IAB Europe: a new reference for checking CTV reports
IAB Europe releases its final CTV measurement framework. Definitions and limitations to request before comparing advertising results.
The announcement
On 1 October 2026, IAB Europe released its final CTV measurement framework and transparency principles. Event and publication date: 1 October; editorial review: 6 October.
Region: Europe. Audience: advertisers buying video advertising and publishers assessing partner reports. CTV refers to connected television. This is an industry document, not an announcement of a new AffiliateCore advertising tool.
Applying the update
Our editorial recommendation is to align definitions before comparing cost per result. Two reports with identically named columns may cover different populations and windows. A supplier mentioning an industry document does not replace an explanation of its own methodology.
Request a measurement card for the actual placement: each metric's source, period, counting unit, exclusions and known limits. Ask separately how confirmed actions relate to the measured audience. Timing alone does not establish advertising causality.
Next reconciliation checklist
- Match periods and time zones.
- Separate observations from modelled estimates.
- Establish treatment of repeats, invalid traffic and unavailable data.
- Record the attribution window, confirmation criterion and expected delay.
- Store the methodology version alongside the export so a definition change does not look like a performance change.
Educational example: one report counts devices while another estimates people. Their difference is not automatically lost audience. Agree units and coverage first; if reconciliation is impossible, retain separate metrics.
A useful outcome is a clear methodology card and a list of non-comparable measures. The document guarantees neither sales, exact attribution nor permission to advertise every product.