The Media Audit

What The Media Audit does

The Media Audit is a privately held, Houston-based syndicated media and consumer market research firm founded in 1972. It operates a Windows-based platform that delivers locally-sourced survey data on consumer demographics, lifestyles, behaviors, purchasing habits, and media usage across 85+ US media markets, with reach later expanded to 90+ markets. Data is collected through online interviews sourced from eight or more opt-in panels and web-based intercept surveys using US Census-based nested-quota sampling for age, gender, income, education, and geography, rather than being modeled down from national data. The platform exposes more than a dozen analytic report modules — including Crosstab, Target Profile, Media Ranker, Media Day Analysis, Audience Duplication, Reach & Frequency, Ad Campaign Planner, Duplicate Reach, Zip Code Mapper, Trending Reports, and Annual Consumer Buying Power — accessible via downloadable Windows software, a TSplus browser-based app, or Citrix remote access, with export to PowerPoint, Excel, and PDF.

The company serves three primary B2B segments: advertising agencies and media-buying firms (local media planning, media-mix decisions, and pitch-deck support), brand advertisers (ad-spend optimization and ROI defense), and media companies including broadcast TV, radio, PBS, print, and out-of-home operators that need third-party audience research to sell advertising. Vertical coverage spans Automotive, Real Estate, Political, Retail, Restaurants, Financial Services, Travel, Health, Sports, B2B, OTT, Social Media, Marijuana/CBD, and dozens of other consumer categories. Customer evidence includes South Florida PBS (long-term renewal covering WPBT and WXEL in May 2023), Smart Market Solutions, Person & Partners Automotive Advertising, and Power Marketing.

Revenue is generated primarily through recurring subscription access to the platform and its report modules. Distribution is direct sales, supported by a free helpline (832-521-1000), free software demonstrations, a free-report lead magnet, content marketing, and client testimonials. The firm has 11-50 employees, no disclosed funding, no parent company or subsidiaries, and no public ticker, indicating an owner-operated private business with no detected external capital activity. Notable operational differentiators include being the first nationally syndicated media research firm to add LGBT and cannabis-related survey questions, and an explicit methodological refusal to substitute nationally modeled projections for locally surveyed data.

Name

The Media Audit

Legal name

The Media Audit

Website

https://themediaaudit.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Media Audit is a privately held, Houston-based syndicated media and consumer market research firm serving US ad agencies, advertisers, and media companies across 85+ markets via a subscription software platform delivering locally-sourced consumer survey data and analytic reporting modules.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Media and consumer market research

NAICS

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (541910)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Audience Measurement & Media Research (Ratings, Attribution, Media Mix Insights) (MPAAALAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Media & Audience Measurement Analytics (BPAHALAO), Media Planning Currency, Verification & Accreditation Services (MRC/Industry Audits) (MPABAOAK)

Keywords

• Media research
• Consumer insights
• Audience measurement
• Local market research
• Advertising analytics

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Syndicated Research Subscription: The Media Audit operates as a syndicated media and consumer market research company. Clients subscribe to access its survey data platform, analytic reports, and market intelligence across US markets. The company serves ad agencies, advertisers, and media outlets on a subscription basis, with reports available through its Windows-based software platform and online access tools.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Media Audit is a syndicated media and consumer market research firm that provides subscription-based access to locally surveyed consumer data across 85+ US media markets. Its Windows-based software platform (with Citrix and TSplus web access) delivers over two dozen analytic reports — including Crosstab, Target Profile, Media Ranker, Media Day Analysis, Audience Duplication, Reach & Frequency, Ad Campaign Planner, and Zip Code Mapper — used by advertising agencies, advertisers, and media outlets for media planning, buying, and audience valuation.

Product overview

The Media Audit is a syndicated local media and consumer market research company offering a unified Windows-based software platform. The core product provides access to consumer insights across 85+ US media markets through multiple report modules including Crosstab, Target Profile, Media Ranker, Media Day Analysis, Audience Duplication, Reach & Frequency, Ad Campaign Planner, Duplicate Reach, Zip Code Mapper, Trending Reports, and Annual Consumer Buying Power. The platform enables advertising agencies and media companies to cross-reference demographic and lifestyle characteristics against various targets using locally-focused survey data.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Media Audit Platform A Windows-based syndicated media and consumer market research platform providing subscription access to locally surveyed consumer data across 85+ (now 90+) US media markets. The platform delivers over two dozen analytic reports — including Crosstab, Target Profile, Media Ranker, Media Day Analysis, Audience Duplication, Reach & Frequency, Ad Campaign Planner, Duplicate Reach, Zip Code Mapper, Trending Reports, and Annual Consumer Buying Power — used by advertising agencies, advertisers, and media outlets for media planning, buying, and audience valuation. Access is provided via Windows software install, Citrix, or the TSplus online web app, with exports to PowerPoint, Excel, and PDF.

Quantifiable outcome

• Walmart shoppers spend 250+ minutes watching TV per day on average, and Amazon shoppers spend 238 minutes per day — demonstrating TV's outsized role in retail media consumption.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• South Florida PBScoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2015South Florida PBS (WPBT Channel 2 and WXEL Channel 42, serving south Florida and greater West Palm Beach) has a long-term renewal agreement for The Media Audit research and training services. WPBT went on air in 1955 and WXEL in 1967, joining forces in July 2015 to form South Florida PBS — the 7th largest PBS market in the US. The Media Audit helps South Florida PBS demonstrate audience value to advertisers, showcasing its unique public television consumers to businesses of all levels.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Ipsos: Ipsos is a global market research firm providing consumer and audience research, including syndicated and custom media studies. It competes with The Media Audit for ad agency and advertiser research budgets, though at a much larger scale.
• GfK: GfK provides consumer and media research, including audience measurement and consumer insights for advertisers and media companies. It is a broader research incumbent that overlaps with The Media Audit's syndicated audience research value proposition.
• Kantar Millward Brown: Kantar is a global market research and consulting firm providing brand, media, and consumer insights. It overlaps with The Media Audit's syndicated media research offerings but operates at much greater global scale and breadth.

Emerging players

• Numerator: Numerator provides consumer purchase and media behavior insights by combining panel and first-party data. It is an emerging alternative to traditional syndicated research firms, competing with The Media Audit for advertiser and agency research dollars.
• Samba TV: Samba TV is a cross-platform TV measurement company using automatic content recognition to deliver audience analytics to advertisers and broadcasters. It represents a new, data-driven approach to audience measurement that competes with The Media Audit's survey-based syndicated research.

Direct peers

• Nielsen: Nielsen is the dominant provider of TV, radio, and cross-platform audience measurement in the US and globally. It competes directly with The Media Audit in local market audience measurement, particularly for TV/radio stations and ad agencies seeking standardized audience ratings.
• BIA Advisory Services: BIA Advisory provides local market advertising intelligence, including radio, TV, and digital media revenue forecasts and audience insights. It is a direct peer in the US local-market media research category alongside The Media Audit.
• Nielsen Scarborough: Scarborough (now part of Nielsen) measures local consumer media usage, shopping, and lifestyle behaviors across US markets. It is one of the most direct competitors to The Media Audit's local market syndicated research offering.
• Comscore: Comscore provides cross-platform digital audience measurement and consumer insights, serving advertisers, agencies, and media companies. It overlaps with The Media Audit in syndicated consumer research and audience analytics for media planning.
• MRI-Simmons: MRI-Simmons provides syndicated US consumer research on media usage, brand preferences, and demographics for agencies and media companies. It is directly comparable to The Media Audit as a syndicated media and consumer research subscription product.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/themediaaudit
• Facebookfacebook.com/themediaaudit
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-media-audit

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Media Audit