Audit Watch Aug'07

Setting the audit record straight

ABC Singapore has defended its audit of the inaugural issue of luxury magazine, Lexean following a report of less than convincing reactions from certain media owners. The ABC board issued a statement saying any media owner who implies the Lexean audit is simply about being able to print a large number of any magazine and claim that as an audited circulation as "misleading, mischievous and intended to cast doubts on the integrity of the circulation audit process of ABC Singapore".

The organisation described such a media owner as one who "obviously has no knowledge of how circulation audit is carried out and has probably not subjected his circulation claim to audit".

MD for Asia City Publishing Greg Duncan says the ABC "missed" the concerns of local publishers saying "the concern is whether a new publication could get a ‘spot' audit for its first issue, achieve a high figure, and then use that for a long period of time. The ABC will have to be vigilant to ensure that doesn't happen".

Duncan, a member of Singapore's Magazine Publishers Association (MPAS) and chairman of its Ethics Committee, told Marketing the matter "has not been discussed formally" but he understands other ABC offices do allow publications to audit for specific periods but this has to be in addition to the publication's regular audit, and is not permitted for new publications.

"For instance, a publication with an audit period of July to Dec can request an additional audit for only Nov to Dec. But an advertiser can request to see both certificates and understand what circulation levels have been achieved over a longer period of time," he says.

Similarly, MD for Edipresse Singapore and MPAS executive committee member Gilbert Cheah says "whether advertisers accept special audits as proof of a long-term verifiable circulation is another issue - smart advertisers will want to see annual audits done, not just a one-off effort. Lexean has committed itself to doing regular audits and that's the crucial thing".

"It's important to note audits verify circulation and distribution, not just print run so simply printing many copies doesn't mean much if you can't show where and to whom it's going. Instead of getting worked up at the special audit, media owners and advertisers should be raising their ire at magazines that avoid audits completely, and at media buyers who keep plonking client money into unaudited magazines," he said.

ABC Singapore said it audits circulation and not print run as print runs are of "no value" to advertisers unless what has been printed is circulated to a target audience - advertisers and media buyers need "proof of circulation, not proof of printing".