The Cross Media Working Group, which includes the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), client organisations and other industry bodies including the ANA in the US and the UK’s ISBA, aims to find consensus across the industry on global principles for media measurement.

The group wants to speed up the introduction of consistent measurement without creating separate tools for each country and address the issue of third-party verification.

Stephan Loerke, chief executive, WFA, said: “Our first goal is to identify the global principles that can help accelerate the adoption of cross-media measurement, enabling more individual markets to adapt a common platform while also reflecting local market custom and practice.”

Participants in the initiative are focusing on four specific areas highlighted during a recent meeting at Advertising Week New York: privacy, measurement infrastructure, metrics and data, and governance.

Loerke added: “The goal is to establish consensus and move the debate along before handing over to those closer to implementation to take the next, critical steps. The more work that can be done centrally to aid markets and marketers, the better.” 

Digital platforms including Facebook, Google and Twitter are participating in the initiative, along with broadcasters including NBCUniversal, every major advertising holding group, and the Media Ratings Council.