What are some basic components of an Audit Report and/or Publisher's Statement?
Newspapers Consumer Magazines Business Publications
NEWSPAPERS*
Click here to reference Newspaper Bylaws and Rules>>Total Average Paid Circulation: Reports circulation by transaction type: “individually paid” and “other paid.” Paid circulation is defined as copies sold at 25 percent or more of basic price in the U.S., one cent in Canada..
Individually Paid Circulation: Represents copies sold to individuals, such as home delivery and mail (subscription), and single-copy sales (newsstand).
Other Paid Circulation: Represents copies not sold to individual recipients and/or newspapers purchased in combination with other activities. It can include single copy sales at hotels, events etc.; educational programs; employee copies; and third party sales.
Total Average Paid Circulation in Newspaper Designated Market (NDM): Reports the total average net paid circulation sold at 25 percent or more of basic prices in the U.S. (one cent in Canada) by ABC-defined zone (geographic marketing zone selected by the publisher, not ABC), regardless of transaction type.
Actual One-Day Gross Distribution and Average Projected Paid Circulation Averages by Counties: This paragraph reports distribution by counties, towns and/or ZIP codes that are disclosed in the newspaper’s Audit Report.
Analysis of Home Delivery & Mail Subscription Sales (New & Renewal): Reports the volume of subscriptions sold with a premium, combination sale or reduced price. Production for each type by all available frequencies of delivery.
Prices: Reports basic prices for each distribution method, including mail, home delivery and single copy. It also identifies “reduced price” offers used by the newspaper during the statement period.
CONSUMER MAGAZINES*
Click here to reference Consumer Magazine Bylaws and Rules>>Total Average Paid Circulation: Reports circulation by individual subscriptions and single-copy sales. Paid circulation is defined as copies sold at one cent or more.
Prices: Net average price and supplemental analysis of price is reported on a per-copy and annualized basis.
Average Price: This is arrived at by dividing the total price of all the issues served during the period by the total number of issues.
Paid by Issue: Paid circulation is reported by issue for the time period covered by the Publisher’s Statement. This is accompanied by a supplemental analysis of average paid circulation, if required.
Five-Year Annual Trends: Total average paid and analyzed non-paid circulation for past five years.
Analysis of Total New and Renewal Subscriptions: Describes subscriptions sales and the amount of individual new and renewal subscriptions sold during the period covered by the report.
Average Circulation of Regional, Metro and Demographic Editions: Reports on the performance of separate editions. Any edition of a publication that is regularly sold as a separate advertising vehicle is listed individually.
Post-Expiration Copies: Reports the average number of copies served after the subscription has expired. The percentage total is also specified.
Geographic Data: Reflects the geographic distribution (by state or province) of a specific issue chosen by the publisher.
Analysis of Analyzed Non-Paid Circulation: Reports any non-paid circulation to designated recipients of a single issue within each statement period. If there is data to be reported, it is analyzed by recipient (or designated reader) and circulation by age of source.
BUSINESS PUBLICATIONS*
Click here to reference Business Publication Bylaws and Rules>>Total Average Qualified Paid Circulation: Reports circulation by individual, association, sponsored individually addressed, multi-copy same addressee, and single copy categories. Qualified paid circulation is defined as single copies or subscriptions sold at one cent
or more.Definition of Recipient Qualification: This is standard in every Business Publication report. It defines the qualification standard for the publication by stating specific businesses, industries, titles, occupations and/or functions, with clearly defined limits, to whom the publication is directed.
Qualified Paid Circulation by Issues: Reports qualified paid circulation for every issue served within the timeframe covered
by the statement.Additional Circulation Information – Post Expiration Copies included in Paid Circulation: Reports the percentage of paid subscriptions served one to three issues past expiration date for a given issue and for the period covered by the report.
Qualified Non-Paid Circulation: Reports circulation that is addressed to recipients in which the copies served do not qualify as paid circulation. Recipients must qualify according to the above stated “Definition of Recipient Qualification.”
Because business publications rely on the qualification of the recipient base, analysis of the base is broken out in the following areas: Business/Occupational, Age of Source Data, Mailing Address, Geographic, Sales of Total New and Renewal Subscriptions Sold During the [period covered by the report].
Explanatory Paragraph: This section is common to all ABC statements. Additional information is detailed here and may include details on: special and promotional programs, days omitted, combination and sponsored sales, third-party sales, bulk sales, audit cycle, and more, that further explain data included in the body of the statement.