The Audit Bureau of Circulations: A Vital Tool for Media Measurement and Evaluation

What is the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC)?

The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) is a non-profit organization that provides auditing services to media outlets. ABC's mission is to ensure that advertisers and agencies have access to accurate and reliable information about the circulation of media outlets. ABC audits the circulation of newspapers, magazines, websites, and other media outlets to verify the number of copies that are printed, distributed, and read.

Why is ABC Important?

ABC is important because it provides advertisers and agencies with the information they need to make informed decisions about where to place their advertising dollars. By providing accurate and reliable information about the circulation of media outlets, ABC helps advertisers to reach their target audiences and maximize their return on investment.

How Does ABC Work?

ABC auditors conduct independent audits of media outlets to verify the circulation figures that are reported by the outlets. ABC auditors review the media outlets' records, interview employees, and conduct field visits to verify the circulation figures.

ABC's Audit Reports

ABC publishes audit reports that provide detailed information about the circulation of media outlets. These reports include information about the number of copies that are printed, distributed, and read, as well as the geographic distribution of the circulation.

ABC's Membership

ABC has over 1,500 members, including newspapers, magazines, websites, and other media outlets. ABC members are required to adhere to ABC's auditing standards and to provide ABC with access to their circulation records.

ABC's History

ABC was founded in 1914 by a group of advertisers and agencies who were concerned about the lack of accurate and reliable information about the circulation of media outlets. ABC has been providing auditing services to media outlets for over 100 years.

ABC's Impact

ABC has had a significant impact on the media industry. By providing accurate and reliable information about the circulation of media outlets, ABC has helped to ensure that advertisers and agencies can make informed decisions about where to place their advertising dollars. ABC has also helped to improve the quality of media reporting by providing media outlets with the information they need to track their circulation and to make improvements.

How to Use ABC Data

ABC data can be used in a variety of ways to help advertisers and agencies make informed decisions about where to place their advertising dollars.

Identify Target Audiences

ABC data can be used to identify target audiences by providing information about the demographics of the readers of different media outlets. This information can be used to target advertising campaigns to specific demographics.

Plan Media Campaigns

ABC data can be used to plan media campaigns by providing information about the reach and frequency of different media outlets. This information can be used to determine the most effective way to reach a target audience.

Evaluate Media Performance

ABC data can be used to evaluate the performance of media campaigns by providing information about the number of readers who were reached by the campaign. This information can be used to track the effectiveness of the campaign and to make adjustments as needed.

ABC's Future

ABC is committed to continuing to provide accurate and reliable information about the circulation of media outlets. ABC is investing in new technologies to improve the efficiency and accuracy of its audits. ABC is also working to develop new products and services that will help advertisers and agencies to make informed decisions about where to place their advertising dollars.

Tables

Table 1: ABC Membership

Table 2: ABC Audit Reports

Table 3: ABC Data

Table 4: ABC's Impact