Agency boss warns: We’re losing confidence in newspaper audit numbers
Media agencies are losing confidence in whether they can believe Audit Bureau of Circulations newspaper numbers, OMD’s head of print Simon Davies has warned.
In an interview published in today’s Media section of The Australian, Davies joined the voices calling for a rethink of the Audit Bureau of Circulation’s definition of what constitutes a paid sale.
Among the loopholes are people such as students being offered a card for a big discount for a year’s subscription to newspapers. And so long as they are entitled to collect that paper every day, they may be counted as a daily subscriber, regardless of whether the paper ever ends up in their hands. In some cases the price is so good that consumers use the free weekend delivery and have no intention of making use of the weekday pickup deal.
As Mumbrella reported from the University of Sydney last week, in some cases the newspapers are delivered to the newsagent but then go straight to recycling.
If they’re willing to be placed in the toilet paper aisle, I’ve got a great way for Fairfax to increase their circulation.
One we sought out the circulation figures, let’s take a look at Readership figures. One publication (a magazine I might add) had readership figures 6 times that of it’s circulation!
@LeoG …. readership claims 3/4/5/6x circ aren’t uncommon at all – they’re the norm. The theory was/is that people pass these papers/magazines onto 3/4/5/6 people … it’s the print media version of the unique browser versus actual users.
There are also piles of newspapers at Fitness First gyms everyday….wonder how many of them are thrown away/recycled?
After a lifetime of marketing, we’ve taken a sea change and bought……………a newsagency.
In only a few months our newspaper sales (is that real circulation ?) are up <20% and climbing. Phone traffic of subscription renewals and new subscriptions outnumber the cancellation requests by at least 20 to 1.
Based on real life at the coalface of selling news papers (about 19,000 last week) I can't see a case for disagreeing with the publishers on ciruclation numbers.
I’d wonder how many are being dumped/trashed/unsold vs the number printed. Circ is determined not on selling 100% of copies – so not surprised to see stacks of unused. Seems like alot to throw out of course – but they do print tons of those babies..
I worked at a well known, large university for a time and know for certain that publishers contact the university to provide ‘subscriptions’ for students.
These subscriptions are for ridiculous prices, often free with membership of the student body.
I also know for certain a vast number of papers went unread as the students didn’t even bother to pick them up. Papers were also delivered during school holidays. Why?
To boost circulation. I’ve heard it from the horses mouth, and witnessed it myself. Well done for exposing this Tim, it’s a farce what they do.