The decision follows an industry consultation carried out in autumn 2022 on what types of content on video-sharing platforms should be part of Barb’s audience measurement.

The consultation highlighted editorial input and oversight, regulatory compliance and content that provides a safe and suitable environment for advertisers as benchmarks of fit-for-TV content on video-sharing platforms.

The findings have led Barb to commit to expanding its reporting of audiences to include fit-for-TV content on video-sharing platforms, as well as exploring ways to report all content on video-sharing platforms that is produced in line with industry-accepted standards of brand safety.

Barb already measures broadcaster content on YouTube, and introduced daily audience reporting for subscription video on demand (SVOD), advertising-based video on demand (AVOD) and video-sharing platforms at a service level in November 2021.

After Barb began reporting programme audiences for shows on video on demand (VOD) services, Netflix and Disney+ signed up to its services.

In recognition of these developments, Barb has changed its company name to Barb Audiences Ltd.

Justin Sampson, chief executive at Barb, said: “We’ve made great strides to report audiences for VOD streaming services and are delighted Disney+ and Netflix have recognised the value of the insight we deliver.

“Our new brand positioning builds both on our heritage of continuous innovation and our forward-looking approach to measure viewing behaviour that isn’t constrained by devices, distribution platform or business model.

“We don’t yet have all the answers for how and when we will extend our reporting of content on video-sharing platforms. Equally we know our capabilities are always enhanced by the active participation of businesses that make content and the platforms that distribute it.”