• by Wayne Friedman , September 10, 2009

The new -- and somewhat controversial -- Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement isn't about creating a competitor to Nielsen Media Research -- it's all about funding better media research.

In a conference call to the press, representatives of the massive industrywide coalition -- some 14 TV networks, major advertisers, and media agencies -- said the group's primary aim will be to fund new research, initially in the new areas of cross-platform measurement and TV set-top box measurement.

But the coalition was adamant that it wasn't creating a head-to-head competitor with Nielsen Media Research.

"It's not about establishing a new currency," says Alan Wurtzel, president of research of NBC Universal, one of the key architects of the group. "There are many companies that are providing set-top box data [for example]. It's not just Nielsen. [Also], there are many companies trying to figure out cross-platform."

Wurtzel added: "The organization's goal and objective is much, much broader than dealing with Nielsen. The notion that this is about Nielsen is just a misunderstanding about why we got together."

He did say one ultimate goal would be to have a single source that could measure a multitude of media platforms. "It's about establishing technology and methodology that can be helpful to everyone," said Wurtzel.

While some 14 major companies are involved in the group, including four major media agency groups (Starcom MediaVest, Group M, IPG's Magna, and Omnicom Media Group) and three major advertisers (Procter & Gamble, AT&T, and Unilever), Wurtzel says there must be "deeper" participation among media companies.

Jack Wakshlag, chief research officer of Turner Broadcasting, said each existing member has at least a "seven figure commitment" in a multiyear deal. "You can think of it as seed money to fund research initiatives. We have enough to begin."

Peter Seymour, executive vice president of strategy and research for the Disney Media Networks, says the next step is hiring an executive director. In addition, the group is already working on request for proposals to vendors for set-top box measurement and cross-platform media measurement. The group wants to get rolling in the fourth quarter.

In terms of membership, the coalition is open to a wide variety of media companies -- even Nielsen.

"We expect Nielsen and other companies will respond to our RFPs, given their capabilities and position in the industry," said Colleen Fahey Rush, executive vice president of strategic insights and research, MTV Networks. "If they want to apply for membership, the CIMM board will consider them like any other applicant."

The coalition will release research results to the industry -- some say in an effort to dissuade any possible antitrust implications.

"Once the projects are done, the goal is to publish the research itself for the whole industry and not to have anything proprietary," says Dave Poltrack, chief research officer, CBS Corporation and president of CBS Vision. "It will be a transparent process." Poltrack added that the group had been properly vetted by attorneys to avoid any possible legal conflicts.

One thing all executives agree on is that media needs to be addressed more quickly. "Media consumption pattern is constantly changing," says Lyle Schwartz, director of implementation research and marketplace analysis for GroupM. "So we have to be on top of it."