Media Rating Council (MRC)
US industry body that writes the standard definitions of invalid traffic and audits measurement companies.
New York, USA · founded 1964 · mediaratingcouncil.org
What Media Rating Council (MRC) does
The Media Rating Council is a non-profit set up after US Congressional hearings in the 1960s to make sure audience measurement can be trusted. It audits and accredits measurement services.
Its Invalid Traffic Detection and Filtration Guidelines, first issued in October 2015 and updated with an addendum in June 2020, give the industry its shared vocabulary. They split invalid traffic into GIVT, which routine checks can catch, and SIVT, which needs deeper analysis. Anyone discussing bad traffic in a search feed is using MRC terms, whether they know it or not.
How it makes money
Membership dues and audit fees paid by the companies seeking accreditation.
Where it meets invalid traffic
Sets the definitions of general and sophisticated invalid traffic and accredits vendors that detect them.
Products
- Invalid Traffic Detection and Filtration Guidelines
- Accreditation audits