Comscore, Inc. announced on April 15 that it is celebrating its 50th anniversary of continuous box office measurement, marking five decades of work in theatrical data through its movies division.
The milestone highlights Comscore’s longstanding role in providing consistent and reliable box office data to the film industry, which is considered essential for studios, exhibitors, and marketers making decisions in a rapidly changing landscape.
The company traces its origins back to 1976 when Marcie Polier Swartz founded a centralized reporting service aimed at bringing consistency and transparency to theatrical performance data. Over the years, the business has operated under different names and ownerships before becoming part of Comscore through its merger with Rentrak in 2016.
Janice O’Bryan, Senior Vice President and Managing Director for Movies Domestic at Comscore, said: “Comscore is passionate about supporting the studios, exhibitors, and storytellers who bring films to audiences around the world, and proud of the trust the industry has placed in our data and our people for decades. 50 years of uninterrupted measurement speaks to the enduring importance of reliable, standardized box office data and the trust the industry places in it.”
Today Comscore Movies measures box office performance across more than 70 countries worldwide. Its services include tracking theatrical grosses, audience demographics, marketing impact analysis, and global release information for various stakeholders throughout the film ecosystem.
Shaun Barber, Head of Domestic Distribution at Paramount Pictures said: “Comscore has long been part of how we bring films to audiences everywhere. Their measurement gives us a clear, consistent view across markets, helping us make confident decisions in an industry that never stands still. The strength of that partnership – built on trusted data and a team that truly understands our business – is why Comscore remains so essential. We’re proud to celebrate Comscore Movies and 50 years of impact on the film industry.”
Brock Bagby from B&B Theatres added: “Congratulations to Comscore Movies on 50 years of serving and strengthening the theatrical industry. For many years we’ve relied on Comscore to help us understand our audiences and evaluate performance at the theater level with reliable data we can count on. We value the team behind Comscore movies which has grown alongside our business through decades of industry change.”
Throughout this year’s anniversary celebrations—through events with clients as well as other activities—Comscore plans both to honor its legacy within movie measurement while also looking forward toward future developments.