• News
  • Virtual Press Room
  • NewsBulletin
  • Board Actions
  • News Releases
  • POVs
  • Case Studies
  • Industry Scoop
  • Press Kit
• Online Report Filing
  • Publisher Filing Center
  • Hard-copy Filing Forms
• Audit Services
  • Circulation
  • Interactive
• Rules & Resources
  • Bylaws & Rules
  • Statuts et Règlements
  • Publisher Support Center
  • Media Buyer Support Center
  • Guides and Recordkeeping
  • Prototype Reports
  • Industry Resources
• Training
  • for Media Buyers
  • for Advertising Sales
  • for Magazine Publishers
  • for Newspaper Publishers
  • for B2B/Farm Publishers
  • On-Demand Training
• Product Catalog
  • Descriptions and Pricing
  • Released Report Listings
  • Product Release Schedule
• ABC Membership
  • Advertising Agencies
  • Advertisers
  • Associates
  • Business Publications
  • Consumer Magazines
  • Farm Publications
  • Newspapers

  • ---

  • Roster of ABC Members
  • Publisher Applicants to Date
  • Publicize Your Membership

Frequently Asked Questions

About ABC

• What types of organizations are members of ABC?

ABC membership is made up of publishers (newspapers, consumer magazines, business publications and farm publications), advertisers and advertising agencies (any business that purchases advertising) and associate members (academic institutions, lawyers, fulfillment houses and consultants).

A complete list of ABC’s members is available on our website.

• Why do advertisers and advertising agencies belong to ABC?

Media buyers belong to ABC because they demand accountability and transparency for their valuable ad dollars. Media buyer support enables ABC to uphold circulation standards, auditing methods and reporting procedures for media evaluation. It is the support of our buyer members that encourages publishers to undergo regular media audits.

• How do I become a member?

To become a member of ABC, simply review our online membership kits, submit a membership application, and an ABC marketing representative will follow-up with you.

• Does ABC offer any training programs for its members?

ABC offers a variety of training opportunities for its members including, on-demand training modules, webinars, on-site workshops and custom training.

• What topics are covered in ABC’s Professional Development on-demand training?

The on-demand training modules are a recent addition to ABC’s ongoing training programs that also include webinars, on-site workshops and custom training classes. Each module is a self-contained lesson that allows media buyers to learn or review a specific ABC topic in an interactive environment. The modules are available for free on ABC’s website. Most sessions are just five to seven minutes and include an instructional slideshow with voiceover. Corresponding handouts are also available. Topics range from verified circulation to online filing to e-Data analysis tools.

• How can I find out what happened at the latest ABC board of directors meeting?

The ABC board of directors meet three times a year—in March, July and November.

On the Tuesday following each board meeting, ABC issues a press release and a complete summary of board actions to its members and the media. Both documents are posted in ABC’s virtual pressroom.

• Who is on ABC’s board of directors?

The ABC board of directors is made up of 38 members; 20 from the advertiser and advertising agency divisions and 18 from the publisher divisions.

ABC also has several media buyer and publisher committees that provide valuable input and feedback to the board of directors.

• Do you have a roster of ABC members?

A complete roster of current ABC members and publisher applicants is available online.

• How can I stay informed of ABC news?

ABC Connection is the place where ABC members and industry personnel gather to connect with ABC and ABC Interactive, read about the latest rule changes and product updates, peruse industry news articles from around the Web, browse member case studies and just generally stay informed about the most recent trends and current topics affecting the print and interactive media industry. Read ABC's NewsBulletin blog, follow us on Twitter, join our group on LinkedIn and subscribe to ABC's e-mail updates.

• Who do I contact at ABC?

A complete list of departmental contacts is available on ABC’s website.

• I’d like to promote my ABC membership, is there a logo I can use?

For ABC members, a variety of logos are available for download on ABC’s website.

ABC Audits

• What types of audits does ABC conduct?

All publisher members of ABC must undergo an annual circulation audit. ABC also offers additional audit service, including website audits and audits of free or non-paid newspapers.

• Does ABC audit websites?

ABC offers website audit services for publishers that verify the traffic activity on their website and a separate audit that reviews both the process and technology surrounding ad delivery.

ABC also provides interactive audit services for advertising agencies that submit third-party ad sever numbers for billing. This audit reviews an agency's internal processes and controls.

There is also an audit service for advertisers that independently verifies the activity of a specific campaign.

More information about ABCi audit services is available on our website.

ABC Reports

• What is the difference between the Publisher’s Statement and the Audit Report?

The Publisher's Statement represents the publisher's circulation claims, not yet audited by ABC. These are issued every six months, for periods ending March 31and September 30 for newspapers, and June 30 and December 31 for consumer magazines. Business publications can submit their statements in any of the four quarters.

The Audit Report displays the results of ABC’s annual audit of the claims submitted in the Publisher’s Statement. Audit Reports are released for every ABC publication member. The reports either confirm that the Publisher's Statement contained no material misstatements or they identify and quantify differences uncovered during the audit process.

• When are Publisher’s Statements and Audit Reports released?

ABC releases all Publisher’s Statements and Audit Reports within 24 hours of final completion. A list of recently released reports is available on ABC’s website. To receive a weekly e-mail of the latest released reports, sign up for ABC’s e-mail updates.

ABC members can also check the status of a specific audit using the online Audit Status Report.

Additional Products and Services

• Where can I find out more about ABC products and reports?

A complete list and description of ABC’s products and reports is available on ABC’s website.

• Does ABC offer any online analysis tools?

ABC’s e-Data department offers a variety of online analysis tools to meet your research and media buying needs. A complete list of products, including descriptions, demos and pricing information, is available on ABC’s website.