ABC MembershipNewspapers
Weekly paid newspapers with more than 30,000 circulation
To qualify for full ABC membership, a weekly newspaper must have 50 percent or more paid circulation.
How to apply for membership
Applying for ABC membership is as simple as completing an online application and submitting an initial audit deposit to ABC.
Browse the links below to learn more about ABC membership.
- About the ABC audit process
- Audit estimates and membership fees
- Publicizing your ABC membership
- Additional ABC products and services
- Contact ABC
About the ABC Audit Process
Initial Audit
The first step in the ABC membership process is the initial audit. This is the first audit that your newspaper will undergo and it an important part of the membership process. The audit allows ABC to verify that you have the correct files and record-keeping practices in place to successfully become an ABC member. It also provides you with an opportunity to ask your auditor questions about the process and learn tips and tricks to make subsequent audits proceed smoothly.
To learn more about the initial audit process, review our step-by-step guide.
Publisher’s Statements
Once you’ve successfully competed the initial audit process, you will begin filing Publisher’s Statements. ABC newspaper members file two Publisher’s Statement each year covering the six-month periods ending March 31 and September 30. These statements contain your claimed circulations figures.
To learn more about filing your Publisher’s Statement with ABC, view our tutorial.
Audit Reports
Once a year or once every-other year, ABC verifies the claims in the Publisher’s Statements during the audit. The ABC Audit Report reconciles any differences between your Publisher’s Statement claims and the final numbers as audited by ABC.
For more information about the audit process, review our guide on preparing your records.
Audit Estimates and Membership fees
| Total Average Circulation | Audit Deposit | Annual Membership Fees |
| Under 5,000 | $2,000 | $197 |
| 5,000 to 9,999 | $2,400 | $327 |
| 10,000 to 14,999 | $2,600 | $490 |
| 15,000 to 24,999 | Call ABC for quote | $490 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | $630 | |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | $776 | |
| 75,000 to 149,999 | $1,000 |
Publicizing Your ABC Membership
Once you receive an ABC membership application acknowledgement letter, you can use the phrase "ABC Membership Applied For" to let your advertisers know that your initial Audit Report is pending.
The ABC logo can only be used after full membership status has been granted with the release of your initial Audit Report.
Additional ABC Products and Services
You may be interested in ABC's other products and reports that are available to our members.
- ABC Interactive
- Consolidated Media Report
- Coupon Distribution Verification Service
- FDSA Audit Accreditation
Contact ABC
Ask questions, inquire about membership resources, and start the application process by contacting an ABC representative about your audit needs:
Manager, Marketing and Sales
416-962-5840 ext. 226
