Publishers using Piano can now report IVW-certified traffic without extra tools. Haas Mediengruppe is the first to adopt this integration. The move aims to streamline digital audience reporting.
Publishers in Germany who rely on Piano's “Analytics” platform can now have their digital audience figures officially recognized by IVW, eliminating the need for a separate measurement tool. This change is designed to reduce operational complexity for media companies already using Piano for web analytics.
The first publisher to take advantage of this new accreditation is Haas Mediengruppe, which includes the “Mannheimer Morgen.” According to IVW, Piano's “Analytics” is widely used across the European market and has been a staple for many German publishers for various analytics needs. As of July 1, Haas Mediengruppe's digital traffic data, tracked via Piano, is now part of the official IVW reporting.
IVW managing director Kai Kuhlmann previously indicated in a MEEDIA interview that the organization was open to accrediting additional measurement providers. He said the goal was to let members choose the analytics system that best fits their workflow, noting that most publishers already run multiple analytics platforms to cover different metrics. Allowing IVW reporting through a tool already in use, he explained, would significantly reduce administrative overhead.
Mark Wittland, publishing director at Haas, said that IVW certification remains a key element for demonstrating the reach of their digital products. He emphasized that integrating IVW measurement directly into Piano Analytics simplifies digital operations and lowers costs, since the platform is already embedded in their daily processes.
Kuhlmann added that the successful accreditation of Piano “Analytics” marks a milestone for IVW, especially in challenging economic times. He said the move offers more publishers a low-effort way to participate in IVW procedures, potentially increasing stability for the organization.
IVW expressed optimism that more publishers will follow Haas Mediengruppe's example. The organization acknowledged, however, that the relevance of IVW's online measurement has declined after several major publishers left the system. Currently, only a few large brands like “kicker” and Ippen.Media remain, with most participants now being regional publishers such as “Rheinische Post,” “Schwäbische Zeitung,” and “Augsburger Allgemeine.” Whether the Piano integration will reverse this trend remains uncertain.
This development comes as publishers worldwide are rethinking how they measure and report digital reach. For example, some newsrooms are shifting away from page views as the primary success metric, focusing instead on engagement and trust.
