Virtual Press RoomNews Releases
ABC Expands Canadian Representation and Autonomy,
Forms ABC Canada Board
TORONTO (March 17, 2009)—At its recent meeting, the board of the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) broadened its Canadian representation and increased Canadian autonomy and control over rules and reporting to ensure that its services and policies continue to meet member’s changing needs.
ABC announced that the bureau’s Canadian committee will be expanded by six members, adding three publishing executives and three media buyers, and will become the ABC Canada board. 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. “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.”
Segal noted this action was part of a broad set of strategic changes ABC has made in recent months to better address the unique needs of the Canadian market. Last month ABC announced Audit Fast Track, a new digital audit approach that will make the audit process faster and more efficient without sacrificing the quality and integrity for which ABC is known. The bureau also continues to make important revisions to rules that specifically address the Canadian market. The changes are intended to help contain costs, streamline audits, and address the evolving nature of today’s media marketplace.
“ABC has taken bold steps and aggressive action in Canada,” noted Sunni Boot, president and CEO of ZenithOptimedia Canada. “We are proactively addressing the current economic and industry conditions on behalf of our Canadian members to ensure we remain the industry’s gold standard.”
Separately, today ABC also announced a number of board actions that affect Canadian newspapers and magazines, including expanding the definition of a digital magazine edition to include content published via any digital means, not just an exact electronic copy.
The ABC board also decided to postpone its 2009 annual conference, originally scheduled for Toronto this November, citing a challenging advertising market and anticipated lower attendance due to economic and industry conditions. ABC said it would host its 2010 conference in Toronto.
“We’re disappointed to postpone this year’s conference, but it’s the right thing to do in the difficult economic environment all businesses are faced with,” said Mike Lavery, ABC’s president and managing director. “Many of our member organizations are under widespread travel and budget limitations, and are trimming discretionary expenses such as attending industry conferences. The board made its decision now, early in the year, so ABC members can plan and budget accordingly.”
About ABC
With nearly 4,000 members in North America, ABC is a forum of the world’s leading magazine and newspaper publishers, advertisers and advertising agencies. The organization provides credible, verified information essential to the media buying and selling process. ABC maintains the world’s foremost online database of audited-circulation information and a growing array of readership, audience and website usage data. To learn more, visit www.accessabc.ca.
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Corporate Communications Contacts: | ||
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Executive Vice President, Strategic Planning, Communications and General Manager, ABC Interactive t: 224-366-6363 |
Manager, Communications t: 224-366-6365 |
Assistant Manager, Communications t: 224-366-6432 |
