Latest Changes

March 2012

• Reporting of editions: For issues distributed on or after 2 January 2012 all editions reported on the ABC certificate will be reported with an average circulation and breakout by circulation type, not just those with a change in ROP (display) advertising which has been the case up to this point.
• Paid Postal Subscriptions – reporting of copies outside Ireland and the UK: From reporting periods beginning January 2012 the requirement to break out paid postal subscriptions outside Ireland and the UK is removed if they are less than 5% of the total average figure claimed in the category Newstrade, Single Copy and Subscription Sales.
• Single copy sales – counter sales (non-daily publications): For issues distributed on or after 2 January 2012 publishers of non-daily publications are allowed to treat their counter sales made in a week as a sale of that week’s issue, simplifying the record keeping needed. This will alleviate the need to record separately by issue the counter sales of different issues.
• Exclusion of copies purchased by press cutting agencies: For issues distributed on or after 2 January 2012 the requirement to exclude copies purchased by press cutting agencies is removed. 
• Social Media: You can now report a basic measure of social media audience(s) on a product’s ABC Multi-Platform Certificate. Examples of what could be reported are Facebook ‘Likes’ or Twitter ‘Followers’. This can be reported from April 2012.

Previous Changes

September 2011

• Editions - From the October 2011 audit month: 1) No longer a requirement for separate rate card. 2) Clarification on treatment of wraps. 3) Clarification on reporting of changed format editions.

December 2010

• Pre-paid non-postal subscriptions: From reporting periods starting January 2011 rules covering pre-paid non-postal subcriptions have been incorporated into the regional publication reporting standards. This category covers a subscription, paid for in advance, purchased by an individual who is provided with vouchers that they take to a newsagent to obtain their copies of the publication.
• Regular & issue specific bulk sales: key principles have been agreed in relation to bulk sales for airlines.
• In-house controlled direct delivery and subscriptions: the requirement to report to ABC with the claim details of unpaid copies in this category has been removed as it is covered by audit.
• Appeal procedure: Where a member appeals against a decision in relation to an ABC audit or inspection, the timescale within which the Director of Audit will investigate and provide a decision has been amended from 5 working days to 10 working days.

 July 2010

• Firm sale newstrade and multiple copy sales: It is clarified that from the ABC September 2010 reporting month, reciprocal payments made by the publisher or reciprocal charges made by a purchaser of a publication (not the consumer) as part of a firm sale newstrade or multiple copy sale deal must be taken into account when considering whether ABC requirements are met.

June 2010

• Cover Price: The current requirement to publish a cover price on or within every sold copy is changing from July 2010 so that it must be published on the front and/or back page of every sold copy.
• Multiple copy sales (capping): From the July to December 2010 reporting period: The method of calculating the cap for multiple copy sales delivered to airlines will change.