This audit is for publishers of magazines with a majority paid circulation base.
Introduction To The Audit
The ABC’s print audit delivers audited data about the sales of magazines reported up to four times a year.
This information has a high media focus upon release and is important to media companies, advertising agencies and the finance and investment sector.
The media industry recognised standard reported by the ABC is ‘Average Net Paid Sales’.
Publishers submit their circulation records to independent verification to prove the number of copies purchased by individuals. The audit reports an average number of sales per issue.
Audit Periods
The ABC reports results of audits four times per year:
Weekly magazines with circulation greater than 25,000 report quarterly.
All other magazines, including monthly magazines, audit or report every six months:
How Does A Publication Qualify?
It’s voluntary! Any magazines with a majority paid circulation can become a member of the ABC and have their circulation audited. Australian magazine publishers have their circulation verified for the benefit of advertisers and media buyers.
Publishers join by paying an annual low-cost membership fee and submit their circulation records to independent audit to prove to advertisers the average number of copies per issue that qualify as Average Net Paid Sales.
What Qualifies?
An ABC audit reports the Average Net Paid Sales per issue of a publication. The audit looks at every issue published in the audit period, and checks sales for each issue. The process begins with the print run and then establishes the volume of copies sold and the volume that remain unsold. Only paid for copies are reported.
Average Net Paid Sales – What counts?
The following categories are included in the Average Net Paid Sales total but reported as a percentage as well:
Preparing For An Audit
Publishers prepare for an audit by collecting and preparing details about the sales of every issue of the publication for their audit period.
Each audit is unique and will be tailored to suit the sales environment for each publication, however auditors will require proof of production of the publication, distribution and sales and should request to view financial records to verify this data.
The ABC works with Publishers to develop and improve record keeping processes and offers a comprehensive and competitive audit service.
Please see the Audit Guidelines for more detail on how the audit will be conducted.
Important PDFs for Publishers
Please see below for all the information sheets you need about the ABC’s important dates and exclusion notices for publishers.
> Access the above Audit Tools for the ABC
Accessing Data
Members have access to a range of reports, trends and tools that help you better understand paid print media.
To try us out, call or email us today for a demonstration in your office.
ABA Launches Mobile Website to Help Protect Advertiser Dollars
The Audit Bureaux of Australia (ABA) has launched an innovative online tool that allows advertisers, media buyers and business owners to quickly check a publication’s audited circulation data, to help advertisers make safe and informed decisions when purchasing media ads.
Newspapers Embrace New Rules For Reporting Day-of-Week Sales
11 November 2011 -The Australian, the Daily Telegraph and the Herald Sun together with APN News & Media’s entire stable of regional daily newspapers are among the major newspapers that have begun voluntarily reporting their average sales numbers for each day of the week, the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) announced today.
CAB Elects Advertising Agency Representive To Lead New Board
7 October 2011 -The Circulations Audit Board (CAB) highlighted the importance of the protection of advertisers and media buyers with the return of an advertising agency representative as President at the CAB’s annual general meeting held in Sydney on Thursday October 6, 2011.
CAB Calls on Advertisers to ‘Count On Us’ in new Advertising Campaign
5 August 2011 - The Circulations Audit Board has launched its biggest-ever awareness campaign to promote the importance of audited media with the support of CAB members through the roll out of ads across over 800 CAB audited print publications in September.
CAB Conference Here to Stay
28 July 2011 - The Circulations Audit Board’s inaugural Accountability in Ad Spend conference brought together its community of media buyers, print and digital publishers to discuss sex, auditing and macarons with roaring success this month.
Australian Businesses Losing Millions Through Media Scams
11 July 2011 - Australian businesses are losing more than $29 million annually as a result of media scams, with small and medium businesses bearing the brunt of the losses. The Circulations Audit Board (CAB), who is hosting the upcoming Accountability in Ad Spend conference on 21 July, has identified the millions lost each month.
ABC Launches Landmark New Rules to Increase Transparency and Accuracy of Print Sales Data
1 July 2011 - The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) has today launched significant new rules for the auditing and reporting of sales data for print publications, encompassing changes to deliver day-of-week reporting for newspapers, voluntary reporting for all publications and updates to the auditing and reporting of sales categories.
CAB Launches Major Review of Exhibition Auditing
27 June 2011 - The Circulations Audit Board (CAB) has launched the first major review of its exhibition audit rules and guidelines in more than six years, forming a committee of industry leaders to review the existing rules and bring them in line with current market needs.
