CTV / Streaming Data Providers — Glossary of Terms
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ACR / Fingerprinting
Summary: On-device or device-side content recognition using audio/video signatures to identify programming and ads.
Use Cases:
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Build show-level exposure logs for attribution
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Measure incremental reach and frequency by program or genre
Ad Break Signaling (SCTE-35 / HLS-DASH)
Summary: Markers and manifests that define ad break boundaries and durations in streaming content.
Use Cases:
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Sync ad decisioning with accurate break lengths
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Detect mis-signaled breaks causing missed beacons
Ad Podding & Competitive Separation
Summary: Rules governing ad positions within a break (first/last in pod), category separation, and rotation.
Use Cases:
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Reserve first-in-pod for high-impact ads
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Enforce competitive separation within pods
Attention Measurement
Summary: Signals of human attention beyond delivery or viewability (e.g., active time, gaze proxies, remote interactions).
Use Cases:
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Optimize pod position and creative length
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Benchmark networks/apps by attention-adjusted reach
AVOD / SVOD / FAST
Summary: Ad-supported VOD, subscription VOD, and free ad-supported streaming TV (linear-style channels).
Use Cases:
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Plan buys across AVOD vs FAST supply
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Price inventory differently by ad loads and completion norms
Beacon Validation & Log-Level Data (LLD)
Summary: Verification of impression and quartile pings and collection of raw log lines for auditing.
Use Cases:
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Reconcile SSAI server logs with player beacons
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Build ground-truth delivery for attribution
Co-Viewing & Household ID
Summary: Multiple viewers per screen and identifiers resolved at the household level for dedupe and capping.
Use Cases:
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Estimate persons-per-view from panels
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Apply household caps across apps/devices
Completion Rate / QoE
Summary: Playback quality and ad completion KPIs (startup time, buffering, dropped frames, quartiles).
Use Cases:
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Identify low-QoE supply to exclude or discount
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Correlate ad completion with brand lift outcomes
CTV Fraud / IVT (App Spoofing, Device Farms)
Summary: Invalid traffic patterns specific to CTV such as app spoofing, stacked ads, and synthetic devices.
Use Cases:
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Apply IVT filters tailored to CTV
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Score sources by historical IVT and blocklists
CTV Identity Graph
Summary: Identity resolution tailored to living-room devices using IP, device IDs, publisher IDs, and ACR links.
Use Cases:
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De-duplicate reach across OEMs and apps
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Household-level capping with privacy-safe keys
CTV SPO (Supply Path Optimization)
Summary: Selecting transparent, efficient routes to premium CTV inventory to reduce duplication and fees.
Use Cases:
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Consolidate to direct paths and curated deals
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Eliminate resellers with poor transparency
Currency & JIC
Summary: Agreed trading metrics (‘currencies’) and joint industry bodies that validate/endorse them.
Use Cases:
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Activate against a cross-media currency
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Use JIC-endorsed vendors for guaranteed deals
Deduplicated Reach
Summary: Unique audiences counted once across apps, devices, and publishers using a consistent identity key.
Use Cases:
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Plan cross-publisher frequency
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Report net reach for cross-screen campaigns
EPG / FAST Channel Metadata
Summary: Electronic program guide and FAST schedule metadata for program/genre targeting and reporting.
Use Cases:
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Target dayparts and genres within FAST
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Align sponsorships to tent-pole live events
Frequency Management (Household & Device)
Summary: Cross-app/device capping and pacing to control ad repetition at household and device levels.
Use Cases:
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Cap at 4/HH/week across all apps
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Balance frequency across creative variants
Incremental Reach
Summary: New viewers reached versus a linear TV or digital baseline over a period.
Use Cases:
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Shift spend to partners that add new reach
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Measure lift when layering CTV onto linear
OM SDK for CTV (OMID)
Summary: Open Measurement standards adapted for CTV to enable consistent viewability and verification.
Use Cases:
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Enable third-party verification on CTV apps
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Normalize measurement across OEM ecosystems
Outcome Measurement & Lift
Summary: Brand and sales lift studies linking exposures to outcomes via panels, ACR, or retailer data.
Use Cases:
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Run geo-split brand lift on CTV
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Tie exposures to retail sales in a clean room
Program / Content Metadata (EIDR/Gracenote/TMS)
Summary: Industry IDs and metadata describing shows, episodes, genres, and ratings.
Use Cases:
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Attribute performance at program/episode level
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Control suitability by rating/genre
Return Path Data (RPD)
Summary: Set-top box tune/view logs captured by MVPDs for measurement and planning.
Use Cases:
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Augment ACR with linear RPD for hybrid reach
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Model co-viewing using RPD panels
Shoppable & Interactive CTV
Summary: Interactive overlays, QR codes, and remote actions enabling commerce from TV ads.
Use Cases:
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Measure scan-through and add-to-cart
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Retarget QR scanners with sequential messaging
SSAI / CSAI
Summary: Server-side vs client-side ad insertion; impacts beaconing, measurement, and fraud surface area.
Use Cases:
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Prefer SSAI with robust beacon passthrough
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Use CSAI when client telemetry is required
vMVPD vs MVPD Distribution
Summary: Virtual multichannel providers (streaming bundles) vs traditional cable/satellite operators.
Use Cases:
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Plan reach across cord-cutter bundles
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Measure overlap between MVPD and vMVPD audiences
Walled Gardens
Summary: Platform-owned data environments that allow privacy-preserving activation and measurement without raw log exports.
Use Cases:
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Use clean rooms for conversion analysis
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Run cohort-based reach/frequency inside platforms
Watermarking (Audio/Video)
Summary: Embedding inaudible/imperceptible codes in content or ads to enable detection and verification.
Use Cases:
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Authenticate ad delivery in SSAI chains
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Improve content ID where fingerprinting is weak
