Rules & Resources
Newspaper Support Center

Third-Party Sales Guidelines and Rules

(U.S. and Canadian Newspaper Publications)

CONTENT

Edition to be distributed

ABC requires that the newspaper distributed to fulfill a third-party sales purchase be an edition of the “core” newspaper. If only a single edition is published, this is the “core” newspaper.

“Core” newspaper is defined as all editions of the newspaper that have the same basic identity, format, and language as the main edition and contains 100 percent of run-of-press (ROP) advertising. Common examples of “core” newspaper editions are ‘metro’ and ‘suburban’ editions.

Electronic Editions
Electronic editions as third-party sales are only allowed under two specific circumstances:

  • For businesses for distribution to their employees
  • For libraries for use by their patrons
If the distribution meets one of the above criteria, a newspaper may distribute an ABC-approved electronic edition to fulfill a third-party sales purchase. In these cases, the number of user licenses purchased should represent the number of copies claimed as third-party sales.

Electronic editions distributed to fulfill a third-party sale that do not meet one of the two circumstances listed above may not be included in paid circulation on ABC reports.

Statement of Distributing a “Complete” Newspaper

It is important to understand what ABC defines as a “complete” paper. This will help ensure an acceptable newspaper product is being distributed to fulfill a third-party purchase.

At minimum, a “complete” paper is one that contains:

  • All the editorial and classified sections of the newspaper (this includes the main section, sports, life, entertainment, local news, classifieds, all ROP advertising, etc.)

  • On Sundays, the comic section must also be included
Freestanding insert advertising (FSIs) is often utilized – especially in Sunday newspapers. In July 2003, the board of directors adopted a guideline that allows FSIs to be excluded from newspapers distributed to fulfill a third-party sale.





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