CIMM Names Leader, Plans Release of RFPs

The newly formed Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) is about to invite agencies to submit proposals for two media research projects. It has also appointed MTV Networks' Colleen Fahey Rush as Head of its Executive Committee.

CIMM was formed in August by a group of 14 broadcast and cable networks, media agencies and clients. At the time, some interpreted the move as an attempt to provide competition for Nielsen Media Research, but the organization said otherwise, stressing that it would fund new research into cross-platform and TV set-top box measurement.

Its first RFP (request for proposals) is for a study to evaluate the audience for set-top-box data. The second is for a cross-platform data study to reflect exposure to specific video sources on TV, the Internet and mobile media. No deadline has yet been set for RFP submissions, nor is there any deadline for completion of the studies.

'We need metrics that reflect return-on-investment (sales or other appropriate business metrics), and do so accurately and on a sufficiently granular level to follow the fragmented media vehicles that are now emerging. 'Opportunity to see' is an important metric, but only the beginning,' the CIMM states on its new web site.

The coalition says it is interested in audience information that includes 'purchase data, lifestyle data, psychographics and engagement measures', as well as 'sales-based, behavior-shift and/or attitude-shift data'.

Leading the CIMM Executive Committee is MTV Networks' Executive-VP Insights and Research, Colleen Fahey Rush. NBC Universal's Alan Wurtzel, who was the catalyst for the group's formation, will remain Acting MD of the group until a permanent MD can be found.

CIMM members are committed to spending $100,000 over two years to help research firms deliver cross media research. Industry sources believe that companies such as: TNS, TRA, Rentrak, IMMI, comScore and Google are likely to receive funding.

The news comes after yesterday's announcement by Nielsen that it is to provide an additional $2.5m funding to its independent think tank, the Council for Research Excellence, which will partly be used to conduct a set-top-box study.

Web site: www.cimm-us.org .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.