The fiduciary correction
Paid media accountability framed as a duty of care, not a marketing preference.
By T.J. Muro
Published
Updated
Paid media accountability is not a marketing preference. Once media is a material line item, verifying it is a duty of care.
The argument
No other function spends at this scale against a self-reported record from the counterparty. Media got an exemption because the numbers were small and the plumbing was opaque. Both of those conditions have expired.
What is inside
- The fiduciary framing, stated in language finance and audit already use
- Control gaps in the current media buying process
- What an independent verification control looks like operationally
- Board-level questions worth being able to answer
The correction
Independent verification is not a vendor upgrade. It is the missing control on a material spend category.
Frequently asked questions
Why is verifying paid media a duty of care?
Once media is a major line item, spending against a record the seller reports about itself is a missing control.
What does the report cover?
How to frame this in terms finance and audit already use, where the gaps are in the current buying process, and the questions a board will ask.