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ViacomCBS teams up with VideoAmp for TV Measurement after Nielsen loses accreditation
New Delhi: Media and entertainment major ViacomCBS on Tuesday announced its partnership with software and data platform, VideoAmp for TV measurement data, possibly leading the way for other networks as they explore alternative means of counting their audiences.
The announcement comes weeks after the US industry watchdog Media Rating Council (MRC) suspended the accreditation of Nielsen’s TV rating service. The suspension of the decades-old TV rating service followed a long standoff between Nielsen and the networks over the former’s services, including discrepancies in the data shared by the company during the pandemic. It was for the first time since the 1960s, that Nielsen’s measurement lost a “seal of approval” from the industry that uses it, leading advertisers and TV networks to seek alternate means of counting their audiences.
According to the partnership announced on Tuesday, VideoAmp will provide ViacomCBS with an alternative currency to plan, transact and measure national media campaigns accelerating the company’s multi-currency strategy. ViacomCBS which owns CBS, cable networks including Comedy Central and Nickelodeon, and ad-supported streaming services Pluto TV and Paramount Plus will leverage VideoAmp’s proprietary commingled TV Viewership dataset to guarantee linear media transactions against age and gender demographics.
“The measurement marketplace needs diversification. VideoAmp is an innovator who can help us accelerate our vision around the future of currency. We are excited to leverage their platform to bring better insights and better measurement to advertisers and their agencies,” said ViacomCBS COO of advertising revenue John Halley in a statement.
Additionally, the media and entertainment company will utilise VideoAmp’s data as an underlying currency to create and guarantee delivery of media campaigns against customised advanced audience segments through Vantage, ViacomCBS’ advanced advertising platform. Vantage is a sophisticated data-targeting platform, offering predictive modeling, continual optimisation, and insights to help advertisers understand their audiences and how best to reach them.
Meanwhile, VideoAmp aspires to redefine the way media is valued, bought, and sold. “The VideoAmp dataset is known for its scale as well as its proprietary methodology of combining STB and ACR data into a unified dataset, which enables a de-duplicated view of media delivery and advertising performance against any audience across traditional TV, streaming video, and digital media,” said the data platform in a statement.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with ViacomCBS as an alternative currency as they go into a new broadcast season. We truly value ViacomCBS and its forward-thinking strategy when it comes to a new era of media transaction, measurement, and, ultimately, the currency options that power it. We want to unlock value for publishers in a privacy-safe way that keeps their audiences at the forefront, regardless of the channel they’re using,” said VideoAmp CEO and co-founder Ross McCray.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
