Issues to be included / excluded - National Newspapers

Back to index

Issues to be included / excluded

All published issues for which the majority of the distribution took place within the Reporting Period must be included except for any issues allowed to be excluded according to this section.

Principles

1. All issues published in the Reporting Period must be included

2. Published issues that are allowed to be excluded according to this section may be removed from the average circulation figure

3. Issues allowed to be excluded from the average circulation figure will be reported

Requirements

1. All issues published in the Reporting Period must be included

1. Whether an issue is included in the Reporting Period is determined by the date by which 50% of the claimed distribution is distributed/made available. For each component of distribution the date distributed/made available is determined as follows:

   1. Mailed copies: The date the copies enter the distribution chain, i.e. when they are posted or delivered to a courier.

   2. Paid copies: The first date the copies are made available to the consumer, i.e. for retail sales the first official on sale date.

   3. Copies made available for pick up by consumer: The date the copies are made available/handed out to the consumer.

   4. Free Digital Edition copies: The date email notifications are sent.
      

2. Published issues that are allowed to be excluded according to this section may be removed from the average circulation figure

1. There are certain circumstances under which you may exclude an issue from the reported circulation. The circumstances and information surrounding any exclusion are subject to audit.

2. ABC granted exclusion
   You may exclude an issue for which we have issued an exclusion note. You can apply for an ABC granted exclusion if:

   1. Due to circumstances outside your control:

      • You can demonstrate a shortfall in the UK and ROI normal net sale (i.e. excluding Multiple Copy Sales) and that shortfall is at least 5% or more of the average normal net sale of the previous four equivalent issues (e.g. for a Monday compare to Mondays etc). Note:

        • The shortfall must have arisen because the exceptional circumstances outside of your control resulted in the planned level of distribution not being achieved, or the planned level of distribution being achieved but it was severely delayed or withdrawn from sale prematurely. For example: machinery breakdown or severe adverse weather significantly reducing or delaying distribution.

        • If one or more of the last four issues are excluded because of an official National Public Holiday or Christmas/New year trading period exclusions then do not use this as one of the four comparable issue but go back one further issue.

        • If one or more of the last four issues are excluded because of an ABC Granted Exclusion then it will be counted as one of the four comparable issues.

   2. You submit your application to us using an ABC Exclusion Note Request Form within 7 days of the end of the relevant Reporting Period.

      1. If we do not issue an exclusion note we will issue a rejection notice detailing the reason for rejection. To obtain an exclusion note request form please email us via .

3. Optional exclusion: You may optionally exclude the following issues without applying for an exclusion note:

   1. Issues published during the Christmas/New Year trading period, which is defined as from Christmas Eve to the first Sunday after New Year’s Day (inclusive). Note:

      • If the fall of days renders these dates inappropriate ABC reserves the right to amend the dates for any particular year.

   2. Issues published on official National Public Holidays for the publication’s Core Country, as notified to ABC. The official National Public Holidays accepted by ABC without further need for referral to ABC are as follows (may be varied in a particular year if changes are officially announced):

England, Wales and Scotland

1. 1. New Years Day – January 1^st *
   2. Good Friday – March/April
   3. Easter Sunday – March/April
   4. Easter Monday – March/April
   5. Early May Bank Holiday – First Monday in May
   6. Spring Bank Holiday – Last Monday in May 
   7. Summer Bank Holiday – Last Monday in August
   8. Christmas Day – December 25^th *

   9. Boxing Day – December 26^th *

Northern Ireland Only

1. 1. News Years Day – January 1^st *
   2. St Patrick’s Day – March 17^th *
   3. Good Friday – March/April
   4. Easter Sunday – March/April
   5. Easter Monday – March/April
   6. Early May Bank Holiday – First Monday in May
   7. Spring Bank Holiday – Last Monday in May
   8. Battle of the Boyne – July 12^th *
   9. Summer Bank Holiday – Last Monday in August
   10. Christmas Day – December 25^th *

   11. Boxing Day – December 26^th * 

Republic of Ireland Only

1. 1. News Years Day – January 1^st *
   2. St Patrick’s Day – March 17^th *
   3. Easter Sunday – March/April
   4. Easter Monday – March/April
   5. First Monday in May
   6. First Monday in June
   7. First Monday in August
   8. Last Monday in October
   9. Christmas Day – December 25^th *
   10. Boxing Day – December 26^th *

*or next available working day if falls on a weekend

3. Issues allowed to be excluded from the average circulation figure will be reported

1. Any issues excluded from the reported circulation will be reported on the Certificate.

Reporting

You will report the following which will be reported on the ABC Certificate:

1. Number of issues included in the circulation claim.

2. Details of any issues excluded from the circulation claim, including for each:

1. The general reason for exclusion.

2. The total of the UK and Republic of Ireland circulation, broken down into

   1. United Kingdom

   2. Scotland - as a subset of UK

   3. England, Wales & N. Ireland – as a subset of UK

   4. Republic of Ireland (ROI)

Guidance

No additional guidance.