AGF Videoforschung and Google began talks on the integration of YouTube data into the AGF system in 2015.

According to its corporate charter, the purpose of AGF’s activity is to perform research projects to measure the use of programming and advertising on video offerings on the basis of transparent and verifiable methodologies, including the standardization, collection, evaluation and marketing of the collected data. AGF is obligated that the interests of all market participants – television programming and video content producers and providers of advertising inventory as well as advertisers and media agencies – are taken into account in a balanced and appropriate manner. “All marketers of advertising inventory in video platforms can conclude a licensing agreement with AGF governing the measurement and provision of data on a comprehensive basis. Therefore, AGF remains open to cooperating with Google in the future,” said Kerstin Niederauer-Kopf, CEO of AGF.

Niederauer-Kopf thanks all project participants for their great commitment, “particularly the German Advertisers Association (Organisation der Werbungtreibenden im Markenverband, OWM) and the Association of German Media Agencies (Organisation der Mediaagenturen, OMG), which have always championed this project,” she said.

AGF continues to place a high priority on the further development of a convergence measurement system. AGF is currently evaluating different approaches. In the coming weeks, it will present preliminary results. “AGF remains committed to the goal of advancing a convergent, cross-media standard that covers both TV and streaming content,” Niederauer-Kopf said.