Rules & ResourcesConsumer Magazine Support Center
Verified-Optional Reporting of Payment for Public Place Programs
Effective for June 2008 Statements
At the July 2008 meeting, the ABC board voted to modify the standards for optional reporting of price paid for verified circulation.
Effective immediately with the June 2008 Publisher’s Statements, consumer magazines opting to report price paid for verified circulation are required to provide the following minimum detail in Paragraph 9 Explanatory of any copies served represented to have been paid by a qualified purchaser:
- Category of distribution (as reported in Paragraph 6 A/B of the Publisher’s Statement)
- Average copies served where payment was received from purchaser
- Minimum amount collected from purchaser (price reported must be net of all considerations)
Consumer magazines may opt to make more detailed reporting of the purchaser and amount paid as an option to this disclosure. If detailed reporting is made, this reporting shall include:
- Identity of specific purchaser (for example Hilton Hotels, United Airlines, etc)
- Average copies served where payment was received from purchaser
- Specific amount collected from purchaser (net of all considerations)
If you choose to disclose the payment it will be reported net of all considerations and the details will appear in the explanatory paragraph of the Publisher's Statement. A prominent "#" sign will be shown in Paragraph 1 next to the verified category, as well as a notation in Paragraphs 6 and 6a that states that the public place verified copies were paid for.
Related Links:
Prototype of the new disclosure for summary reporting (PDF*)
Prototype of the new disclosure for detail reporting (PDF*)
Posted 07/29/08
