The Circulations Audit Board (CAB) is introducing stricter eLodgement deadlines for publisher members from the end of March 2011 onwards, in order to streamline operations and ensure a consistent and completely level playing field for all.

 The new guidelines mean there will now be very strict deadlines for when paperwork is sent to the CAB and when eLodgements are completed, with late lodgement leading to financial penalties and/or suspension of membership.

 The move is designed to be able to provide advertisers with one release of data per audit period, in which all audited titles are included, in order to ensure that information is made available at the same time with uniformity and total transparency.

“Our new single-release policy has benefits for both publishers and the marketing community,” says the CEO of CAB, Paul Dovas. “Publishers will now have more surety in terms of an equal playing field and can maximise the impact of their release, while advertisers and media buyers will know that on the release day they can see all of the reputable titles who are audited.”

“As there will be only one release of all distribution figures, it is now the responsibility of each publisher to submit all eLodgements and audit paperwork by the due dates,” explains Dovas. “Fundamentally, we are implementing this to add transparency to the process.”

Publishers who fail to comply with the new eLodgement deadlines that come into effect on 1 April 2011 will be in breach of the CAB Print Reporting Standard by-laws and could result in financial penalties, the suspension of a publication’s CAB membership, and omission from the full release of audited figures to be distributed on 20 May 2011.

For the next audit period, CAB staff audited publications must be submitted by no later than 15 April, and all other publications must lodge their external audits and publisher statements by midnight on Friday 29 April. Friday 20 May is when the full release of audited figures will be made available.

For further clarification on the new reporting rules for eLodgement or the audit process visit the website at www.auditbureau.org.au/cabdates.php or email the CAB Audit Team at: auditor@auditbureau.org.au or phone (02) 9954 9800.

Source: Circulations Audit Board; Paul Dovas.
 By: Philip Jenkinson