“The JIC will introduce a new measurement certification track in 2024 to bring additional standards and enable further innovation in cross-platform measurement solutions,” reads a statement released by the JIC this morning, adding: “This effort will complement the currency certification.”

Details of the audience measurement certification plan are expected to be disclosed in a JIC blog post next week, but OpenAP, the networks-owned company that has been organizing the JIC, said it has been in discussion with the U.S. Media Rating Council, which has served as the ad industry’s official self-regulatory accreditation body for more than half a century.

“We've been collaborating with George and his team at the MRC to better define the role of certification versus accreditation,” OpenAP CMO Brittany Slattery informed MediaPost, referring to MRC Executive Director and CEO George Ivie.

Asked why the JIC is expanding into audience-measurement certification, Slattery explained that the JIC is till defining that role and will share more details in the next year, but “the intent is to work with providers who can provide measurement insights throughout the campaign process, from planning to execution through to cross-platform measurement.

“Similar to the currency framework, the JIC will have a list of baseline requirements that will be needed in order for a provider to be certified. Those who get certified will also get access to the JIC’s streaming data service.”

Concurrent with the JIC’s announcement, Innovid -- one of the potential currency suppliers originally participating in the JIC’s request for information process -- said it has pulled out of the JIC’s currency certification process, but plans to be part of the audience-measurement certification.

“We are currently in CEO-level conversations with OpenAP/JIC about a possible non-currency related partnership and will share more when the time is right,” Innovid Chief Commercial Officer Dave Helmreich said in a statement, adding: “Our platform, InnovidXP, is used today by brands and agencies to gauge converged TV performance against unique business goals, and by publishers to prove the value of their investments and inventory.”

Innovid was not among the suppliers granted conditional currency certification by the JIC, and Helmreich said it “did not expect to be selected as part of this process,” but participated to stay close to the evaluation process of a key industry initiative.