Triton Digital performs “census based” digital audio streaming and audience measurement. No samples, surveys or panels are used in the collection, transformation, or display processes and procedures described herein. In each case, Triton Digital obtains data on each stream including the station, individual stream start time and individual stream duration. This methodology is based on all session activity recorded (subject to filtration procedures described in General Invalid Traffic Filtration Procedures).
Triton Digital uses two methods for collecting the data for these services:
- Through raw log files of streaming activity collected daily from the Content Delivery Network (CDNs) hosting the radio station players (referred to as the “CDN log file method”);
Or - Through client-side measurement, by collecting the data directly from the web-based player or mobile device (referred to as the “listener tracking method,” or “LT”).
CDN Log File Method
The CDN log file method involves obtaining log file information from the station’s content delivery network. The content delivery network may be maintained by Triton Digital through the Triton Digital Streaming services, a third-party such as Akamai or StreamGuys, or self-hosted by the publisher. When a publisher broadcasts an Internet audio stream, it is delivered to a content delivery network, which then distributes the streams via a network of geographically disbursed delivery points (servers), and logs the transactional activity. Individual log files are made available by the CDN for each station. It contains the details of all listener sessions for a given day. With respect to the scope of this document, the key data points within the log files are session identifying information, the stream start time, duration, the user agent and the IP Address.
Triton Digital clients (publishers) arrange, or approve, the release of the CDN streaming log files directly to Triton Digital by FTP in a predetermined format, if the publisher is not utilizing Triton Digital’s Streaming service. That is, the log files are generated and controlled by the CDN, and not the publishers. In specific cases, a publisher may act as the hosting CDN due to Digital Rights Management (DRM) constraints. Triton Digital’s quality control procedures extend over each of the delivery methods utilized by our clients.
Listener Tracking Method
Because Listener Tracking performs “client-side” measurement via the listeners’ browsers, it requires the integration of a tracking code in every ‘embedded media player.’ This code communicates with the measurement servers during the streaming session. This method has also been referred to as the client-side tracking method, cloud-based measurement method, the HTTP listener tracking methodology, and the ping method.
Listener tracking can be implemented in a web player, a mobile app, or other device or application. In all types of implementation, the listener tracking functionality monitors and reports the initiation, continuation, and termination of the stream. Upon initiation of the stream, an initial start event is sent to the measurement servers identifying the stream (e.g., Station ID) and any additional optional information the station includes in the event string. The tracking system then continues to send events every sixty seconds as long as the stream is active (referred to as a ping event). In older LT activated players (phased out in Q3 2020), if the user pauses the stream, the ongoing event is stopped until the listener resumes the stream. In cases where the pause event is less than three minutes, the ongoing event is resumed and the pause time is counted; otherwise, a new session is started (a new start event is sent). In recent LT activated players, if the user pauses the stream, the ongoing event is stopped and upon resume, a new session is started (a new start event is sent). Finally, if the user ends the stream, the ongoing event is stopped, and if the user subsequently starts the stream again, a new session is started regardless of the time between the end event and the new start event.
Effectively, as described above, there are two types of events; a new session start event (also referred to as a new listener event) and an ongoing event (also referred to as a ping event). In response to the initial new listener event, the listener tracking system will return two parameters for the ping event: the interval at which the player should send the ping event; and a GUID, which is an encoded string composed of the station ID, date and time stamp, and a random number. Thus, this GUID is expected to be unique for each stream; however, the GUID will be the same for each ping event sent during a session.
Listener tracking can be implemented using an HTTP API, a Mobile XML API or a JavaScript API (A JS wrap of the HTTP API). The basic HTTP API is the most common method. Previous Flash-based versions of listener tracking are no longer maintained nor offered by Triton Digital.
Timestamp or random number are appended to the end of the URL string to reduce the chance of the listener tracking event being cached by local, proxy or network cache, and therefore not reaching the measurement servers.
Covered Devices
Webcast Metric Local uses the CDN and Listener Tracking measurement methodologies. Listener Tracking is currently used across the major operating systems, browsers, and mobile devices, Smart TV (Roku and Samsung TV), Google Home devices, and other devices capable of operating the web browser and player. CDN methodologies are currently in use on Sonos and Amazon Alexa.
Due to the limitation of the Listener Tracking method requiring the publisher to have control of the device application or player to properly include the Listener Tracking events, the publisher may elect to use the CDN measurement approach to mitigate the potential of under-counting the user’s digital audio activity on these devices.
Measurement Limitations
Domain Blocking Tools
With certain browsers, software, or tools, users have the ability to block content (including new session and subsequent ping events) based on the domain from which the content is being requested. Blocking techniques or software that prevent communication with the Triton Digital measurement servers would prevent both the communication of the new session start event and ongoing ping events, although the user would still be listening to the station/publisher stream as that originates from a different domain, resulting in an undercount of the streaming event, in this situation, for stations/publishers using the listener tracking method.
Stations that operate through a proxy or that use the log file method will not be affected as the communication of streaming events takes place between the CDN and the measurement server, not the browser/player and the measurement server.
These situations are not unique to Triton Digital. Additionally, these situations are difficult to quantify without special studies and analyses being performed.
Other Limitations
- A listener may mute their stream as a function of the player application, the operating system, or user’s hardware. The player or application must consider that audibility is a requirement for the digital audio content to be measured. Therefore, when applicable, the player or application must be able to detect the device "mute" and "unmute" states and/or "zero volume/non zero volume" events in a similar manner as Stop/Play events. "Zero volume" must be treated the same as "mute." Note that Triton Digital Clients may not be able to capture this event in all instances, therefore, reporting some mcontent as normal listening.
- Listener Tracking has the ability to detect and account for pause – however, as noted in Listener Tracking Method, in some older LT activated players, there are cases where the pause event is less than three minutes and the ongoing event is resumed, the pause time may be included in total listening time for the session.
- In some cases, audio players require JavaScript to be enabled. If JavaScript is disabled, the player itself will not execute, resulting in no call made to Triton Digital's servers. Triton Digital is not able to capture events in this instance; therefore, the session would not be counted.
- Similar to JavaScript, some audio players also require Flash to be enabled. If Flash is disabled, the player itself will not execute, resulting in no call made to Triton Digital's servers. Triton Digital is not able to capture events in this instance; therefore, the session would not be counted.
- We do not include all stations or networks in our ranking; rather, only those which subscribe to our Webcast Metrics service.
- In the case of LT-based data, data are collected directly from the publisher’s application. Triton Digital audits publisher applications periodically. Changes to applications between audit periods may affect the quality of the data collected.
- Triton Digital implements standard cache busting techniques by affixing a randomly generated string to all transactions. While this eliminates most caching, if caching occurs there is the potential for undercounting of the session.
- Triton Digital encourages publishers to discontinue the use of auto-play and muted-player techniques. Triton Digital does not currently detect nor report on the use of auto-play or the use of muted or zero-volume techniques in Webcast Metrics.
- For publishers that operate on the CDN log file methodology and some LT methodologies, Triton Digital does not currently have the ability to determine if a player is buffering pre- or mid-stream as the communication of streaming events takes place between the CDN and the measurement server and not the browser/player and the measurement server. Therefore, any time incurred as a result of buffering would ultimately be included within WCM reporting. Additionally, measurement of these sessions could also be limited to a buffering threshold defined by the publisher.
- Webcast Metrics does not discriminate between ad-free content vs. subscription content that publishers make available. It is simply a measure of digital audio activity within the specified day parts and geography for the specified calendar month. Anyone who uses the information contained in our ranker agrees that Triton Digital will not be liable for any direct or indirect loss arising from the use of such information.
- LT methodologies require the publisher to have the ability to properly embed the Listener Tracking events into the audio player or device application.