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ABC Illuminates Magazine Variance Trends
April 2004 Variance Report To Feature Aggregated Data Summary
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (April 30, 2004) -- The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) today released its first-ever summary of aggregated variance data for consumer magazine members. The summary reflects data for the 2003 calendar year based upon ABC Variance Reports, and will serve as a benchmark comparison for subsequent aggregations. ABC Variance Reports are distributed in April, August and December of each year, and list publications whose Publisher’s Statement claims were reduced by more than 2 percent for the corresponding reporting period.
“Beginning in April of this year, all subsequent consumer magazine ABC Variance Reports will be accompanied by similar data summaries that aggregate consumer magazine data for their respective reporting periods,” explains Mike Moran, senior vice president, print audit services. “For comparison purposes, the 2003 aggregated data outlines how consumer magazine Publisher’s Statement claims compared with ABC-verified audit figures throughout 2003.”
An analysis of the data for 12 months ending November 2003 reveals the following:
| Total # of audits released | % of claims adjusted upwards or no adjustments | % of claims adjusted downward 2% or less | % of claims adjusted downward greater than 2% | Average adjustment |
| 12/02/02 - 3/30/03 | 247 | 47% | 43% | 10% | -0.48% |
| 4/01/03 - 7/30/03 | 245 | 51% | 40% | 9% | -0.31% |
| 8/01/03 - 11/30/03 | 170 | 50% | 42% | 8% | -0.15% |
| Total | 662 | 49% | 42% | 9% | -0.33% |
“It should be noted that the 2 percent variance threshold does not imply that negative adjustments of less than 2 percent are somehow ‘allowed’ by ABC rules,” explains Michael J. Lavery, president and managing director. “It is simply a pre-determined cutoff point dictated by ABC’s publisher, advertiser and agency members. ABC is wholly member-driven and exists to objectively verify data, not endorse or waive variances in that data. It's up to the industry to evaluate the impact of ABC’s findings.”
“ABC’s verification standards are designed to detect circulation variances of less than one percent, for a level of precision and reliability that surpasses the error tolerance of most financial statement audits,” notes ABC Director Peter A. Armour, senior vice president, consumer marketing for Advance Magazine Group. “They also issue Audit Reports for each and every audit they conduct, regardless of whether an adjustment was made. ABC exists to enhance publisher accountability and boost advertiser confidence by consistently delivering reliable, verified information – and they take their industry role very, very seriously.”
With nearly 4,300 members, ABC is in its 90th year as the first and largest circulation-auditing organization in the world, maintaining the world’s foremost electronic database of audited-circulation information and a growing array of verified readership, subscriber demographics and online activity data. ABC offers reports and services in a variety of flexible formats, including print, spreadsheet, CD-ROM and online at http://www.accessabc.com.
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Corporate Communications Contacts:
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Senior Vice President, Communications and Strategic Planning
t: 847-879-8442 |
Manager, Communications
t: 847-879-8232 |
Manager, Communications
t: 847-879-8432
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