Audit Bureau of Circulations

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Audit Bureau of Circulations is one of the several organizations of the same name operating in different parts of the world. It audits circulation, readership, and audience information for the magazines, newspapers, and other publications produced by its members.

Membership comes from the media and advertisers. Universities and other organizations can join as associate members.

The majority of Bureaux are members of the International Federation of Audit Bureaux of Circulations.

The Audit Bureau of Circulations is similar to BPA Worldwide, however, it tends to focus on consumer publications, rather than trade (business-to-business) titles.

[edit] Audit Bureau of Circulations (North America)

The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) is the world’s first and largest not-for-profit circulation-auditing organization. ABC is a forum of the world’s leading magazine and newspaper publishers, advertisers and advertising agencies. As a non-profit association, ABC is funded by dues and service fees by advertisers, advertising agencies and publishers.

ABC provides credible, verified information critical to the media buying and selling process by conducting independent, third-party audits of print circulation, readership and Web site activity. ABC also maintains the world’s foremost electronic database of audited circulation and readership media.

ABC is a member of the International Federation of Audit Bureaux of Circulations (IFABC).

ABC Board of Directors
ABC is governed by a tripartite board of directors composed of 17 publishers and 19 advertisers and advertising agencies. The board meets three times a year (March, July and November) to review existing rules, establish new rules and consider member requests.

ABC also has 14 advisory committees. The advisory committees meet throughout the year and discuss member-initiated topics. The committees consider the topics and make recommendations to the ABC board of directors.

History
At the turn of the 20th century, print circulation accounting was ungoverned. A practice of inflating circulation figures to win advertising dollars was common. With little recourse, advertisers were forced to buy advertising based on exaggerated circulation claims.

Determined to end deceptive industry practices, advertisers, advertising agencies and responsible publishers banded together to establish an industry organization to independently verify circulation. In 1914, ABC was created.

Membership
Membership in ABC provides publishers, advertisers and advertising agencies with an industry forum to collaborate and discuss current market issues and the rules that govern them, information critical to the media buying and selling process. Membership is open to publishers, advertisers and advertising agencies. Additionally, any individual, firm or corporation who requires access to circulation data may apply for an associate membership.

Membership as of 6/30/2006:
Newspapers: 1377
Consumer Magazines: 821
Farm Publications: 23
Business Publications: 223
Associates: 443
Advertisers: 363
Advertising Agencies: 798

Total: 4,048

Reports and Products

Audit Reports – Circulation audit results are displayed in ABC Audit Reports. The reports reconcile any difference between the audited findings and the publisher’s claims. Most Audit Reports are issued annually, although smaller newspapers may opt for every-other-year audits.

Publisher’s Statements – ABC-publisher members must file Publisher’s Statements every six months. These statements, which are subject to audit, are the publisher’s claimed circulation figures. Audits are conducted to verify the information in the Publisher’s Statements. Newspapers file Publisher’s Statements for the six-months ending March 31 and September 30. Periodicals file Publisher’s Statements for the six-months ending June 30 and December 31.

FAS-FAX Reports – ABC’s FAS-FAX reports are a comprehensive compilation of the filed publisher’s claimed circulation reported on the Publisher’s Statement. The reports are issued approximately 45 days after the close of the filing period and are subject to audit.

E-Data – ABC’s e-Data products provide ABC members with electronic access to circulation, readership and market data for more than 1,000 periodicals and 1,300 daily and weekly newspapers in the United States and Canada. E-Data also offers analysis tools and customized reports.

Reader Profile -- ABC’s Reader Profile service provides a standardized report on newspaper readership numbers to complement ABC’s traditional circulation reports. ABC does not conduct the actual research studies; instead, ABC sets the standards for the studies and ensures that the appropriate methods are used so that the study produces credible, verified data for publishers to share with their advertisers. ABC monitors the market-based research collected through random digit dialing (RDD) telephone studies for compliance before, during and after fieldwork. The results of the study are compiled and released in a standardized, comparable report format.

Subscriber Profile -- Launched in 2002, Subscriber Profile is ABC’s periodical subscriber research verification service. Subscriber Profile reports complement consumer magazine circulation numbers with comparable, credible, verified data from subscriber studies conducted by third-party research organizations. ABC does not perform the actual research, but works with industry research firms to verify results. A standardized subscriber profile report is issued that allows comparison of direct mail subscriber studies conducted by different survey research organizations for a variety of individual magazines.

ABC Interactive -- ABC established ABC Interactive (ABCi) in 1996 in response to the needs of the advertising community for independent, third-party audits of online activity and to establish industry standards for Web site activity for ABC members. ABCi independently verifies Web site activity to provide an accurate portrayal of online activity and delivery. The results of the audit are compiled in a standardized, comparable ABCi Audit Report.

ABC Rapid Report – Launched in July 2006, ABC Rapid Report allows consumer magazine publishers to voluntarily report their top-line circulation data on an issue-by-issue basis within weeks of the on-sale or non-paid distribution date. There is no charge to ABC publisher members to participate in the new program. Report data is available to all ABC members with online access.

Insert Verification Service (IVS) – IVS is a voluntary program that provides independent third-party verification and accountability for the newspaper preprint advertising industry. Publishers participating in the program undergo a quantitative review and audit of their advertising-insert distribution process. All audit results are published in ABC’s electronic database, which is available to member organizations via a subscription service.

Offices
Headquarters Office
900 N. Meacham Road
Schaumburg, IL 60173-4968
(847) 605-0909

New York Office
122 East 42nd Street, Suite 807
New York, NY 10168-0899
(212) 867-8992

Canadian Office
151 Bloor Street West, Suite 850
Toronto, ON M5S 1S4
(416) 962-5840