On September 29, 2015 comScore, Inc. and Rentrak Corporation announced that the companies have entered into a definitive merger agreement. According to the press release on comScore’s website, the new company will provide even more robust measurement solutions to the media and advertising industries. This press release also states that the merger “paves the way for new cross-platform ratings currency and expands choice for the television and advertising industries.”
Serge Matta, comScore’s current CEO, who will lead the combined company as CEO, provided insight into the strategic rationale for the merger, “Together we have an even more powerful ability to deliver what our clients and the media industry have long been asking for: a comprehensive cross-platform measurement currency that accounts for all the ways in which content is consumed, whether that happens on a desktop, mobile device, live or time-shifted TV, video on demand or through over-the-top devices.”
Bill Livek, Rentrak’s current Vice Chairman & CEO, will serve as the company’s Executive Vice Chairman & President. He stated “Both companies have been innovators in content and consumer measurement, advanced demographics and analytics, providing the industry with world-class digital, TV and movie consumption information. This merger will accelerate the pace of that innovation, and offer an improved solution for cross-platform measurement, not available anywhere else.” He also stated, “Rentrak’s expertise in precisely measuring TV and movies, and comScore’s industry-leading digital measurement capabilities, are natural complements. Combined, our expertise and information assets will enable us to provide the industry with the most granular measurement solutions that reflect the ever-changing way that people are consuming content across platforms.”