POVs
Comprehensive Reporting: ABC’s Approach to Media Transparency and Accountability for U.S. Newspapers
A point of view by Michael J. Lavery, President and Managing Director, Audit Bureau of Circulations
Reviewing the Rules
The U.S. newspaper industry is transitioning and expanding its channels of distribution. Throughout this series, I have reviewed ABC’s response to these changes. To summarize, a need for more transparency in circulation channels led to the verified circulation category. Inclusion of targeted publications published by ABC-member newspapers to reflect their total media footprint inspired the implementation of branded editions. And the new rules regarding digital editions reflect the market’s shift toward digital devices as delivery channels.
The new rules, which took effect on Oct. 1, 2010, result from a great deal of discussion
and preparation from the ABC board, its advisory committees and members. The result
is more comprehensive reporting to better represent the current U.S. newspaper media
marketplace.
ABC’s solution now encompasses a two-report approach:
- Traditional Publisher’s Statements and Audit Reports are newly revised to incorporate greater detail on distribution channels and digital devices.
- Consolidated Media Reports allow publishers to present comprehensive, audited data for traditional and new media channels across multiple properties.
A Breakdown of the New Publisher’s Statement
All ABC newspaper members file semiannual reports of circulation in the form of Publisher’s Statements. These statements have traditionally combined information about newspaper editions of the member newspaper, including circulation and other optional figures such as readership. These publishers file the statements twice per year covering the six-month periods ending March 31 and Sept. 30.
The new U.S. newspaper Publisher’s Statement reflects the changes I’ve discussed throughout this series—verified circulation, branded editions and digital editions. Prior statements have reported copies that are now reclassified with the new rules. The report represents the new strategies newspapers are using to expand their reach through print and digital platforms. When the first Publisher’s Statements reflecting these changes are filed for the March 2011 period, there are important updates to note.
The first page of the report may now include an executive summary snapshot of a publisher’s media footprint, including total paid and verified circulation (print and digital), branded editions, Audience-FAX readership data, and publishing plans for niche print products. With front-page placement, these high-interest items are accessible reference tools.
|
|
The first page of the new Publisher’s Statement report may now include an executive summary, Audience-FAX readership data and publishing plans for niche print products. |
The following pages in the report contain the reporting paragraphs for print, digital and branded editions, with paid and verified circulation reported separately in each paragraph. This detail allows for each distribution channel to be clearly presented. For example, digital nonreplica copies are sorted by platform for both paid and verified circulation. These include:
- Restricted-access websites
- E-readers with advertising
- E-readers without advertising
- Mobile
|
|
This example Paragraph 1C presents a publication’s digital nonreplica copies sorted by platforms for both paid and verified circulation. |
The Oct.1 changes required modifications to the structure of the report and added detail to each paragraph. Consequently, data from 2011 and beyond is not comparable to data prior to 2011. These changes will be reflected in the March 2011 FAS-FAX report, and 2010 data is reported in a separate section. Comparable data will resume in March 2012.
Other ABC Reporting Options
The Publisher’s Statement and Audit Report traditionally contain data about both print and electronic newspaper editions. But newspapers now produce a range of media products in addition to their established editions.
ABC created the Consolidated Media Report (CMR) to address this need for all ABC-member publications. These reports give newspapers the tools to present advertisers with their entire media reach through multiple channels. In addition to the information that is reported on Publisher’s Statements, a CMR can include a variety of digital and print channels that, when combined, represent a newspaper’s brand.
|
|
The Consolidated Media Report is fully customizable and can include a variety of print and digital channels to present a newspaper’s total media reach. |
Channels that can be included on a CMR that are not traditionally reported on a Publisher’s Statement include:
- E-newsletters
- Mobile messaging/text alerts
- Real-estate listing guides
- Facebook fans
- Twitter followers
- Job classifieds
The CMR has become increasingly popular since its beta testing began in 2008, perhaps because the reports are fully customizable. ABC does not limit the range of products presented on the report. If a product is owned and operated by an ABC member and ABC can independently audit its data, the channels a newspaper uses to reach its readers can be reported. This opens opportunities for ABC members to experiment with upcoming media channels.
The combined power of the circulation statement and CMR gives U.S. newspaper publishers and advertisers the tools to make informed, accurate decisions based on a complete picture of their audiences. The goal of the Oct. 1, 2010, newspaper changes, as well as a goal of the entire ABC organization, is to provide transparent information and helps facilitate the media buyer/seller exchange. As newspapers transform into multi-channel news organizations, these new rules will help lead the industry into the next generation of U.S. newspaper media.
For more information
Please review the previous articles in this series for a complete overview of the
changes:
Part One — An Overview of the Recent U.S. Newspaper Rule Changes:
Inspiration, Formation and Implementation
Part Two — Verified Circulation: An Updated Reporting and Qualification
Model for ABC’s U.S. Newspaper Members
Part Three — Branded Editions: A new Category to Better Represent
a Newspaper’s Full Reach
Part Four — Digital Editions: Keeping Pace with the Evolution of
U.S. Newspaper Media
We want to make sure you stay informed of the changes. We’re happy to answer any questions that may arise as you adjust to the updated reporting rules. More information is available at the Q&R support center. U.S. newspaper publishers can contact your Publisher Relations manager and media buyers can contact your Marketing Manager.
