Dow Jones Press Release
The Wall Street Journal Europe says a UK audit bureau review has determined the paper’s paid circulation arrangement was “valid.” The side deal led to publisher Andrew Langhoff’s resignation in October and raised questions about the paper’s editorial integrity in covering Executive Learning Partnership. In the statement (after the jump), the company praises the ABC for ignoring “misleading and sensationalistic” media coverage of the “unnecessarily complex” program.
WALL STREET JOURNAL EUROPE STATEMENT REGARDING ABC UK DETERMINATION
LONDON (Jan. 4, 2012) — We are pleased that the ABC UK has concluded its review of the subscription agreement with Executive Learning Partnership (ELP) and determined that The Wall Street Journal Europe’s circulation under that arrangement is valid.That has been our position from the outset.
The Wall Street Journal Europe has been transparent throughout. The agreement with ELP was shared with the ABC UK at the time, and the relevant copies were previously validated. We have already acknowledged publicly that while the copies were properly counted under ABC rules, the program itself was unnecessarily complex and not one we will replicate in the future.
We appreciate the ABC UK putting aside the misleading and sensationalistic press coverage from some media outlets and conducting a thorough and dispassionate review.
