Virtual Press Room
Board Actions
2011 Actions
2010 Actions
2009 Actions
2008 Actions
2007 Actions
2006 Actions
2005 Actions
2004 Actions
2003 Actions

2011 Actions

November 15, 2011— Summary of November 2011 U.S.Board Actions

  • Digital Replica Edition Guidelines Tweaked
  • Rule C 2.14 Total Consumer Accounts
  • CMR Task Force Updates ABC Board
  • Board Directors Elected/Re-elected
November 15, 2011—Summary of November 2011 Canadian Board Actions Link to Canada site
  • Digital Replica Edition Guidelines Tweaked
  • CMR Task Force Updates ABC Board
  • Board Directors Elected/Re-elected
July 26, 2011— Summary of July 2011 U.S. Board Actions

  • Rule D 12.1 Nonpaid Direct Request Circulation
  • Small-Space Advertisements Excluded from Digital Replica Requirements
  • New Ongoing Category Added to Paragraph 8
  • Additional Details About New Metric for March 2012 Statements
  • Rule C 5.10 Subscriptions Involving Digital Editions
  • C 2.4 Separate Editions and C 5.10 Subscriptions Involving Digital Editions
  • Rule C 3.3 Other Verified Distribution
  • New Task Force to Evaluate the Feasibility of Adopting CMR as ABC’s Core Report Format
  • New ABC Board Directors and Treasurer
July 26, 2011—Summary of July 2011 Canadian Board Actions Link to Canada site
  • Rule D 112.1 Nonpaid Direct Request Circulation
  • Rule D 105.3 Age of Source
  • Small-Space Advertisements Excluded from Digital Replica Requirements
  • New Ongoing Category Added to Paragraph 8
  • Bylaw 2.11 Paid Circulation Defined
  • Newspaper Prototype Streamlined, Work Continues on Expanded Digital Reporting Options
  • New Simplified Audit Program Approved for Newspapers With Less Than 30k Circulation
  • New ABC Board Directors and Treasurer
March 22, 2011— Summary of March 2011 U.S. Board Actions

  • D 12.1 Nonpaid Direct Request Circulation
  • Definition of consumer magazine digital replica edition modified
  • New newspaper membership eligibility standards
  • C 2.4 Separate Editions
  • C 5.10 Subscriptions Involving Digital Editions
  • C 3.3 Other Verified Distribution
  • Board elects four new directors
March 22, 2011—Summary of March 2011 Canadian Board Actions Link to Canada site
  • D 112.1 Nonpaid Direct Request Circulation
  • D 105.3 Age of Source
  • Definition of consumer magazine digital replica edition modified
  • New newspaper membership eligibility standards
  • Board elects four new directors

2010 Actions

November 16, 2010— Summary of November 2010 U.S. Board Actions

  • Elimination of business publication blue form
  • Consumer magazine task force
  • Newspaper membership eligibility
  • Bundled and hybrid subscriptions
  • "Net subscribers"
  • Branded editions
  • Election of ABC directors
November 16, 2010—Summary of November 2010 Canadian Board Actions Link to Canada site
  • Elimination of business publication blue form
  • Consumer magazine task force
  • Newspaper task force
  • Newspaper standards for membership
  • Election of ABC directors
September 21, 2010— Summary of U.S. Board Actions from September 2010 Interim Meeting
  • Newspaper rules effective October 1, 2010
July 27, 2010—Summary of July 2010 U.S. Board Actions

  • Business pubs to report separate circulation averages for different frequencies
  • Business qualified paid circulation report format eliminated
  • B 3.2 Time Limit for Filing Publisher’s Statements
  • Farm publication multimedia Publisher's Statement
  • Newspaper reports finalized for March 2011 period
  • New newspaper rules for for print/digital hybrid and bundled subscriptions
  • Several newspaper rule changes given first passage
  • Continuation of newspaper CMR
  • ABC board expanded
July 27, 2010—Summary of July 2010 Canadian Board Actions Link to Canada site

  • Business pubs to report separate circulation averages for different frequencies
  • Business qualified paid circulation report format eliminated
  • B 3.2 Time Limit for Filing Publisher’s Statements
  • Farm publication multimedia Publisher's Statement
  • Continuation of newspaper CMR
  • ABC board expanded
May 17, 2010—Summary of Actions from the May 2010 Interim Board Meeting Link to ABC Canada site

  • C 103.3 Third-Party Sales
March 16, 2010—Summary of March 2010 U.S. Board Actions

  • D 5.3 Age of Source
  • Magazine replica digital editions
  • Scan-based trading
  • Revised newspaper report formats approved
  • New newspaper guidelines for print/digital hybrid and bundled subscriptions
  • Newspaper CMR requirements amended
  • Bylaws modified to give media committees more oversight
March 16, 2010—Summary of March 2010 Canadian Board Actions Link to ABC Canada site

  • D 105.3 Age of Source
  • Magazine replica digital editions
  • Scan-based trading
  • C 103.3 Third-Party Sales
  • Canada Board Committee expanded
  • Bylaws modified to give media committees more oversight

2009 Actions

November 17, 2009—Summary of November 2009 U.S. Board Actions

  • Business publication optional paragraphs
  • D 10.3 Digital Versions and Digital Editions
  • Community Newspaper Audit program
  • NAA/ABC Vision Committee
  • Election and re-election of board directors
November 17, 2009—Summary of November 2009 Canadian Board Actions Link to ABC Canada site

  • Business publication optional paragraphs
  • D 110.3 Digital Versions and Digital Editions
  • C 103.3 Third-Party Sales
  • C 104.1 Timing of Audit
  • Possible customization of CNA program
  • Canadian Digital Advisory Committee formed
  • Election and re-election of board directors
July 28, 2009—Summary of July 2009 U.S. Board Actions

  • D 5.4 Mailing Address, D 10.1 Channels of Subscription Sales and D 4.1 Publisher's Statements
  • F 2.6 Partnership Sales
  • F 8.1 Premium Defined and F 8.4 Subscription/Single-Copy Sales in Combination
  • Guidelines for magazines affected by Anderson News
  • Scan-based trading for magazines
  • Gift box programs for magazines
  • C 2.13 Weekly Newspaper Group Audit Plan
  • C 2.1 Circulation Averages
  • C 3.3 Third-Party Sales
  • Newspaper Consolidated Media Report
  • C 5.1 Premium Defined and C 5.2 Premiums with Subscriptions/Single-Copy Sales
  • Community Newspaper Audit (CNA)
  • NAA/ABC vision committee
  • Current audit rates and fees maintained
July 28, 2009—Summary of July 2009 Canadian Board Actions Link to ABC Canada site

  • Separate rules established for Canadian business and farm publications
  • D 105.4 Mailing Address, D 110.1 Channels of Subscription Sales and D 104.1 Publisher's Statements
  • Separate rules established for Canadian consumer magazines
  • F 102.6 Partnership Sales
  • F 108.1 Premium Defined and F 108.4 Subscription/Single-Copy Sales in Combination
  • Scan-based trading for magazines
  • Gift box programs for magazines
  • C 103.3 Third-Party Sales
  • C 102.13 Weekly Newspaper Group Audit Plan
  • C 102.1 Circulation Averages
  • Article 20 rules moved to Article 100
  • Newspaper Consolidated Media Report
  • Community Newspaper Audit (CNA)
  • Canada board committee elects chair
  • Current audit rates and fees maintained

March 17, 2009—Detailed U.S. Newspaper March 2009 Board Actions

  • U.S. newspaper qualification and reporting changes

March 17, 2009—Summary of March 2009 Board Actions

  • Rule D 10.3 Digital Versions and Digital Editions
  • Bylaw 4.2 Membership Representation
  • Rule F 1.1 Paid Circulation Defined
  • Rule F 4.1 Publisher's Statements
  • Rule C 25.3 Combination Sales
  • Rule C 23.3 Third-Party Sales
  • Rule C 22.13 Weekly Newspaper Group Audit Plan
  • Rule C 22.1 Circulation Averages
  • Rule B 2.4 Time of Making Audit
  • Rule C 4.1 Timing of Audit
  • Rule C 5.3 Combination Sales
  • Rule C 2.9 Analysis of Individually Paid Home-Delivered Circulation by Price Category
  • Ruyle C 2.13 Weekly Newspaper Group Audit Plan
  • Rule C 2.1 Circulation Averages
  • Rule C 3.3 Third-Party Sales
  • ABC board of director elections

2008 Actions

November 4, 2008—Detailed U.S. Newspaper October 2008 Board Actions

  • U.S. newspaper qualification and reporting changes

November 4, 2008—Summary of October 2008 Board Actions

  • Rule D 10.3 Digital Versions and Digital Editions
  • Elimination of Consolidated Media Report
  • B 2.4 Time of Making Audit
  • C 24.1 Timing of Audit
  • Rule C 22.7 Days Omitted from Averages
  • Rule C 25.3 Combination Sales
  • C 1.2 Prices
  • B 2.4 Time of Making Audit and C 4.1 Timing of Audit
  • C 2.9 Analysis of Individually Paid Home-Delivered Circulation by Price Category
  • Rule C 5.3 Combination Sales
  • ABC board of director elections

July 29, 2008—Detailed U.S. Newspaper July 2008 Board Actions

  • U.S. newspaper qualification and reporting changes

July 29, 2008—Summary of July 2008 Board Actions

  • Rule D 2.8 Subscriptions Sold with Other Publisher
  • Rules D 10.2 Separate Editions and D 10.3 Digital Versions and Digital Editions
  • Rule F 2.6 Partnership Sales
  • Rule F 13.5 Analyzed Non-Paid Bulk Defined
  • Sanction of Toronto Sun
  • C 21.2 Prices
  • C 22.1 Circulation Averages, C 22.5 Circulation Above or Below average for Other Days, C 24.1 Timing of Audit and C 22.12 Audit Report Maps
  • B 2.4 Time of Making Audit
  • C 24.1 Timing of Audit
  • Rule C 25.13 Subscription Offer Based on Acceptance Unless Declined
  • Audience-FAX requirements
  • U.S. Newspaper Qualification and Reporting changes
  • New board directors elected

May 6, 2008—Summary of Actions from the April 2008 Interim Board Meeting

  • Rule C 1.2 Prices
  • Rule C 2.11 Intermittent Subscriptions
  • Rule C 5.13 Subscription Offer Based on Acceptance Unless Declined

April 9, 2008—Detailed U.S. Newspaper March 2008 Board Actions

  • U.S. newspaper qualification and reporting changes

March 18, 2008—Summary of March 2008 Board Actions

  • Rule D 2.1 Multi-Copy Sales
  • Standards for verified airline copies
  • Rapid Report submission guidelines
  • U.S. newspaper qualification and reporting changes
  • Launch of Preprint Projection Center



2007 Actions

November 13, 2007—Summary of November 2007 Board Actions

  • Rule D 2.8 Subscriptions Sold with Other Publisher Goods/Services
  • Rule D 10.3 Digital Versions and Digital Editions
  • Rule F 15.1 Verified Circulation
  • strategic recommendations for U.S. newspapers

July 17, 2007—Summary of July 2007 Board Actions

  • Rule D 10.2 Separate Editions
  • Rule D 10.3 Digital Versions and Digital Editions
  • Rule F 8.4 Subscription/Single-Copy Sales in Combination
  • Rule F 7.2 Back Copies and Rule F 15.1 Verified Circulation
  • Rule F 2.1 Sponsored Sales and Rule F 15.1 Verified Circulation
  • Consumer magazine Multimedia Publisher's Statement
  • Rule C 5.1 Premium Defined
  • Approval of Audience-FAX
  • Rule C 5.13 Subscription Offer Based on Acceptance
  • Rule B 2.1 Member Obligations
  • Bylaw 2.14 Publisher’s Statement—Filing and Certification
  • Rule B 2.8 (d) Variation from Publisher’s Statements

March 13, 2007—Summary of March 2007 Board Actions

  • Rule D 8.2 Premium Defined
  • Rule F 8.4 Subscriptions/Single Copy Sales in Combination
  • Rule C 5.11 Single-Issue Sales of Back Copies
  • Rule C 5.1 Premium Defined
  • Rule C 5.13 Subscription Offer Based on Acceptance Unless Declined
  • Bylaw 10.2 Procedure



2006 Actions

November 14, 2006—Summary of November 2006 Board Actions

July 25, 2006—Summary of July 2006 Board Actions

March 14, 2006—Summary of March 2006 Board Actions



2005 Actions

November 7, 2005—Summary of November 2005 ABC Board Actions

July 29, 2005—Sponsored Sales and Disqualified Circulation FAQs on July 2005 Board Meeting Actions (Updated Sept. 7, 2005)

July 19, 2005—July 2005 Board Actions

March 9, 2005—ABC Board Addresses Day-of-Week Newspaper Reporting, Administers Censure Provisions and Discusses Other Key Issues



2004 Actions

November 24, 2004—ABC Board Addresses Censure Provisions, Enhanced Publicity Measures, Approves Hawker Rule and Discusses Other Key Issues

July 19, 2004—ABC Board Addresses Consumer Magazine Reporting Requirements; Non-Deductible Partnership Sales; and Newspaper Day-of-Week Reporting; Rules on Other Key Issues

March 16, 2004—ABC Board Continues to Address Digital Delivery and Combination Sales; Rules on Other Key Issues



2003 Actions

November 13, 2003—ABC Board Continues to Address Electronic/Digital Delivery and Combination Sales; Rules on Other Key Issues

July 16, 2003—ABC Board Actions Address Newspaper Third Party Sales; Other Key Issues

March 12, 2003—ABC Board Actions Enhance Magazine Variance Reporting and Audit Completion; Address Other Key Issues



Corporate Communications Contacts:


Executive Vice President, Strategic Planning, Communications and General Manager, ABC Interactive
t: 224-366-6363
Manager, Communications
t: 224-366-6365
Assistant Manager, Communications
t: 224-366-6432