If you’ve ever wondered who’s steering the ship in the choppy waters of media measurement, meet Jon Watts, the Brit at the helm of the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM). Jon isn’t just navigating the seas; he’s charting new courses through uncharted territories, all while keeping his cool like a British secret agent in a room full of laser beams. Recently, he took a break from his data-driven escapades to chat about the industry’s current chaos, the future of TV measurement, and why multi-currency transitions are giving him sleepless nights.
Jon Watts might be the quintessential Brit, but don’t let the charm fool you. He’s deeply entrenched in the world of media measurement, and his insights are as sharp as a freshly minted pound coin. “It’s a busy time, I suspect, for the entire market,” Jon begins, setting the stage for what feels like a scene from a high-stakes thriller. “Obviously, there’s a world that’s being steadily disrupted all around us. And I feel day to day, pretty much everyone I speak to is grappling with that in the media and advertising space.”
Jon’s ascent to the throne at CIMM has been more of a marathon than a sprint. Taking over from Jane Clark, Jon has navigated this tumultuous role with a blend of strategic finesse and British wit. “I don’t, as far as I can tell, have a rampaging suite of other competitors to the throne,” he says, dispelling any notion of Game of Thrones-like drama. Instead, he emphasizes collaboration and the collective effort required to address the industry’s challenges.
For those not in the know, the U.S. media market is undergoing a multi-currency transition. Sounds fancy, right? Well, it’s less champagne toasts and more like trying to keep plates spinning on sticks. “The work we’re doing at the moment really is looking at three big areas or issues. So, number one, we have a multi-currency transition underway in the US market,” Jon explains. “It’s a steady transition, which has been underway for some time, but the upfront is always a moment when that debate becomes a critical one.”
This transition isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a seismic shift in how transactions are handled across the media landscape. Jon dives into the nitty-gritty, detailing how different vendors interact with both the buy and sell sides. “Of course, the sellers are all experiencing significant pressures, but they’re also innovating at speed. The upfronts have seen some really exciting changes and announcements, particularly around data collaboration, attribution, and different types of targeting.”
Data, the lifeblood of TV and video marketplaces, isn’t always up to snuff. Jon doesn’t mince words: “The second big thing that keeps us awake at night, I guess, is the inevitable set of issues around data quality, trust, and privacy.” Picture data as a Jenga tower with blocks of varying integrity. Some are solid gold; others are sawdust. “I always draw the analogy with the Jenga tower in the Big Short. There’s obviously triple-A data at the top and some junk bond stuff at the bottom.”
The complexity of data quality is akin to navigating a minefield. Jon elaborates on the importance of transparency and the challenge of providing buyers with a clear understanding of what they’re transacting against. “A lot of the work underway at the moment is to try and provide buyers with greater transparency about what they’re transacting against,” he says, underscoring the critical nature of data integrity in today’s media landscape.
Amid the hustle and bustle of big data and multi-currency systems, Jon is also championing the cause of local marketplaces. “The third issue… is making sure that the different areas of the marketplace are well served. In the US market, there’s a huge local marketplace, which has been largely outside of the multi-currency revolution, but has very distinctive measurement needs and requirements.”
Jon highlights the unique challenges faced by local broadcasters and content creators, who often feel sidelined in the broader conversation about media measurement. “We have a set of people who are content research specialists, who really want to understand the performance of their channels, their streaming services, their programming, who really want a market-wide snapshot of the landscape,” he explains. The goal is to ensure that the entire marketplace moves forward together, rather than leaving behind those with specialized needs.
Jon is struck by the explosive growth of live and streaming content. “I was really struck by the growth of live and of streaming together. The ongoing development of sports and live content in the streaming space… has been a really interesting development,” he notes. This shift is more than just a trend; it’s a seismic change in how audiences consume content. “When you look at traditional linear TV ratings in the US market, the proportion of those mass audiences which are driven by sports is extraordinary.”
The integration of live sports into streaming platforms presents both opportunities and challenges. Jon points out the Nielsen and Amazon discussion about incorporating first-party streaming data around Amazon’s live sports portfolio into the Nielsen measurement offering. “There was something of a kerfuffle about that and how it was going to work in practice. I think we’re going to see a lot more of that as we try to navigate this new landscape of services,” he remarks.
Despite the challenges, Jon remains optimistic about the future of media measurement. He jokes about the proliferation of acronyms in the industry, saying, “We have to take in Occam’s Razor as a principle when it comes to the number of acronyms we proliferate in our market.” His dry wit aside, Jon is committed to navigating these complexities with a clear-eyed vision.
Jon’s optimism is grounded in his belief in competition and innovation. “Competition is going to deliver a range of benefits. I think we’ll have different vendors delivering quite different capabilities and offerings into the market.” He foresees a marketplace where diverse solutions coexist, each offering unique advantages to buyers and sellers.
One of the exciting projects Jon mentions is the exploration of the future role and value of panels in media measurement. “We’ve been finding from our discussions with stakeholders that there was a real lack of consensus about the role and value of measurement panels in the marketplace in the US,” he says. This study aims to clarify the extent to which certain panel use cases can be substituted using big data sets and machine learning, providing a roadmap for the future of measurement.
As Jon delves into the intricacies of data quality, he emphasizes the need for institutional arrangements that underpin data transparency. “We need to think again about the institutional arrangements that underpin transparency,” he asserts. The goal is to create a framework where buyers can have confidence in the quality of the data they’re transacting against, a task that involves collaboration with bodies like the Media Rating Council (MRC).
Jon’s journey to the top of CIMM is as fascinating as the industry he navigates. Born and bred in London, he’s always had a knack for media and strategy. “I studied social theory and philosophy and then got halfway through a PhD,” he recalls. Realizing academia wasn’t his calling, he pivoted to media consulting, a move that led to a globetrotting career filled with exciting projects and high-stakes negotiations.
Reflecting on his time at Sky in the European markets, Jon shares key lessons that apply today. “Sky remained incredibly focused on the right set of priorities,” he says, highlighting the importance of strategic focus and operational excellence. These principles have guided him throughout his career and continue to shape his approach at CIMM.
As the conversation winds down, Jon shares his vision for the future. “We’re going to head to a place in which some level of addressability and targeting will continue to scale up,” he predicts. The future is bright, but also complex, as the industry continues to evolve at a breakneck pace.
So, what’s Jon’s biggest hope for the new measurement landscape? “I think competition is going to deliver a range of benefits. I think we’ll have different vendors delivering quite different capabilities and offerings into the market.”
Jon Watts continues to steer the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement through the stormy seas of the media world, and one thing is clear: he’s not just surviving; he’s thriving, making sense of the chaos, and turning it into a symphony of data-driven success.
