ABC was the first Joint Industry Currency (JIC) in the UK. JICS are owned by the industry - advertisers, agencies and media owners - to provide transparent and objective audience measurement for each medium. These data are produced and sold at cost providing both industry accountability and a robust trading currency for each medium. The UK Joint Industry Currencies are ABC, BARB, JICPOPS, JICREG, JICWEBS, PAMCO, RAJAR and ROUTE
ABC Standards
ABC delivers industry agreed standards for media brand measurement across print, digital and events. Over 80 key industry practitioners sit on our Reporting Standards Groups (RSG's). They review and evolve the standards for each media sector to support industry innovations.
ABC Standards
Byelaws & Compliance
Reporting Standards Groups (RSGs)
Our RSGs are responsible for developing the Reporting Standards, which are the rules to which ABC data are prepared and reported. Each media sector is represented by its own RSG, with members including media owners and media buyers. The groups meet regularly to review and agree the standards for their sector to ensure they keep pace with new innovations and developing industry practices.
If you would like to understand how you can get involved please contact us.
You can find out more about the RSGs here.
Our current RSG representatives are listed below:
| Name | Position | Organisation |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Guiton | Director of Distribution | Metro Associated Newspapers Ltd |
| Chris Read | MediaCom | |
| Gaby Cornish | Associate Director - Investment | StarCom Mediavest Group |
| Gianni Cavalli | Distribution Director | CITY A.M Ltd |
| Mitchell Droppa | Press Manager | Carat |
| Name | Position | Organisation |
|---|---|---|
| Claire Butcher (Chair) | Media Director | Neo@Ogilvy |
| Ben Dobbyn | Media Manager | MediaCom Business |
| Caroline Cronin | Business Media Manager | PPA |
| Guy Blackden | EMEA Media Director | DWA Media |
| James Weatherill | Head of B2B | Mindshare |
| Mark Ashley | Client Services Director | Ptarmigan Media |
| Mark Evans | Publishing Director | Perspective Publishing |
| Rose Rye | Account Executive | Amplifi |
| Roshan Abeysekera | Database Manager | Datateam |
| Steve Morgan | Client Services Manager | Quadrant Subscription Services |
| Tracy Larner | Head of Paid Contact Marketing | William Reed Business Media |
| Name | Position | Organisation |
|---|---|---|
| Adam Crow (Chair) | Head of Press | MediaCom TMBG Ltd |
| Andy Hargreaves | Head of Print Brands | OMD |
| Anthony Gibson-Watt | Press Trading Director | Zenith Optimedia |
| Christina Sequeira | Marketing Services & International Director | Market Force |
| Duncan Tickell | Commercial Director | Immediate Media Co |
| Fergus Carroll | Head of Marketing | Bauer Media |
| Ken Moreton | Circulation & Production Director | Shortlist Media Ltd |
| Lucy Hubbard | Publishing Account Manager | Dentsu Aegis |
| Nicola Rowe | Director of Circulation & Member Services | Periodical Publishers Association |
| Reid Holland | Marketing & Circulation Director | Hearst Magazine UK |
| Richard Kingerlee | Circulation Director | Conde Nast Publications Ltd |
| Steve Hare | Deputy Head of Publishing | Initiative |
| Sue Moore | Senior Marketing Analyst | The Economist |
| Name | Position | Organisation |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Amor (Chair) | Trading Director | News UK |
| Adam Crow | Head of Press | MediaCom |
| Charlie Varley | Planning Director | Dentsu Aegis |
| Craig Smith | Business Director | Mindshare |
| John Howard | Circulation Director | Trinity Mirror |
| Martin Lydon | Global Research Director | Financial Times |
| Nick Brown | Pro Activation Director | StarCom |
| Paul Little | Circulation Director | Telegraph Media Group |
| Philip Butler | Head of Contracts & Compliance | Associated Newspapers |
| Richard Thomson | Group Publishing Director | Johnston Press |
| Steve Goodman | MD of Print Trading | GroupM |
| Trevor Jones | Sales Performance Director | NMA |
| Vanessa Doyle | Head of Press and Cinema | Initiative |
| Steve Payne | Head of Planning and Insight | Northern and Shell |
| Name | Position | Organisation |
|---|---|---|
| Darron McLoughlin (Chair) | Audience Development Director | Archant |
| Alison Jarvis | Newspaper Sales Shared Manager | Trinity Mirror |
| Dean Barber | Circulation Director | Express and Star |
| Fiona Hodges | Regional Director | MEC |
| Fiona Maddison | Newspaper Sales & Distribution Manager | Kent Messenger Ltd |
| Jeff Almond | Media Facilities Executive | NMA |
| Keith Donaldson | Chief Executive | JICREG |
| Marie Rushall | Regional Newspaper Sales Manager | Newsquest |
| Scott Barnard | Account Manager | Dentsu Aegis |
| Tina Calcutt | Head of Content Sales | Johnston Press |
| Name | Position | Organisation |
|---|---|---|
| Brendan McCabe (Chair) | ||
| Ann Marie Lenihan | Chief Executive | National Newspapers of Ireland (ROI) |
| Barry Dooley | Chief Executive | Association of Advertisers in Ireland (AAI) |
| David Dawson | Commercial Operations Manager | Independent Newspapers (Ireland) Ltd |
| Duan Stokes | Director | Hot Press |
| Eoin Doyle | Head of Marketing Food | Glanbia Consumer Foods Ireland |
| Fran Walsh | Sales & Development Manager | The Irish Times |
| Grace Aungier | Chief Executive | Magazines Ireland |
| Jason Nebenzahl | Managing Directo | PHD |
| Johnny O'Hanlon | Director | Regional Newspapers & Printers Association |
| Sean Murphy | Circulations Manager | The Irish Examiner |
| Tania Banotti | CEO | Institution of Advertising Practitioners in Ireland |
Other Industry Standards
Separate to setting brand measurement standards, ABC also supports other industry agreed standards. As a trusted verification provider our independent services check that data and the adoption of good practice are compliant with the following media standards:
COUNTER
Counting Online Usage of Networked Electronic Resources (COUNTER) delivers industry compliant reporting of online library journals and electronic resources.
COUNTER compliance requires publishers and content aggregators to maintain effective reporting processes and undergo an annual verification programme for the reports they offer.
EDAA
The European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance (EDAA) is based in Brussels and runs the Online Behavioural Advertising Self-Regulatory Certification Programme for companies within Europe. They manage the process of licensing the Ad Choices (OBA) icon and also administer the Certification programme to these European standards.
ABC is an OBA Certification Provider approved by the EDAA and authorised to distribute the EDAA's Trust Seal to companies meeting the relevant requirements.
JICWEBS
The Joint Industry Committee for Web Standards (JICWEBS) is made up of representatives from ISBA, the IPA, IAB UK and the AOP. It was created by the UK and Ireland media industry to ensure independent development of standards and benchmarking of best practice for online ad trading.
JICWEBS has developed various Reporting Standards and Good Practice Principles covering online video, brand safety, viewability and anti ad fraud.
