ABC gives autonomy to Canada, changes rules on digital editions

The Audit Bureau of Circulatons (ABC) is accommodating itself to current realities with a new policy on the definition of a digital magazine. Previously, it had restricted auditable content to a facsimile of a printed magazine. Now, according to a release, beginning June 2009, the audit firm (which does the 3rd party circ audits for many larger magazines and newspapers) will allow digital editions to be reported as

• "replica" editions, where there is no difference in layout from the print edition and where editorial and advertising are exactly the same; and
• "non-replica", where there is an obvious basic identity and content, but where advertising and even articles may differ.
  

However, free, unrestricted access to a magazine's web site does not qualify to be measured as a paid, digital edition. In other words, magazines who want to be credited for their digital editions have to create a separate, and separately trackable, website.

In addition to announcing the digital magazine rule change, ABC (based in Schaumberg, Illinois) also gave its Canadian arm greater autonomy, control over its own rules and reporting and increased the size of its Canadian committee -- and renaming it ABC Canada -- by six members, adding three publishing executives and three media buyers. ABC will write separate articles and rules for all Canadian publishing divisions, similar to the Canada-specific rules that already exist for newspapers.

"The media market in Canada is evolving and we need to evolve with it," said Brian Segal, president and CEO of Rogers Publishing and a member of its board. "By expanding ABC's Canadian representation, we can better address the needs of the media industry on behalf of our Canadian advertising and publishing constituents."

ABC also postponed its 2009 conference, due to be held in Toronto, until 2010 because economic conditions meant many members were under travel restrictions and attendance was expected to suffer.