MRC opens public comment for out-of-home audience measurement standards phase 2

The Media Rating Council opened a 30-day public comment period for its draft Out-of-Home Standards Phase 2 Audience document on July 28, 2025. This development builds upon the organization's April 2024 release of Phase 1 standards, which established foundational measurement components while deliberately excluding audience requirements.

According to the Media Rating Council, "This document represents the second phase of Standards for the measurement of OOH intended to foster a common core of metrics that can be applied across the full expanse of out-of-home media, as well as provide for comparability to other measured media." The Phase 2 release specifically addresses what qualifies a reported statistic as audience measurement rather than simple impressions counting.

The draft document outlines evidence requirements for Likelihood to See (LTS) that must be met for audience qualification. These requirements examine asset size with minimum apparent size thresholds, environmental and visual obstruction factors, presence of audio components, precise asset location data, dynamic nature of displays, visual clutter considerations, visual attractiveness metrics, illumination and seasonality effects, exposure time measurements, speed and direction of travel patterns, and audience demographic characteristics.

Phase 2 introduces specific requirements for LTS threshold implementation. According to the Media Rating Council, "Requirements for use of LTS thresholds" form a critical component of the new standards framework. These thresholds establish minimum criteria that must be satisfied before measurement data can qualify as audience rather than impression metrics.

The document establishes deterministic data use requirements covering representative data nature, robust coverage standards, and policies addressing data recency and staleness. The Media Rating Council states these requirements ensure measurement organizations maintain adequate data quality for accurate audience calculations across diverse out-of-home environments.

Empirical support requirements mandate that measurement methodologies demonstrate statistical validity through documented research and testing. Quality control standards for data sources require ongoing validation and monitoring of third-party information providers. Model selection criteria and supporting documentation must be maintained for any statistical modeling applications used in audience calculation processes.

The public comment period runs through August 27, 2025, with submissions accepted at rpinelli@mediaratingcouncil.org. Following comment review and incorporation, the Media Rating Council plans to combine Phase 2 with the existing Phase 1 document into a unified set of out-of-home measurement standards.

Phase 1 standards, released in April 2024, established measurement hierarchies progressing from Location Traffic through Gross Impressions, Viewable Impressions (Opportunity-to-See), and Likelihood-to-See Impressions. Each metric level builds upon preceding criteria with additional qualifying requirements. The current Phase 2 development addresses the final audience qualification criteria that were specifically excluded from the initial release.

The standards address various out-of-home media categories including billboards, street furniture, transit advertising, and place-based displays. Digital content classification encompasses static linear, rotating linear, dynamic insertion, and interactive formats across video and display applications. Audio-only out-of-home media receive limited coverage in current standards, with comprehensive requirements planned for future development.

The Media Rating Council emphasizes measurement standardization across syndicated providers rather than custom methodologies. According to the organization, "Measurers should seek to adopt a syndicated measurement approach, across the spectrum of OOH media, or at the very least among the various entities serving a particular category (e.g., Transit), and avoid custom methods unless dictated by a unique set of measurement circumstances."

Privacy considerations receive prominent attention throughout both phases. The standards require adherence to applicable privacy regulations including the European Union General Data Protection Regulation where applicable. Data collection, processing, and transmission must maintain proper permissions and anonymization requirements consistent with industry guidelines and regulatory frameworks.

Technical measurement approaches covered in the standards include third-party data sources, industry and government data integration, electronic counting through cameras and sensors, manual counting methodologies, projected sample-based counts, respondent recall surveys, and on-site observation techniques. Technology-based solutions must demonstrate accuracy through rigorous testing with documented performance rates across entire exposure zones.

Viewability standards for out-of-home media align with existing digital advertising requirements. Video advertisements require at least 50% of pixels visible for two continuous seconds or more. Display advertisements need 50% pixel visibility for one continuous second minimum. These thresholds may be adjusted following additional research specific to out-of-home environments.

The standards establish universe definitions based on geographic coverage using generally accepted independent industry or governmental sources. These definitions must account for transient populations in venues like airports and transit hubs where standard local population estimates may not accurately represent actual audience exposure patterns.

Quality control requirements include filtration for non-human activity, error correction policies, and proof-of-play verification systems. Measurement organizations must implement risk assessments for invalid traffic and fraud detection with documented internal controls. Material errors discovered during measurement processes require disclosure and data reissue procedures with clear labeling distinguishing corrected information from original reports.

Display classification databases require independent verification and audit processes. MRC accreditation processes have been established for multiple measurement products across digital advertising platforms. Classification criteria include media owner information, geographic coordinates, display specifications, illumination details, audio capabilities, operational parameters, and environmental characteristics affecting visibility and audibility.

The development process included participation from major out-of-home vendors, industry associations including DPAA, Geopath, and OAAA, measurement organizations, and international entities. Buyer-side trade organizations and their constituents provided input during standards development. Public comment opportunities preceded formal adoption to ensure comprehensive industry consideration.

Reporting parameters align with existing media measurement practices to enable cross-media comparison capabilities. Time zone standardization, daypart definitions, and geographic classification methods follow established television and digital advertising conventions where possible. Data access requirements specify electronic format delivery that protects individual respondent identification while enabling custom analysis by licensed third-party processors.

Auditing guidelines recommend independent third-party verification for all out-of-home measurement services used in advertising transactions. The Media Rating Council provides accreditation services across multiple media types including digital, television, and cross-media products. Audit procedures examine counting methods, survey techniques, internal controls, and data processing procedures with annual certification requirements for U.S. operations.

The standards acknowledge that optimal measurement approaches depend on medium characteristics, environmental factors, delivery methods, and audience consumption patterns. Out-of-home media present unique challenges due to diverse locations, varying delivery mechanisms, environmental considerations, and available measurement technologies for different environments.

Retail media measurement standards have seen significant development with the Interactive Advertising Bureau releasing industry-wide definitions for in-store retail media in September 2024. These developments parallel out-of-home standardization efforts addressing measurement consistency across advertising channels.

The timing of Phase 2 release coincides with broader industry measurement standardization initiatives. Connected TV viewability accreditation and cross-channel measurement capabilities demonstrate ongoing efforts to establish consistent metrics across digital advertising formats.

Industry organizations continue developing measurement frameworks that address technological advancement and privacy requirements. Invalid traffic detection standards receive regular updates to address evolving threats in digital advertising environments.

The Media Rating Council expects these standards to evolve through periodic revision processes to accommodate industry changes and technological developments. Future versions will consider guidance from international organizations while addressing differences in local regulations, restrictions, and common practices that may require regional adaptations.

Timeline

• April 2024: MRC releases Phase 1 Out-of-Home Measurement Standards establishing foundational components excluding audience requirements
• July 28, 2025: MRC opens 30-day public comment period for Phase 2 Audience standards draft
• August 27, 2025: Public comment period closes for Phase 2 draft submission
• September 2024: IAB releases in-store retail media measurement standards for public comment period
• April 2022: MRC updates Invalid Traffic Detection and Filtration Standards addressing sophisticated threats
• July 2021: OAAA releases DOOH exposure methodology guidelines for mobile advertising ID capture

Summary

Who: The Media Rating Council released draft Out-of-Home Standards Phase 2 Audience requirements for industry comment, with input from out-of-home vendors, trade associations, measurement organizations, and international entities.

What: A comprehensive set of standards defining audience qualification criteria for out-of-home advertising measurement, including Likelihood-to-See requirements, deterministic data standards, empirical support mandates, and quality control procedures.

When: The 30-day public comment period opened July 28, 2025, closing August 27, 2025, following the April 2024 release of Phase 1 foundational standards.

Where: The standards apply globally to out-of-home measurement organizations, with specific emphasis on United States practices while encouraging international adoption and alignment with local regulations.

Why: The standards address the need for consistent, comparable audience measurement across out-of-home media formats to enable accurate campaign analysis, cross-media comparison, and standardized industry practices for advertising buying and selling processes.

Key Terms Explained

Media Rating Council (MRC): A non-profit industry association established in 1963 that develops and maintains measurement standards across television, radio, print, and digital media platforms. The organization conducts independent auditing of measurement services to ensure validity, reliability, and effectiveness while requiring complete disclosure of methodological aspects from accredited services.

Out-of-Home (OOH) Media: Advertising formats that reach consumers outside their homes, including billboards, street furniture, transit advertising, and place-based displays in venues like malls and airports. This category encompasses both traditional analog displays and digital formats that can rotate content dynamically based on time, location, or other triggering conditions.

Likelihood-to-See (LTS) Impressions: A measurement metric that goes beyond simple presence in an exposure zone to include evidence that individuals actually noticed or saw the advertising display. LTS represents the highest level of impression measurement before qualifying as audience, requiring verification through empirical methods that the content was likely observed by viewers.

Audience Measurement: The process of determining the number of individuals exposed to advertising content who meet specific qualifying criteria beyond basic viewability requirements. Phase 2 standards will establish these additional criteria to distinguish audience from impressions, creating metrics comparable to other measured media types.

Viewable Impressions: Measurement counts that require both presence in the display exposure zone and confirmation that a viewability condition exists, meaning the content is actually displayable and not obstructed. For digital displays, this typically requires at least 50% of pixels visible for specific time durations depending on the content type.

Display Exposure Zone: The physical area around an out-of-home display where individuals have the opportunity to see or hear the advertising content. These zones must be empirically established and documented, with size and characteristics varying based on display type, environmental factors, and viewing angles.

Standards: Documented requirements and best practices that establish minimum acceptable measurement methodologies across the out-of-home advertising industry. These create consistency and comparability between different measurement providers while enabling cross-media analysis with other advertising formats.

Phase 2: The second release of MRC's Out-of-Home Standards focusing specifically on audience qualification criteria that were intentionally excluded from the April 2024 Phase 1 release. Phase 2 addresses what distinguishes audience measurement from impression counting through additional evidence requirements.

Public Comment: An industry consultation process allowing stakeholders to review and provide feedback on draft standards before final adoption. The 30-day period ending August 27, 2025, enables measurement organizations, advertisers, agencies, and other industry participants to influence the final standards through submitted recommendations.

Requirements: Specific technical and methodological criteria that measurement organizations must meet to qualify their services under MRC standards. These include data quality standards, empirical support mandates, disclosure obligations, and auditing procedures that ensure measurement accuracy and transparency across industry participants.