks across all NMO audience measurement studies, online, audio, reading and video audience measurement, to provide a more integrated, cross‑media view of reach.
At a more strategic level, we are also reflecting on the future role of audience measurement and of a JIC in a changing media landscape. Questions such as how media planning will evolve, what the market will need from audience measurement in the future, and what role a JIC should play in that ecosystem are very much on the agenda. We don’t have all the answers yet, but we see this as an important part of our work going forward.
MMS, Sweden
MMS is focused on future‑proofing Sweden’s video measurement and maintaining a unified and trustworthy currency for the industry. The market is becoming increasingly complex, and we are adapting by increasing flexibility, lowering barriers for digital players, and ensuring that we can capture video consumption across all platforms, screens, and locations.
We are preparing for a major transition as MMS changes measurement provider. On January 1st, 2027, we will launch updated video measurements together with Kantar Media. This includes a modernised, tag‑agnostic measurement model, updated rules and methods that better reflect today’s viewing behaviour, and we are building a new household panel.
These updates aim to increase flexibility and lower the thresholds for new players to join the measurements and improve coverage across all types of video consumption
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