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Ad Signal partners with Clearcast and Barb to cut broadcast reporting times from 8 days to 8 hours

Ad Signal, a specialist provider of video content management solutions, will be technically supporting Clearcast to deliver a multi-year contract for Barb to boost the efficiency of advertising reporting across the UK broadcast network. 

Barb, the organisation compiling audience measurement and television ratings in the UK, will work with Clearcast and Ad Signal to significantly reduce log time for adverts in order to improve advertising measurement and reactiveness.

Ad Signal’s proprietary Assure product will deliver the contract alongside Clearcast, acting as the key technical partner, providing the core technology to enable the creation of overnight logs. These logs will enable Barb to report what advert was played and its time by 9am the day after air. This will allow advertisers and agencies early access to overnight data enabling them to track and react to their advertising activity quicker. Broadcasters will still be delivering final consolidated logs 8 days later.

Tom Dunning, CEO of Ad Signal, said: “We are delighted to be working with Clearcast and Barb to improve measurement and reporting standards across the UK broadcast industry. As video content continues to rise, it’s important that we look at all ways to boost efficiencies across time, cost and sustainability to help scale the future of broadcasting. This partnership will help improve industry understanding on how we report on ad playout, paving the way for a new benchmark of UK broadcasting.”

David Joel, Commercial and Operations Director of Clearcast said: “This contract will further enhance the reactiveness of Linear playout TV enabling near live reporting of ratings. The service is enabled will by the technical excellence of Ad Signal and support Clearcast’s enhanced data offering in the growing complexity of advertising delivery and measurement.”

The news comes alongside Ad Signal’s inclusion in the Department for Business & Trade’s UK delegation at COP28, exploring the ways in which the UK can reduce its carbon emissions through video and broadcast storage.