Comments on Today’s Yahoo! Press Release

Our standard policy over the last 10 years has been to publish data corrections within our client notification center in the My Metrix section of the Comscore web site. When a client data error is discovered after the data for the month is officially published, we investigate the root cause, recalculate the affected metrics and report our findings to the client for review. Once we are satisfied that the revised metrics are correct, we post them in the Client Notification Center, an equivalent of software ‘release notes’ that compile any known issues for the month. Clients can use the postings to report the corrected metrics in internal and external communications.

The Yahoo! case is a regrettable error which was the result of processing specific to Yahoo! As such, it was an isolated, one-time error that did not affect any other client’s data. In addition, no panel data metrics were affected, including data reported on Yahoo!. After a thorough review, we have identified a process to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

I am proud to say Yahoo! has always been a valued partner to Comscore. We have consistently worked together to bring valuable and innovative research to the industry and will continue to do so. While we obviously regret error, we appreciate the comments that Carol Bartz, Yahoo!’s CEO made regarding Yahoo!’s continued confidence in Comscore data, and its willingness to work with us in a fully cooperative spirit. We have earned this confidence through a constant commitment to deliver the highest quality, most timely and actionable information about the digital marketplace. This will only strengthen our commitment to those goals.

Linda Boland Abraham
Executive Vice President
Marketing and global development.