The Audit Bureau of Circulations has taken the first step towards merging the audit process for regional newspapers, aimed at bringing together paid-for and free copies under one combined figure. If accepted, the move will see the two separate measurements presented on the same certificate, bringing the sector in line with the magazine industry.
It is possible that the new reporting methods will come into effect for the first six months of next year and, for many papers, it cannot come too soon. Distribution methods have changed so dramatically that the old "currency" has been devalued. Despite falling paid-for sales, publishers point to increasing audiences for editions given away free and, of course, their websites.
For example, titles like the Manchester Evening News and the Liverpool Post have gained new readers by employing part-pay, part-free combinations, but this is not recognised in the current audits.
Lynne Anderson, communications director at the Newspaper Society, says: "This 'one title, for one certificate' approach offers greater clarity and transparency than 'one title, multiple certificates' and will help to ensure that ABC remains a vital component in advertising decisions within the regional press sector."
But Melissa Smith, head of regional media at Universal McCann, rightly sounds a note of caution. She believes media buyers want ABC to retain as much detail as possible within the "sales" certificates. "Buyers are more tolerant to some types of free distribution than others," she says. "Free pick-up for key urban audience: good; free copies within hotel reception areas: not-so-good."
I'm sure that Smith's concerns will be addressed. Everyone recognises that some giveaways are more valuable than others. But this unified newsprint reporting is only a first step towards a much more important form of measurement. If advertisers are to base their decisions on reality, they need to know the total reach of newspapers in terms of their online readership. Look at The Scotsman's total readership for instance. Its Scotsman.com website recorded 3.8m visitors according to January's ABCe figures.
What regional papers - all papers - need is a reliable way of showing how popular, or unpopular, they are across all their delivery platforms.
