YouTube CTV finally gets a yardstick, but can Comscore fix more than just numbers?

New Delhi: Once a niche, India’s Connected TV (CTV) advertising market has surged from Rs 450 crore in 2022 to Rs 1,500 crore in 2024, according to the recent Deloitte-MPA report. 

Although it currently accounts for just 1.5% of the country’s digital ad spend, that share is expected to climb to 7–8% in the near term, powered by an annual growth rate exceeding 40%.

In a market where YouTube leads digital video consumption—and increasingly commands attention on the living room screen (YouTube viewership growing at 4X on CTV)—one persistent challenge remains: measurement.

Despite this dominance, YouTube’s CTV footprint has lacked the third-party metrics needed to achieve planning parity with traditional television.

Now, Comscore is stepping in to fill that gap. The company plans to roll out third-party measurement for YouTube CTV in India by the end of 2025.

On paper, it’s a technical upgrade. In practice, it could reshape how agencies plan, brands spend, and broadcasters justify digital reach on connected screens.

As Alejandro Fosk, Executive VP International at Comscore, told BestMediaInfo.com, the move is “a game-changer.” 

But the real test lies not just in counting impressions—it’s in transforming how the market values them.

Media agencies ready to recalibrate

For media agencies, the absence of unified measurement has long created gaps in performance evaluation, especially when planning for CTV. 

“Media planners currently face challenges in validating campaigns, which are directly related to delivery and performance,” said Deleise Ross, Sr. Vice President and Head of Business, Mudramax. 

According to Ross, the issue deepens as “metrics measured across different platforms can vary, leading to inconsistencies and making comparisons difficult.”

Ross believes that Comscore’s introduction could bring much-needed parity across formats, particularly if it helps define standard KPIs such as Gross Rating Points (GRPs) and viewable impressions. 

“The ability to define and reassess KPIs through third-party measurement will serve as a robust foundation for refining planning efforts,” she said, adding that YouTube CTV could soon be considered an “extension of traditional television” rather than an isolated digital asset.

This sentiment found resonance with digital-first agencies as well, though from a slightly different vantage point. 

Digital agencies’ cross-screen tissue

For them, the lack of cross-platform accountability has made it difficult to integrate YouTube CTV into either pure performance buckets or upper-funnel brand activity. 

“Fragmented measurement and inconsistent attribution have made it difficult for agencies to confidently assess YouTube’s Connected TV performance. 

The lack of independent, cross-platform metrics has led to cautious budget decisions, with planners leaning towards channels with established, transparent reporting,” said Tejas Maha, Group Head - Media, White Rivers Media. 

According to Maha, Comscore’s panel-based system could empower agencies to integrate YouTube CTV into core media plans. 

“Agencies will gain access to de-duplicated reach, granular demographic data, and transparent reporting. This shift will break down silos, allowing YouTube CTV to be integrated into the broader television mix, not isolated as digital,” he said. 

It’s about time

Offering perspectives from the monetisation side, Russhabh R Thakkar, Founder and CEO, Frodoh, welcomed Comscore’s move with urgency. “Comscore launching YouTube CTV measurement in India is, to be blunt, about time. The industry's still in its nascent stages, with everyone doing their own thing for measurement.” 

According to Thakkar, the third-party integration is a critical step toward bringing accountability into media planning and understanding the efficacy of expenditure of ad dollars. 

“It’ll definitely shift how agencies and brands build media plans, ensuring money is spent where it counts,” he said. However, he flagged a note of caution, saying, “Standardisation will depend on how many players ultimately jump on board within the ecosystem.”

Audience and pricing power

For news broadcasters, the ballgame is a bit different. YouTube CTV, in the news space, is increasingly being seen not just as a distribution channel, but a potential second-screen strategy that mirrors and amplifies traditional TV programming. But measurement challenges still are brewing. 

“The CTV ecosystem is growing rapidly, and measurement challenges are also scaling due to fragmentation in the industry. There are many platforms and operating systems in the ecosystem, and each one has different metrics and reporting structures, impacting overall performance measurement,” said Amit Sinha, Chief Strategy Officer, India TV. 

Sinha explained how YouTube has its own measurement methodologies, which makes it difficult to consistently compare performance across different CTV apps, OEMs and ad tech providers. “Data from one platform does not easily integrate with another,” Sinha stated. 

On being asked about the impact Comscore could bring to the table for news broadcasters, Sinha said, “We need to wait for Comscore’s CTV measurement of the YouTube platform and analyse what metrics they report in the market. 

Will they be standard metrics like web and app data, or will they offer deeper insights into content, peak hours, etc.? To effectively compare this with traditional TV metrics, more detailed information must be made available.” 

He added, “For me, there has always been a demand for standardised CTV measurement metrics in the industry. However, I still feel that other platforms, like native apps and OEMs, also need to be measured and reported with globally accepted metrics.” 

Efficiency, not just visibility

While media agencies and broadcasters look at measurement through the lens of integration and pricing, advertisers are primarily concerned with reach de-duplication, frequency control, and campaign efficiency.

Offering an advertiser’s perspective, Archana Aggarwal, Media consultant Archimedius - the Media Navigator, said, “Advertisers have been spending on CTV, even without solid measurement, so now, at least, there will be a way to validate those spends.” 

Hence, Aggarwal sees it as a timely move for Comscore to come out with third-party measurement on YouTube CTV in India. 

From a planning point of view, however, the gap is around granularity, she said. “We don’t just need household-level data. We need to know who in the household is watching. 

What’s the time spent? What kind of content is being watched? What are the actual reach and frequency metrics? Because right now, connected TV household numbers are vague,” Archana told BestMediaInfo.com.  

Aggarwal argued that the real value will come from waste reduction rather than increased allocations. “If we can get data on actual reach and frequency, it will help avoid overexposure, where someone is hit with the same ad 10+ times,” she said. 

She also called for more granular audience data. “Can we get refined data, like income levels, NCCS classifications, or whether the same audience is being reached across devices? That’s what planners really need,” she said. 

A pinch of salt

An industry veteran, who spoke on condition of anonymity, took Comscore’s announcement with a pinch of salt. 

While acknowledging that YouTube CTV measurement is a step forward, he questioned whether Comscore’s data would translate into meaningful commercial value. 

“The benefit of YouTube CTV measurement seems more relevant to broadcasters and content companies. But my central question is, how are broadcasters going to monetise it? Unless they’re in a position to sell across TV, OTT, and YouTube CTV, what’s the commercial gain?” the veteran asked

They pointed out that platforms like YouTube do not sell inventory by channel but by audience, which limits the control publishers have over monetisation. 

“A skincare brand isn’t asking for the reach of Star Plus or Sony. They’re asking: can you find me people who are interested in skincare? And Google already facilitates that with behavioural targeting,” the veteran said. 

The expert also raised doubts about whether agencies would meaningfully change how they buy. “Unless advertisers and agencies actually change their buying behaviour based on Comscore data, this won’t bring systemic change. It’s more of a business play than a measurement revolution,” the veteran concluded. 

While excitement has found its place, there is also pragmatism cementing in the industry. With YouTube CTV measurement announced by Comscore, the industry - media planners, broadcasters, and advertisers - has highlighted the important areas Comscore needs to focus on if they really want to solve an industry problem. 

Whether this move repositions YouTube CTV as a mainline media vehicle or remains an incremental fix depends entirely on what follows: adoption, commercial usage, and integration into planning systems. Until then, the promise is on paper, and the pressure is on execution.