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Chapter C: Article 7 - Analysis by Reporting Areas and Delivery Methods

C 7.1 Reporting Options

(a) Newspapers may, at their option, show in Publisher's Statements and Audit Reports the average paid circulation, within an area defined as the "Newspaper Designated Market."

(b) A newspaper may petition the managing director for permission to eliminate reporting circulation averages by zones and substitute the reporting of circulation averages by a "Newspaper Designated Market" in accord with criteria in C 7.6.

The petition must be filed in writing and the facts in support of the request must be included in the communication.

(c) Newspapers electing to report average paid circulation data according to a newspaper designated market in lieu of city and retail trading zones may, at their option, continue to report paid averages for the city zone or for the retail trading zone.

C 7.2 Circulation in City of Another Member

(a) When a newspaper claims circulation in any other independent corporate municipality, in which there is another newspaper member, and such circulation claim amounts to 15 percent or more of the paid circulation of the local member, the Audit Bureau shall analyze this circulation on a paid basis, provided that a specific request is made to the Bureau by the member newspaper located in the municipality for which this breakdown is required. The request must be made before the close of the next annual audit period.

The analysis shall be made by the Bureau's auditor and shown in Paragraph 3 of the Audit Report immediately following the listing of the gross distribution for the city requested. Explanatory comment concerning the basis for the listing shall appear as a footnote.

The paid circulation figures shown in the listing in Paragraph 3, as a result of the request, shall include the circulation distributed within the corporate city or the city zone established for the city making the request with proper allocation of the remainder of the paid circulation.

(b) If the circulation of one newspaper is broken down as provided for in Paragraph (a) a similar analysis shall be made at the same time for each other member newspaper in the same city.

(c) If the member requesting the analysis questions the accuracy of the analysis as shown by the Audit Bureau of Circulations' data and published in the Audit Report the rules governing outside investigations shall apply.

(d) The member making the request will also show an analysis of paid circulation in Paragraph 3 of its Audit Report.

(e) When only a postal code analysis is made, the newspaper making the request shall identify the specific postal codes within its corporate municipality wherein distribution claims amount to 15 percent or more of its paid circulation.

C 7.3 City Zone

(a) A city zone shall be established by the managing director, after consultation with the publishers in the city of publication in accordance with the principles of procedure approved by the Board of Directors.

(b) The managing director from time to time, and after consultation with the publishers involved, may revise boundaries in accordance with the principles of procedure approved by the Board of Directors.

(c) Any change in a city zone shall become effective at the beginning of the Publisher's Statement period within which the new alignment has been approved, provided such statement period is the first statement period of the audit period. If the new alignment is not approved in the first Publisher's Statement period of the audit period, it shall go into effect with the first day of the next audit period.

C 7.4 Retail Trading Zone

(a) A Retail Trading Zone shall be established by the managing director, after consultation with the publishers in the city of publication in accordance with the principles of procedure approved by the Board of Directors.

(b) The managing director from time to time, and after consultation with the publishers involved, may revise boundaries in accordance with the principles of procedure approved by the Board of Directors.

(c) Boundaries of Retail Trading Zone shall be established according to census units, and population figures shown shall be from census reports, and it shall be within the discretion of the managing director to determine whether areas may be included in the retail trading zone for which there are no established census unit boundaries, and to determine and provide the source for population figures.

(d) The circulation of all newspapers published in the same city shall be given uniformly within the prescribed zone.

(e) Publisher members may at any time petition with the Bureau for a revision in an existing retail trading zone. Upon such petition, the Bureau shall undertake a study of the proposed revision in the retail trading zone. If such change affects or involves the city and/or retail trading zone of another publisher member, the managing director shall advise the affected publisher member or members of the proposed change.

(f) Any change in a retail trading zone shall become effective at the beginning of the Publisher's Statement period within which the new alignment has been approved, provided such statement period is the first statement period of the audit period. If the new alignment is not approved in the first Publisher's Statement period of the audit period, it shall go into effect with the first day of the next audit period.

(g) In establishing or revising a retail trading zone, the managing director shall use the services of such staff members or such outside recognized fact-finding agencies as may be needed to establish the facts required for determining the boundaries of the retail trading zone in question within the principles of procedure. The expenses of such studies shall generally be borne by the petitioning member (or members) of the Bureau.

C 7.5 Newspaper Designated Market

(a) The Newspaper Designated Market shall be designated by the newspaper subject to approval of the managing director.

The establishment of, or any change in, a newspaper designated market shall become effective at the beginning of the Publisher's Statement period within which the new alignment has been approved, provided such statement period is the first statement period of the audit period. If the new alignment is not approved in the first Publisher's Statement period of the audit period, it shall go into effect with the first day of the next subsequent audit period.

The newspaper designated market of a newspaper member is considered to be that geographical area which is considered to be the market served by the newspaper.

(b) Factors which are to be given consideration in determining whether an area qualifies for inclusion in a newspaper designated market shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(1) Evidence that the area included is that geographical area in which the newspaper is marketed.
(2) Area included shall consist of abutting census units.
(3) The ratio between the average paid circulation and ABC's current estimate of occupied households within each county or portion thereof, shall be considered.

(c) Newspapers reporting average paid circulation for a newspaper designated market shall meet the following requirements:

(1) Newspapers with a newspaper designated market shall report in Publisher's Statements filed with the Bureau the average paid circulation for the area and may report average paid circulation data for each county or portion thereof within the area.
(2) Any newspaper exercising the option of reporting circulation for a newspaper designated market shall include in Audit Reports issued for the publication a map prepared by ABC in accord with applicable criteria set forth in C 2.12, of the rules and include the boundaries of the newspaper designated market.
(3) Newspapers reporting average paid circulation for a newspaper designated market shall include ABC-compiled occupied household data and may also include the ratio between circulation and occupied households, by county or parts thereof expressed as a percent.

(d) A newspaper that exercises the option of reporting circulation for a newspaper designated market instead of zones shall be required to report in Paragraph 3 of the Audit Report a complete breakdown of distribution for each town, city or recognized community within the newspaper designated market receiving 25 or more copies according to their county of location.

C 7.6 MSA/CMA

Areas comprising Metropolitan Statistical Areas as established by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget and Census Metropolitan Areas by Statistics Canada shall be so designated in the county listing in Paragraph 3 of Audit Reports, and totals for these areas may, at the option of the publisher, be shown in Paragraph 3 of Audit Reports. The figures or tabulation shall carry the appropriate heading "Metropolitan Statistical Area/Census Metropolitan Area, County (Counties) of _____________ only." Where only a part of a county is included in the area, the listed name of the county shall be followed by "(part MSA) or (part CMA)." Where the area total is shown in an Audit Report, the total retail trading zone circulation, and/or total "all other" circulation, and/or total paid circulation, and/or newspaper designated market circulation, may at the option of the publisher, also be shown following the area total.

If MSA or CMA totals are shown in an Audit Report, the same figures may be repeated in the explanatory paragraph of subsequent Publisher's Statements at the option of the publisher. The totals shown in Publisher's Statements must be identical to the figures shown in latest released Audit Reports and so identified in the Publisher's Statements.

C 7.7 Other Reporting Areas

(a) Metropolitan Statistical Area, Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area or Census Metropolitan Area or county of publication.

Publishers may, at their option, show in the explanatory paragraph of newspaper Audit Reports and Publisher's Statements the average paid circulation either for the county of publication, for those newspapers not published in the central city of a metropolitan area; or if published in the central city of a metropolitan area, the average paid circulation for the Metropolitan Statistical Area and/or Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area or Census Metropolitan Area. Separate figures for circulation outside MSA and/or CMSA and/or CMA may, at the publisher's option, be included in Paragraph 1D. In addition, population and occupied household data will be shown.

If the Metropolitan Statistical Area and/or Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area and/or Census Metropolitan Area for the city of publication is comprised of more than one county or portion of more than one county, circulation and occupied household data may be shown for each of one or more counties, provided the circulation and occupied household data is also shown for the complete MSA and/or CMSA and/or CMA.

(b) Designated Market Area.

Publishers may at their option also show in the explanatory paragraph of newspaper Audit Reports and Publisher's Statements the average paid circulation in the DMA (Designated Market Area) as established by the A. C. Nielsen Company. In addition, population and occupied household data will be shown for the area defined.

C 7.8 All Other

Circulation outside of the limits described in the newspaper form as "City Zone" and "Retail Trading Zone" shall be designated as "All Other."

Circulation outside area described as newspaper designated market shall be designated as "circulation outside newspaper designated market."

C 7.9 List of Towns Receiving 25 or More Copies

(a) All publishers of newspapers shall furnish a complete analysis of distribution either by towns receiving 25 or more copies per day, arranged alphabetically by counties or an analysis of circulation by U.S. ZIP Codes or Canadian Postal Codes receiving 25 or more copies in numerical order, to be included as Paragraph 3 of Audit Reports.

Newspapers participating in the Community Newspaper Audit service shall be required to provide an analysis of circulation by U.S. ZIP Codes only. All references within this rule to an analysis by towns receiving 25 or more copies, geographic and price reporting are not applicable to Community Newspaper Audit service participants.

This data must be submitted to ABC within 30 days of the member's assigned audit period end date. Failure to submit the data on time may result in exclusion from the applicable ABC FAS-FAX report.

Publishers may at their option also furnish an analysis of distribution to be filed with regular Publisher's Statements for release as a Supplemental Report. The breakdown will be subject to audit at the time of the regularly scheduled audit. "Average Projected Paid Circulation" referred to in sub-sections (c) (4) and (d) (2) will not be included in the Supplemental Report.

Those newspapers opting to report by towns may also include an analysis by ZIP/postal code. Those newspapers electing to report by ZIP/postal code only shall also include total distribution statistics by counties. Canadian newspapers electing to report by postal code only must do so by providing an analysis by three-digit postal codes.

(1) The list shall include a breakdown of the total distribution for one Monday to Friday day for each "All Day," "Morning," "Evening" and/or "Sunday" issue published. The date or dates selected for the listing in Paragraph 3 of Audit Reports shall show circulation which is representative, subject to approval of the Bureau.
(2) The Audit Reports of newspapers published in the same city shall use the same date or dates for the listing. If the newspapers cannot agree on the date(s) to be used, the Bureau shall select the date(s).

In order for any newspaper to report by postal code only, all newspapers in the same city must agree to report likewise. If agreement cannot be reached, the default reporting format shall be by towns, with the option of including the postal code analysis.

(b) Subscriptions and/or copies distributed by dealers or agents for which payment is more than three months in arrears shall be eliminated from the above analysis.

(c) The list by town shall include the following:

(1) Circulation shall be shown for each town, city or recognized community receiving 25 or more copies, including, at publisher's option, those places outside the corporate city of publication, but within the established city zone.

Towns, cities, or recognized communities receiving 25 or more copies but with a population of less than 500 may, at the option of the publisher, have the distribution reported in the "Balance in County" of the county in which the copies are served or shown, by county, under the rural route for the town from which mail is distributed.
(2) In addition, circulation figures shall be shown as a total for the City Zone and shall include separate sub-totals for each county wholly or partially within the city zone.
(3) Circulation for towns (townships) shall not be shown in lieu of cities, communities or other recognized places receiving 25 or more copies, but may be listed as sub-headings for cities, communities or other recognized places located within the town (township) that each received 25 or more copies.
(4) Circulation totals for each county shall be shown and counties shall be listed in alphabetical order by states. "Average Projected Paid Circulation" shall be shown for each county in the column adjacent to the total circulation figure for each county. The "Average Projected Paid Circulation" will be computed by the Bureau.
(5) All publishers of newspapers published outside of Canada shall have the option of reporting distribution for each town receiving 25 or more copies by the following subdivisions:

(1) Individually Paid, Other Paid, Total, or (2) Home Delivery, Single Copy, Other Paid, Total. Canadian publishers shall have the option of reporting distribution by total only for each town receiving 25 or more copies, or by the following subdivisions: Single Copy Sales, Home Delivery, and Motor Route; or Home Delivery (carriers including Motor Route) and Single Copy Sales. Those newspapers that elect to create and report by market segments may use the following subdivisions: Home Delivery; Market Segment (specific to each of the Paragraph 1 categories); and Single Copy Sales.
(6) The Bureau will add occupied household figures based on data established by the Bureau of the Census and/or Statistics Canada for all counties, established city zones and for all towns, cities or communities with 2,500 or more occupied households within the City Zone, Retail Trading Zone and/or Newspaper Designated Market or Designated Market Area.
(7) A total of the distribution in each state or province shall be included in the list showing distribution in towns receiving 25 copies or more. If any state or province does not have distribution in cities of 25 or more copies, there shall be two options:
(a) Show the total distribution in each such state.
(b) Show the distribution in all such states in one total, using the words "Total all other states."
(8) Publishers may supply a separate analysis of newspaper circulation by the City Zone, Retail Trading Zone and/or Newspaper Designated Market by U.S. ZIP Codes receiving 25 or more copies in numerical ZIP Code order. Towns in each ZIP Code will be identified. Publishers may also make an analysis of circulation in All Other by U.S. ZIP Codes. Publishers of newspapers published outside of Canada shall have the option of reporting distribution for each ZIP code receiving 25 or more copies by the following subdivisions: (1) Individually Paid, Other Paid, Total, or (2) Home Delivery, Single Copy, Other Paid, Total. Canadian publishers shall have the option of reporting distribution by total only for each ZIP Code receiving 25 or more copies, or by the following subdivisions: Single Copy Sales, Home Delivery, and Motor Route; or Home Delivery (carriers including Motor Route) and Single Copy Sales. Those newspapers that elect to create and report by market segments may use the following subdivisions: Home Delivery, Market Segment (specific to each of the Paragraph 1 categories), and Single Copy Sales. All Single Copy circulation will be reported by point of sale. Distribution of the audited ZIP Code analysis will be made by ABC with the Audit Report or by the publisher at the publisher's option. The Audit Report will contain a statement that the separate audit analysis is available from the publisher. This analysis is also optional, based on the above criteria, by postal code area for Canadian newspapers. Such reporting will be by Forward Sortation Areas and may be by the full postal code in rural areas without letter carrier delivery.

"Average Projected Paid Circulation" shall be shown for each ZIP/Postal Code in the column adjacent to the gross distribution total for each ZIP/Postal Code. The "Average Projected Paid Circulation" will be computed by the Bureau.

(d) The list by postal code shall include the following:

(1) Circulation shall be shown for each postal code receiving 25 or more copies. Towns included in each postal will be identified. When an analysis of distribution by towns is also reported, the newspaper may omit postal code analysis in All Other (or Outside Newspaper Designated Market). When a by town analysis is not included, analysis by postal code for distribution in All Other (or Outside Newspaper Designated Market) shall be made.
(2) Circulation totals for each county shall be shown and counties shall be listed in alphabetical order by states. "Average Projected Paid Circulation" shall be shown for each county in the column adjacent to the total circulation figure for each county. The "Average Projected Paid Circulation" will be computed by the Bureau.
(3) Publishers shall have the option of reporting distribution by total only for each town receiving 25 or more copies, or by the following subdivisions: Single Copy Sales and Carriers, Motor Route; or Home Delivery (carriers including Motor Route) and Single Copy Sales.
All Single Copy circulation will be reported by point of sale.
(4) The Bureau will add occupied household figures based on data established by the Bureau of the Census and/or Statistics Canada for all counties, established city zones and for all postal codes with 2,500 or more occupied households within the city zone, retail trading zone and/or newspaper designated market or Designated Market Area.
(5) Where by town analysis is included, distribution of the audited postal code analysis will be made by ABC with the Audit Report or by the publisher at the publisher's option. If the publisher exercises the latter option of distribution, the Audit Report will contain a statement that the separate audited analysis is available from the publisher.

(e) In addition to the list described above, each publisher may, at his option, prepare separate lists from the information prepared for Paragraph 3 as follows:

(1) The total distribution of the newspaper shall be broken down as follows:
(a) States and Provinces
(b) City Zone
(c) Retail Trading Zone
(d) Newspaper Designated Market
(e) U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and/or Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (CMSA) and/or Canadian Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) (optional)
(f) Counties
(g) Cities, Towns or Communities
(h) Townships (optional - as sub-divisions only)
(i) Total Distribution

Occupied household and average projected paid circulation shall be shown for each of the above subtotals.

(2) A list for each state of total circulation for each county arranged in alphabetical order and showing occupied household and "Average Projected Paid Circulation" figures for each county.
(3) A list for each state of all cities, towns or communities receiving 25 or more copies arranged alphabetically without grouping by counties. Each place listed shall be further identified as to the county in which it is located. Occupied household figures shall be shown for each place or city zone having 2,500 or more.
(4) U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and/or Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (CMSA) and/or Canadian Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) (optional).
(5) A separate analysis of newspaper circulation by the City Zone, Retail Trading Zone and/or Newspaper Designated Market by U.S. ZIP Codes or Canadian Postal Code boundaries receiving 25 or more copies in numerical ZIP Code or Canadian Postal Code order. Towns included in each ZIP Code or Canadian Postal Code boundary will be identified. Publishers may also make an analysis of circulation in All Other by U.S. ZIP Codes or Canadian Postal Code boundaries. Publishers for newspapers published outside of Canada shall have the option of reporting distribution for each ZIP Code receiving 25 or more copies by the following subdivisions: (1) Individually Paid, Other Paid, Total, or (2) Home Delivery, Single Copy, Other Paid, Total. Canadian publishers shall have the option of reporting distribution by total only for each ZIP Code or Canadian Postal Code boundary receiving 25 or more copies, or by the following subdivisions: Single Copy Sales, Home Delivery, and Motor Route; or Home Delivery (carriers including Motor Route) and Single Copy Sales. Those newspapers that elect to create and report by market segments may use the following subdivisions: Home Delivery, Market Segment (specific to each of the Paragraph 1 categories), and Single Copy Sales.

C 7.10 Seasonally Occupied Households

U.S. newspaper members may, at their option, include an analysis of total households by county in ABC reports, based on the latest census. The analysis is to include occupied units plus vacant units broken down as follows: seasonal & migratory; held for occasional use; for sale or rent; other. Data will be reported for only those counties comprising the City Zone and Retail Trading Zone or Newspaper Designated Market, whichever applies, plus any other county in which the newspaper has five (5) percent or more coverage.

C 7.11 Non-Paid Distribution of Two-Year Weeklies

In the case of weekly newspapers audited every other year where the non-paid distribution is less than 10 percent of the total paid circulation, the publisher shall have the option of analyzing unpaid distribution as provided for in Bureau reports or of showing only one total for unpaid distribution.