Changes in auditing methods render ABC figures misleading for some ad buyers

Posted by Jennifer Lush on November 24, 2009 at 1:50 PM

The ten per cent decline in newspaper circulation figures across the US announced last month by the Audit Bureau of Circulations could actually be misleading, reports Michael Liedtke for My Way.

The real figures could actually be much worse, and changes in the way the ABC counts electronic subscribers could have obscured just how many readers the industry is actually losing.

As of April, newspapers were allowed to double up their count of print and online subscribers that were sold in a single package, whereas previously the ABC regulations stipulated they could only be counted once. The changes also permitted newspapers to count anyone that paid at least a penny for their subscription whilst in the past a newspaper had to sell a subscription for at least 25 per cent of the basic price to qualify as paid circulation.

The numbers were woeful regardless of the the changed counting methods, with 379 US newspapers reporting an avergage drop in circulation of 10.62 per cent, though some publications did boast better results under the new auditing rules.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal, for example, saw its average weekday circulation rise 6.6 per cent to gain 11,000 subscriptions despite the fact that the paper's print edition readers dropped by 12,000.

Newspapers defended the new methods, saying that it more effectively conveyed to advertisers the number of people viewing their publications, even if they paid little for it.

"It's important to show advertisers we are fighting the good fight and using other platforms to reach readers," said Steve Coffeen, circulation director for the Review-Journal.

Randy Novak, director of newspaper strategy for NSA Media, agreed with Coffen's perspective, saying it didn't matter to him how much people were paying for the newspaper, so long as his advertisments were seen by the people who were willing to pay for that paper at all.

Others were less sympathetic to the revelation, however, with Allison Howald, U.S. director of print investment at PHD Media, sayings the new ABC rules made the reported circulation numbers less credible: "You really have to do your homework now and ask newspapers about how much double counting is going on."

The news that the circulation figures, which were disheartening to begin with, could actually have overstated the position of newspapers is yet another blow to the US news industry, which has already seen eleven newspapers close their doors in the last year. Despite this, however, many are optimistic that newspapers are not dying and rather undergoing a dramatic transformation as they adapt to the digital world.

Source: My Way