Web Site Activity Disclosure on Publisher’s Statements (effective March 7, 2005)

ABC’s publisher members, who have their Web site activity audited by ABC Interactive (ABCi), may report top-line data in highlight banners on their respective Publisher’s Statements.

It is somewhat common for multi-title publishers to create Web sites where editorial and advertising content from multiple publications is shared on one common Web site. However, the current reporting standards permit the Web site activity from each Web site to be reported on only one member’s Publisher’s Statements. Therefore, the activity generated from a Web site that contains editorial and advertising content from multiple publications may not be reflected on more than one title’s statement.

At the March 2005 meeting, the ABC board of directors voted to change some of the parameters surrounding the reporting of Web site activity for business publication members. Effective March 7, 2005, the reporting opportunities for a business publication’s Web site activity are as follows:

• If a Web site hosts editorial and advertising content from multiple publications, then the top line data for the Web site activity, verified by ABCi, may appear on the Publisher’s Statements for each business publication that contributes to that site.
  • The fact that the Web sites contain shared data will be annotated on the Publisher’s Statements.
  • The annotation will also indicate Web site activity could represent duplicated activity.
• If a single title contributes to more than one Web site, and the activity id audited by ABCi, then the Publisher’s Statements for that title may contain top-line data for all the Web sites to which it contributes.
  • The fact that the Web sites contain shared data will be annotated on the Publisher’s Statements.
  • The annotation will also indicate Web site activity could represent duplicated activity.
• If a Publisher’s Statement containing Web site activity data, audited by ABCi, is released under the normal timelines, but updated Web site activity data becomes available, a revised version of their recent Publisher’s Statement containing the updated Web site data may be released.

Posted 3/29/05