copyright © 2007 abc all rights reserved. neace may 21, 2007

Copyright © 2007ABC All Rights Reserved.

NEACENEACE

May 21, 2007May 21, 2007

Copyright © 2007 Audit Bureau of Circulations All Rights Reserved.

AgendaAgenda

♦ Board Updates: March ’07 Meeting• Board Requests• Integration of Audience Data• Rule Modifications

- Back Copies- Premium Exemptions- Voluntary Conversions- Bonus Days

♦ NAA/ABC Qualification Reporting Task Force• Members & Purpose• Discussion Points

♦ Electronic Editions• Qualification• Reporting


Board RequestsBoard Requests



♦ Bylaw 10.2

• Submission of Board Requests- Who can submit them to ABC staff?

- Currently may be anyone at the publication

• Proposed change - Mandate publisher or an individual in senior management

other than the circulation executive (President, CEO, COO, etc.)



♦ ACTION:

• Unanimous consent• Effective immediately (3/12/07)

♦ REMINDER:• Board requests must be received by ABC staff no later

than 14 days in advance of the Board meeting.


Integration of Integration of Audience DataAudience Data


Integration of Audience DataIntegration of Audience Data

♦ Summary:• Allow newspapers the option of incorporating readership data

(both print and online) and Web site traffic data:- In ABC Publisher’s Statements and Audit Reports- By DMA/NDM- Creation of on-line database

• All data appearing on ABC documents must be audited by:- ABC (circulation and readership)- ABC Interactive (website traffic data)

♦ March ’07 Board meeting• Granted preliminary approval to a joint collaboration between

ABC, Scarborough and the Newspaper Association of America (NAA) to determine how to best integrate circulation, readership and Web site traffic data.


Integration of Audience DataIntegration of Audience Data

♦ Next steps• Prototypes• Business Rules• Database• Syndicated Research studies

♦ July ’07 Board meeting• Anticipate finalizing program for availability of reporting in

September 2007 Publisher’s Statements


Rule Rule ModificationsModifications


C 7.12 Paragraph 3 dataC 7.12 Paragraph 3 data

♦ Audit Timeliness – high priority

♦ Publisher preparation• Rule change for Paragraph 3 at Nov ’06 meeting• Paragraph 3 data (all sections) now required to be

submitted to ABC in advance of the audit.- No later than 30 days after end of audit period

- Submit to Doreane Luszczewski~ E-mail ([email protected])~ Mail hard copy or CD to her attention at ABC address

- Required for June ’07 ending audits and forward


C 5.11 Single Issue SalesC 5.11 Single Issue Sales

♦ Proposed change to definition of back copies

• For SINGLE COPY ONLY

• Proposed modification- Becomes a back copy upon issuance of the next

corresponding day’s issue~ Monday is not a back copy until the next Monday~ Monday may stay on sale in newsstand environment

until the following Monday~ All sales of Monday issue during the week may be

claimed as paid if qualifying price paid.

• First passage granted in November ’06• Final passage granted at March ’07 meeting

- Effective March 12, 2007


C 5.1 Premium DefinedC 5.1 Premium Defined

♦ Proposal to exclude the following from consideration as premiums:

• Free or discounted access to online content or electronic edition from same editorial home page as publication

- Exception granted and renewed every 2 years since 1996

- Seeking permanent rule language to be adopted

- Granted first passage at March ‘07 meeting

• Subscriber Reward/Loyalty Programs- Value added program for subscribers

- Granted first passage at March ‘07 meeting


C 5.1 Premium DefinedC 5.1 Premium Defined

♦ Loyalty Programs:

• Conditions:- Must be designed to promote brand loyalty

- Must include an enrollment process (no auto enrollment)

- Newspaper may decide who is eligible for program and level of membership they may obtain

- Rewards may take two forms: merchandise or points

- Rewards may NOTNOT be:~ Converted to cash~ Accepted as payment for a subscription

- Rewards in provided to new subscriber in first 90 days may not exceed price paid for subscription.


C 5.13 Acceptance Unless DeclinedC 5.13 Acceptance Unless Declined

♦ Proposal to modify C 5.13 Subscriptions Offer Accepted Unless Declined

• Modification pertains to Conversions/Upgrades- Current practice:

~ If frequency subscriber originally ordered is not being eliminated, then newspaper must receive affirmative action (opt-in) from subscriber to accept upgraded FOD

- Proposed modification:~ If frequency subscriber originally ordered is not being

eliminated, then newspaper can begin serving upgraded FOD without opt-in from subscriber – however, an opt-out opportunity must be presented

• First passage granted at July 2006 Board meeting• Deferred at November ’06 and March ’07 meetings


C 2.11 Intermittent SubscriptionsC 2.11 Intermittent Subscriptions

♦ Discussion of current reporting requirements

• http://www.accessabc.com/newspapers/n_bonusdays.htm

• Should there be:- Limit on number of bonus days allowed per year

- Further disclosure of bonus day use on ABC formats

• ABC staff analysis per Board request- Highest # of bonus days in audit:

~ 333 (7.35% Dly; 0.79% Sun)

- Highest % of paid circ: ~ 9.30% Dly; 1.99% Sun (two different pubs)

• Discussion only at March ’07 meeting


NAA/ABC NAA/ABC Qualification & Reporting Qualification & Reporting

Task ForceTask Force


Task ForceTask Force♦ Established after July ’06 Board meeting

• Comprised of Publisher & Advertiser representatives

- Vince Casanova (Chair) Tribune Publishing Company- Rob Althaus Gannett Company- Ed Graves The Jackson Sun (TN)- Scott Whitley San Diego Union Tribune (CA)- Scott Heekin-Kennedy The New York Times- David Dadisman The Washington Post- Doug Davis Daytona Beach News-Journal- Sandy McLeod The Toronto Star- Robert Eickhoff The Atlanta Journal-Constitution- Mary Jacobus Boston Globe- Dennis Skulsky CanWest MediaWorks Publications- David Walker Newspaper Services of America- Bill Blackmer Valassis- Lisa Haynes Kohl’s Department Stores- Christopher Cope American Communications Group. Inc- Marsha Lawrence Best Buy Company- Craig Sinclair Walgreen Co.- Audrea Fulton Carat- Larisa Svechin Zenith Media- Kathleen Waltz Orlando Sentinel (NAA/ABC Liaison Cmte Rep)- Merle Davidson J.C. Penney Corporation (NBAC Rep)- John Murray NAA- Scott Hanson ABC- Mike Lavery ABC



♦ Mission:• Make circulation information more useful to its constituencies of

publishers and advertisers • Comprehensive review of newspaper division

- Qualification requirements for circulation- Reporting formats/tools for circulation

♦ Will develop overall recommendations and gain consensus from industry

- Once agreed upon, recommendations will be presented to the ABC Board of Directors

♦ March ’07• Task Force provided update to Board on progress



♦ Discussion Points• What hierarchy should be adopted for ABC reporting? • Should bottom line be “Total” circulation or something else?• How should requested copies (not paid), be reported?• How should evidence of subscriber wantedness be evaluated for

programs such as bonus days, conversions, and upsells?• Should ABC change the definition of paid? Paid at any price?• What should ABC reporting formats provide for pricing

information?• Should there be “verified” circulation? If so, should there be any

qualification standards or rules governing it?• Increase in frequency of reporting of data

♦ July ’07 meeting• Formal proposal to Board

- Formats- Functional definitions for classifications- Qualification requirements for circulation types


Electronic Electronic EditionsEditions


Electronic EditionsElectronic Editions

♦ Guidebook online – NEW!• http://www.accessabc.com/resources/n_electronic.htm


Future Future Training Training SessionsSessions


Future Training SessionsFuture Training Sessions

♦ In-person Training (live on location)

• HD & SC Promotions- Interactive

- Exchange of Ideas

- Detailed explanations and examples

• Details:- 10:00 am – 3:00 pm (local time)

- Lunch provided

- $299

- June 11: Pittsburgh, PA; June 25: Phoenix, AZ

www.accessabc.com/newspapers/n_training_seminars.htm


Future Training SessionsFuture Training Sessions

♦ Webinars*:• Post Board Blitz

- Thursday, July 19th

- 10:00 am – 11:30 am CENTRAL TIME

- To be determined


Open Q & AOpen Q & A

copyright © 2007 abc all rights reserved. neace may 21, 2007

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