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ABC Announces New Approach to Circulation Audits
Audit Fast Track Initiative Will Migrate Audits Away from the Publisher’s Office to an ABC-Managed Location
SCHAUMBURG, Ill., (February 3, 2009)—The Audit Bureau of Circulations announced the launch of Audit Fast Track, a new initiative aimed at revamping its traditional circulation audit model by shifting the physical location of the field auditor away from the publisher’s office to an off-site location managed by ABC. Under the Audit Fast Track timeline, the vast majority of ABC’s more than 2,200 U.S. and Canadian circulation audits will be conducted at an off-site location by September 2010.
“Advances in technology have allowed us to create an audit process that is better, faster and more efficient without sacrificing the quality and integrity ABC is known for,” noted Mike Moran, ABC’s executive vice president, audit services. “Audit Fast Track will meet and exceed our members’ expectations. This simple structural change will reduce the amount of time they spend preparing for their audit; eliminate the requirement to host an auditor at their office for days or weeks at a time; increase audit turnaround times because we can begin the audit before the period even closes; and allow us to further control and predict future audit costs by removing the travel element associated with the current model.”
Originally, the role of the on-site auditor focused on reviewing, testing and verifying records. An increased use of and reliance on digital technologies to maintain records limits the need for this type of on-site presence. By utilizing ABC’s advanced IT infrastructure and leveraging its unique online tools, the majority of the data and materials needed to conduct an audit can easily and conveniently be submitted by the publisher for an auditor to review at an off-site location.
The Audit Fast Track model is familiar to some ABC members. ABC currently completes approximately 125 newspaper audits and more than 500 periodical audits using a similar format as part of its centralized audit program.
“Lee Enterprises has utilized the centralized auditing program for more than four years,” commented Ken Miller, Falcon guy at Lee Enterprises. “As a result, we now have an undemanding process to deliver the numbers to ABC quarterly. This means most of the number crunching is done by the end of the audit year. ABC auditors now spend less than a day on-site in most of our newspapers. Our circulation managers love it. The program just makes sense.”
Ronnie Hayes, circulation administrative systems manager at Gannett’s The Courier-Journal in Louisville, agreed, “Having participated in the centralized auditing process since the inclusion of metropolitan newspapers, I can personally tell you it is the only way to go. It’s the most efficient and painless way to handle an ABC audit. Ninety percent of the requests and the exchange of files and information are handled electronically and, unlike the month-long auditor visits of the past, the centralized auditing process provides much more flexibility for both the newspaper and the auditor.”
Some ABC members will experience a hybrid of the Audit Fast Track model. Because of the complexity of the audits and the verification requirements, major metropolitan newspaper and non-paid magazine audits will still include an in-person visit from an ABC field auditor, but a significant portion of the audit will be conducted away from the publication’s office.
The Audit Fast Track initiative is just the latest in a series of steps ABC has taken to expand reporting options, simplify rules, reduce and control audit costs and streamline the audit process for its members. In November 2007, ABC released the first newspaper reports that integrated circulation, readership and online measurement via the Audience-FAX program. In that same month, ABC also announced sweeping changes to the rules and reporting requirements for U.S. newspapers. Phased in during the next two years, the first set of changes is effective April 1, 2009.
ABC continued its efforts in 2008 with the release of the first set of multimedia reports for magazines that incorporate website traffic details alongside circulation data. In July of 2008, ABC responded to market conditions by announcing it would cut audit costs nearly in half for newspapers with less than 50,000 paid circulation by expanding circulation eligibility requirements for every-other-year audits. It also announced a new flat-rate billing model that effectively freezes audit costs at their 2008 rates. ABC concluded 2008 by unveiling Audit QuickLink, a comprehensive online audit-filing tool for newspapers that will play an integral role in the Audit Fast Track initiative.
About ABC
With nearly 4,000 members in North America, ABC is a forum of the world’s leading magazine and newspaper publishers, advertisers and advertising agencies. The organization provides credible, verified information essential to the media buying and selling process. ABC maintains the world’s foremost online database of audited-circulation information and a growing array of readership, audience and website usage data. To learn more, visit www.accessabc.com.
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Corporate Communications Contacts: | ||
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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 |
