The two major magazine auditing bodies – ABC and BPA – have amended their rules to try and pin down the blurry area of digital magazine circulation figures. In 2006, BPA Worldwide announced that stand-alone digital magazines are defined as auditable digital products. Previously, digital magazines were defined as replicas of their print version. Then, in June 2006, ABC announced that digital copies will be included in the overall circulation of B2B magazines.
ABC Auditing Amendments
According to the June 2006 ABC rule amendment, B2B magazines that have digital editions will be issued with a Print and Digital Certificate of Circulation. This means figures for print and digital versions will be accounted for. Although an overall figure can be gleaned from both print and digital circulation, the rules also state that complete transparency between the different format figures is required.
BPA Worldwide Updates to Audit Rules
The explosion in online magazines has led to the BPA (Business of Performing Audits) to update its audit rules. As of January 2006, the rule that a digital magazine had to be an exact replica of the print version changed. The rule change takes on board the different qualities the online platform offers publications. For some online magazines, their online publication is significantly different. For example, they may exploit the audience interaction web-based magazines allows in a way the print version couldn't. As a result the BPA now recognises two major types of digital magazines – a digital ‘Version' and a digital ‘Edition'.
• A Digital Version must include complete editorial of the original print publication
• A Digital Edition must contain 50% of editorial content of the original print publication, although a geographic edition need only have common editorial scope
This allows layout, advertisements and pagination to vary, taking on board the very different qualities of the medium.
Consumer magazines face similar rules, except:
• Online demographic editions must contain the same editorial content, with minimum changes to meet the different demographic
The amendments to the auditing rules clearly recognise the impact digital magazines now have. And the increased circulation figures could in turn have a major impact on advertisers. It's predicted that the rapid expansion of digital magazines, the audit rules will continue to adapt and change.