Audit Bureau of Circulations
Digital tablets and mobile apps will receive increased emphasis for the purposes of reporting circulation and readership figures, according to new rules released by the Audit Bureau of Circulations today. ABC, which audits readership information for many U.S. publications, revised several guidelines, including one that will allow magazines sold on digital tablets to be counted as paid circulation as long as all original printed editorial and advertising content is included. Previously, the content had to be an exact print replica edition to be included in circulation reports.
According to an ABC press release, “Wired magazine was the first publication to seek review of its iPad version, which will qualify as a digital replica edition under the bureau’s new guidelines. GQ has offered an ABC-approved replica app for the iPhone and iPod Touch since December 2009.”
For newspapers, e-reader distribution, mobile app purchases and total paid circulation from any digital platform may now be included as part of a publication’s overall readership figures. These modifications to the reporting guidelines will go into effect on Oct. 1, 2010.
