General Questions
- What is Audience-FAX?
Audience-FAX is a U.S. daily newspaper audience-reporting initiative that for the first time integrates circulation, print readership and online audience data on ABC media reports.
Audience-FAX data is integrated on ABC Publisher's Statements, Audit Reports and FAS-FAX. The data is also available in a Scarborough Research-hosted database at www.audiencefax.com and an Audience-FAX eTrends tool on ABC's website. ABC independently audits all audience and website data included in Audience-FAX.
Audience-FAX is released every six months in conjunction with ABC's circulation FAS-FAX report. A FAS-FAX schedule is posted on our website.
- Why is this initiative occurring?
Audience-FAX is a joint collaboration between ABC, Scarborough Research and the NAA. It is the latest step in a multilevel industry initiative to answer advertisers' needs for measurement data that reflects newspapers' full reach and audience. Such information also helps facilitate comparisons with the audiences of electronic media.
- Is participation in Audience-FAX optional? Is it available for all ABC newspaper members?
Audience-FAX is an optional audience-reporting program available to all U.S. daily newspaper members.
- What's the difference between tier one and tier two?
Audience-FAX is available in two tiers or groups: tier one covers newspapers in a syndicated Scarborough-measured market that meets Reader Profile standards; tier two is for all other newspapers.
A complete list of tier one newspapers is available on our website.
- What data am I required to report?
- How is the audience data displayed on my ABC circulation reports?
Audience-FAX data is incorporated on three of ABC’s circulation reports:
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Publisher’s Statements
The twice-yearly Publisher’s Statements includes four boxes across the bottom of page one. The boxes are designated for print readership, online readership, net combined audience and total website usage data. Paragraph 1 circulation data is unaffected by Audience-FAX. ABC circulation figures are not combined with readership or website unique user numbers.
Tier one newspapers are required to report their average print readership and online readership by both DMA and NDM*. The net unduplicated audience of print and online will also be included.
Tier one newspapers are also required to report the total number of unique users visiting their website.
More information on reporting requirements is available on ABC's website.
Audit Reports
The Audience-FAX data is also incorporated on the Audit Report in the four boxes at the bottom of page one. ABC will report any audit findings in the audit statement paragraph.
FAS-FAX
In FAS-FAX, the Reader Profile data columns were replaced with print readership, print percent reach, online readership, net combined audience and total website uniques. All circulation data remains unchanged.
- How do I access the Audience-FAX database and eTrends tool?
Created and hosted by Scarborough Research, the Audience-FAX database is available for free at www.audiencefax.com.
The database allows advertisers to rank data and generate custom reports on national and local newspapers comparing selected markets or papers across a range of demographic segments, including age, gender, household income, education and geography.
The Audience-FAX eTrends tool enables advertisers to perform period-by-period trending analyses for top-line circulation and audience information. With this tool, media buyers can create customized trending reports that detail circulation, average print and online readership, total combined audience, and total unique website users. Reports can be downloaded into PDF or Excel files for quick analyses or e-mailing to colleagues. The eTrends tool can be accessed on the ABC website or via your e-Data login.
- Are there any audit or reporting fees associated with Audience-FAX?
Tier one newspapers are charged an auditing fee of approximately $6,500 per year that covers audit charges for both the readership study and the website activity data. This fee also covers inclusion of the data in ABC reports and the two Audience-FAX databases. There is an additional Scarborough processing fee of $295 per reporting period.
Tier one newspapers that report Web activity from multiple sources will be charged an incremental $1,000 per year for the audit of the second Web activity source.
Tier one newspapers that report branded editions may incur an additional upcharge.
- When will the next wave of Audience-FAX data be released?
Audience-FAX is released every six months in conjunction with ABC's circulation FAS-FAX report. A FAS-FAX schedule is posted on our website.
Print Readership and Online Audience Questions
- What's the difference between circulation data and print readership data?
A newspaper’s circulation refers to the number of copies distributed, typically reported as a daily or weekly average. Circulation is not necessarily the
same as copies sold, since some copies or newspapers are distributed without cost.
Readership is a measurement of total audience—or the average number of people who “read” or “looked into” a newspaper in a given time frame. Readership figures are usually higher than circulation figures because more than one person often reads a newspaper copy—at home, work or in a public setting like libraries or waiting rooms.
Circulation in tandem with readership best addresses advertisers’ needs for measurement data that reflects newspapers’ true reach and audience.
- Who supplies the readership and online audience data?
For tier one newspapers, Scarborough Research provides the print readership, online audience and net combined audience data.
- How does ABC get my print readership and online audience data?
Scarborough Research submits the data directly to ABC before each six-month reporting period. ABC then incorporates the data on Publisher's Statements, Audit Reports and FAS-FAX. You will have the opportunity to review your reports before they are released.
- When will I get to see my print and online readership numbers?
All Audience-FAX data will be prepopulated in ABC's online filing tool before each reporting period. Once the online filing tool opens to ABC members, you will be able to login to your account and view the numbers. You will not be able to make any modifications to the Audience-FAX data.
- What's the difference between online readership and total website usage?
The online readership number is provided by Scarborough and is the total number of readers the website has within the defined market (either the DMA or NDM*). website usage (unique visitors) is supplied by a panel-based research company (such as Nielsen Online or ComScore) and is the total number of visitors to the site, regardless of their location.
- What's the difference between a readership DMA and NDM*?
DMA (Designated Market Area) is a standardized television viewing area defined by Nielsen. All tier one newspapers must report a DMA.
The NDM* (Newspaper Designated Market for readership) is a geographic area selected by the newspaper. It must encompass at least 75 percent of the total paid circulation. Tier one newspapers must also report an NDM*.
- Where did you get my NDM*? How do I change my NDM*?
The NDM* for tier one newspapers is provided to ABC by Scarborough. If you would like to change your NDM* for the next reporting period, please contact
manager, research auditing, at (224) 366-6401.
- Is Saturday readership included in the Audience-FAX data?
Saturday readership can be included in the past seven-day data if the data is collected by the researcher. For newspapers that don't measure Saturday readership, the past seven-day readership data is comprised of the Sunday and weekday figures.
- Will my readership data change for each reporting period?
Yes, the readership data for tier one newspapers will change for each reporting period. Unlike the Reader Profile program, the readership data for Audience-FAX will change for each reporting period.
Website Activity Questions
- What website activity metrics can I report?
Tier one newspapers must report unique users or unique cookies. They can optionally report page impression data from the same source.
Tier one newspapers can optionally include page impressions and unique user/cookie data from both a server and panel-based source. Newspapers that take advantage of reporting by multiple sources will be charged an incremental $1,000 per year for the additional website activity audit for a total Audience-FAX participation fee of $7,500 per year.
- What's the difference between unique visitors and page impressions?
A unique user is a unique individual or browser—as measured by a panel-based measurement company—that accesses a website during a specific period of time.
A page impression is the number of times a Web page is viewed by visitors.
- What's the difference between unique users and unique cookies?
- Who supplies my website activity data?
Tier one newspapers have the option of reporting data from a variety of sources, including Nielsen Online, comScore Inc. or server-based analytics tools such as Omniture, Webside Story, Google Analytics, etc.
Tier one newspapers can optionally include page impressions and unique cookie data from both a server and panel-based source. Newspapers that take advantage of reporting by multiple sources will be charged an incremental $1,000 per year for the additional website activity audit for a total Audience-FAX participation fee of $7,500 per year.
You will need to submit the data and corresponding documentation directly to ABC. You will be able to view the data through the online filing tool once the online filing tool opens for the reporting period.
Regardless of the source, ABCi must audit all website activity data.
- Will my website traffic data change for each reporting period?
Yes, website traffic data will be updated for each Audience-FAX reporting period.
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