B&T publisher: ‘AdNews should be more honest with clients and readers’
The publisher of trade publication B&T has launched a fierce attack on rival AdNews’ decision to resign from the Audit Bureau of Circulation and move to a part paid, part free model.
In a posting on B&T’s website today, publisher David Hovenden accused AdNews as being “about as credible and transparent as Tony Abbott on Work Choices”.
AdNews yesterday said that it would be switching to the Circulation Audits Board, which unlike the ABC does not count only paid copies. It followed a 10.1% drop in AdNews’ circulation in the previous set of ABC numbers. If it had remained an ABC member, its next circulation numbers would have been put into the public domain tomorrow.
The differences between the relative audiences of the two publications has been a bone of contention for many years because B&T includes copies that go to Australian Marketing Institute members as part of their membership. As a result B&T, owned by Reed Business Information, is already audited by the CAB.
I’d be interested to see the online numbers for all the industry news sites. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, it’s a big growth area. Just be interesting to know who is leading the pack in regards to UB’s.
I used to get the magazine subs for both B&T and Adnews, they formed a lovely stack in my office for QUITE some time!! Unread that is. I find the email snap shots are far more useful.
So much talk of the decline of print lately!
“As most readers would be aware, both AdNews and B&T are commercial competitors to Mumbrella.”
Yes Tim, and despite my occasional disappointment, a far better prospect than your competitors.