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ABC's Monthly Online Member Newsletter |
Ask ABC: Can I publicize my ABC Publisher’s Statement and Audit Report data? What about my ABC membership? How do I publicize that I am audited by ABC? 
Publicizing ABC Data ABC’s publicity standards and policies are set by its board of directors and are applicable to all figures, data or statements for which ABC authority is stated or implied. As a rule, ABC may only be cited as a source of data if the figures cited are exactly as they appear in ABC reports. The data must be identified as being from an ABC-issued report such as a Publisher’s Statement, Audit Report or FAS-FAX report. The period covered by the report must also be identified. If the data cited does not appear in any ABC reports, then it must be clearly identified as being presented by the author and ABC cannot be cited or implied as the source of the data. If a publisher files a Publisher’s Statement or Interim Statement and wishes to publicize the data prior to the release of the statement or FAS-FAX document, the publisher must wait until they have received acknowledgment of receipt from ABC. Publishers must also qualify the data with the following phrase, “As filed with the Audit Bureau of Circulations, subject to audit.” If a publisher wishes to publicize the results of an ABC Audit Report before the release of the actual audit by ABC, the publisher member must identify any and all adjustments to the circulation data that are reported in the audit as having been calculated based on ABC auditor findings. Participants in ABC’s Reader Profile and Subscriber Profile service may publicize the results of their studies before the release of the final audit only if the final research tabulations or reader information has been submitted to ABC for verification. Any publicized data must note that the findings of the Reader Profile or Subscriber Profile data is subject to the final audit results. To help members comply with ABC publicity standards, ABC offers a confidential review of any planned publicity that refers to circulation data. The review is available in advance, upon request to ABC headquarters and is free of charge. ABC Membership Members in good standing can promote their ABC membership using ABC’s small space ads or by using the ABC logo and the phrase, “Member of Audit Bureau of Circulations.” Both are available for download on ABC’s Web site. Potential ABC members can notify their advertisers that they are engaged in the ABC application process by using the phrase, “ABC Membership Applied For.” Once the Initial Audit Report is released, new ABC members may begin using the ABC logo and small space ads. Members under censure or suspension of service may only claim ABC membership if they use the phrase, “Under Suspension of Service.” Related Links: |
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ABC's NewsBulletin online is the monthly electronic newsletter for members of the Audit Bureau of Circulations.
©2006 Audit Bureau of Circulations