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Home > Rules & Resources > Publisher Support Center > Consumer Magazines > FAQs >

Rules & Resources
Consumer Magazine Support Center

Frequently Asked Questions

ABC Contacts

• Who is my audit manager?

A complete list of audit managers by state is available on ABC’s website.

• Who is my Publisher Relations manager?

A complete list of Publisher Relations managers by state is available on ABC’s website.

• I have lost the user name and password I use to file my Publisher's Statement online. Who do I contact to get a new one?

If you have misplaced your online filing user name and password, please contact ABC’s Technical Review and Report Processing (TRRP) department at 224-366-6939.

Audit Documentation and Report Filing

• Where can I access the forms to file my Publisher's Statement?

The Publisher’s Statement filing forms and survey forms for consumer magazines are available online.

Consumer magazine members may also submit their Publisher’s Statement electronically via ABC’s online filing system.

• Where can I access prototypes of ABC reports?

Prototypes of Publisher’s Statements, Audit Reports, FAS-FAX reports and other ABC reports are available on ABC’s website.

• What is the filing deadline for my Publisher's Statement?

Magazine filing deadlines occur every year in July and January.

• Is there a list of the documentation I need to keep for my audit?

For suggestions on how to prepare for your consumer magazine audit, visit ABC’s website.

• Am I required to complete the Survey and Worksheet materials?

All consumer magazine members are required to submit a completed Survey and Worksheet materials to ABC at the time they file their Publisher’s Statement. Publishers that do not submit the completed materials may be suspended from future report services (including FAS-FAX) until all past due documents are received.

To learn how to submit your Survey and Worksheet materials, read ABC’s instructions.

• Do I have to calculate the average price of my publication?

Publishers must submit their average price when they file their Publisher’s Statement. To assist publishers in calculating the average price, ABC has created an Excel worksheet.

To read more about average price, including definitions and frequently asked questions, visit ABC’s website.

Bylaws and Rules

• Where can I access ABC's Bylaws and Rules?

The Bylaws and Rules are available on ABC’s website.

• What is verified circulation? What are the reporting categories for verified circulation?

Verified circulation is defined as subscription copies designated by publishers for readership in a public place or intended for individual use by recipients who are likely to have a strong affinity for the content of the magazine.

A standardized lists of distribution categories to report in Paragraphs 6a and 6b.

• Where can I find out more information about ABC's sponsored sales guidelines? I'd also like to know more about sponsored sales recipient notification guidelines.

ABC’s sponsored sales guidelines, including qualification and reporting, are posted on the ABC website.

Effective Jan. 1, 2007, ABC’s sponsored sales rules require that recipients of sponsored sales copies be informed of the purchaser in the transaction.

• Where can I learn more about partnership sales—both deductible and non-deductible?

More information about deductible partnership sales, including definitions, reporting, evaluation forms and audit standards, is available on the ABC website.

At its November 2006 meeting, the ABC board of directors voted unanimously to modify the rules surrounding partnership sales and eliminate the non-deductible partnership sales circulation category effective July 1, 2007.

• I'd like to report my digital edition as paid on my Publisher's Statement, what do I need to know?

Reporting and qualification guidelines for consumer magazine digital edition circulation are available on ABC’s website.

• I have a couple of circulation programs I would like ABC to review before I begin implementing them. Are there forms I need to submit?

ABC’s Publisher Relations team is always available to review circulation programs. ABC has posted several program evaluation forms that publishers may complete and submit to their Publisher Relations manager.

• I'm a monthly publication, how many back copies can I serve?

In July 2006, ABC’s board of directors modified the rules surrounding back copies.

Other

• Does ABC offer any training programs for its members?

ABC offers a variety of training opportunities for its members including Webinars, on-site workshops and custom training.

• How can I find out what happened at the latest ABC board of directors meeting?

The ABC board of directors meet three times a year—in March, July and November.

On the Tuesday following each board meeting, ABC issues a press release and a complete board actions summary to its members and the media. Both documents are posted in ABC’s virtual pressroom.

ABC’s Publisher Relations department also posts board-ruling explanations following each meeting.

• Who is on ABC's board of directors?

The ABC board of directors is made up of 38 members; 20 from the advertiser and advertising agency divisions and 18 from the publisher divisions.

ABC also has several buyer and publisher committees that provide valuable input and feedback to the board of directors.

• Do you have a roster of ABC members?

A complete roster of current ABC members and publisher applicants is available online.

• I'd like to promote my ABC membership, is there an ABC logo I can use in my publication?

For ABC members, a variety of logos as well as promotional small space ads are available for on ABC’s website.

• Can ABC conduct an audit of my website traffic activity?

ABC does offer a variety of interactive audits through its ABC Interactive (ABCi) service.

• What is ABC Rapid Report and how do I participate?

ABC Rapid Report is an online tool that allows consumer magazine publishers to voluntarily report their top-line circulation data on an issue-by-issue basis within weeks of the on-sale date.

Publishers do not need to enroll in the service, they can simply access the tool via the Online Rapid Report Filing section of the website.

To learn why publishers and advertisers feel that Rapid Report is vital to the magazine, read our Point of View series.

• What is a Consolidated Media Report?

The Consolidated Media Report (CMR) for consumer magazines allows a publisher to compile circulation and website traffic data, along with any other auditable media, into one aggregated figure providing advertisers with a capsule summary of a publication's overall brand.