Since 1957, the Circulations Audit Board (CAB) has been providing advertisers, marketers and media buyers with verified distribution data, delivering credibility to the media industry. Members that use the data  include advertisers, advertising agencies, research companies, stockbrokers and leading financial institutions.

Our members include business, professional and specialty publications, community and community language newspapers, exhibition organisers, e-mail distribution publishers, providers of unaddressed distribution and website publishers.

As a not-for-profit industry organisation, the CAB is governed by a board of directors elected from the membership on an annual basis. Board positions are honorary and represent the tripartite nature of membership with four advertisers, four agencies, four publishers and one exhibition representative directing the business of the CAB.

The CAB works closely with the industry to provide services relevant to members' needs while providing the integrity of third party verification of data.

Audit Bureaux of Australia (ABA)

The Audit Bureaux of Australia (ABA) which is often referred to as the ABA, is a relatively new brand that was introduced two years ago. It was intended to be the umbrella brand for the ABC & CAB, however some of our stakeholders only recognise the ABC & CAB brands.

For websites and digital publications that have never had their print titles audited under the ABC or CAB brands they are audited under the ABA name. The web and digital services are usually promoted as ABA audits and therefore the ABA has become well known for these audits. We believe there is some confusion how the three brands inter-relate to one another – which is quite understandable.

Interactive Ad Sales Houses of Australia (IASH)

IASH Australia aka Interactive Ad Sales Houses of Australia was set up on August 6, 2009, by owners of ad networks that were concerned about ad misplacement on the internet, and to protect their businesses. A Code of Conduct was established. This Code forbids IASH Australia members to sell inventory related to hate, indecency, bombs, guns, spyware and so on. It also sets out to provide transparency for the buyer. If buyers choose other types of inventory, such as sites that provide downloads, this must be ticked off on the insertion order.

IASH Australia was created to encourage best practice among online advertising sales houses through the adoption of an effective Code of Conduct. IASH Australia also exists to promote the real benefits of the online advertising network business model

The ABC acts as the secretariat for IASH and also audits the members to ensure they are adhering to the Code of Conduct. The ABC also present to media agencies alongside IASH representatives to explain what IASH and the level of accountability it add to ad sales house.

International Federation of Audit Bureaux of Circulations (IFABC)

Both the ABA is a member of the IFABC and Paul is on the Executive Board. In other countries they only have one body which is referred to as the ABC as opposed to our set up of the ABC and CAB.

The International Federation of Audit Bureaux of Circulations (IFABC) is a voluntary federation of industry-sponsored organisations that have been established in nations throughout the world. IFABC members have a common commitment to the accurate and transparent reporting of comparable print and new media performance data.

Its aim is to work with national and international organisations in any way that constructively supports the work of its members. The Federation seeks to encourage and facilitate the exchange of experience and best practice between member organisations, and is committed to working towards a greater standardisation and uniformity in the reporting of circulations and other data.

The IFABC actively encourages the establishment of an audit bureau of circulations in countries where currently such a bureau does not exist.