Media Vent
By Bob Sacks
About Bob
Bob Sacks (aka BoSacks) is a printing/publishing industry consultant and president of The Precision Media Group (BoSacks.com). He is also the co-founder of the research company Media-Ideas (Media-Ideas.net), and publisher and editor of a daily international e-newsletter, Heard on the Web. Sacks has held posts as director of manufacturing and distribution, senior sales manager (paper), chief of operations, pressman, circulator and almost every other job this industry has to offer.
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Questions About ABC's New Definition of a Digital Magazine
However—and this is the part that concerns me the most—that editorial content apparently has to remain exactly the same or the digital version cannot be counted in the circulation tabulation. I need more information on this rule. As I don't have all the details yet, this is not a full-fledged vent but rather a series of questions:
What if my new design for the iPad has video which, until now, I had a lot of trouble putting into my printed version. Does that make my digital version uncountable?
What if I have the same advertisers, but in my digital version they want a dynamic ad? Am I to tell my advertiser, "No. I know it would be cool and the readers would like it, but ABC won't count my issue if you do that." Is that what the rule implies?
The truth is, as far as I can see it, that the digital version must be different than the printed version or why bother at all? It can be close enough in ads and edit to be meaningfully loyal to the printed version, but to confine it to the limitations of the press is to deny the possibilities of the new platform.
I have no idea whether the iPad and other future platforms will be the salvation of our industry. I rather think that we will save ourselves in many ways, with the tablets just being one of many new directions. But if our auditors can't get completely out of the box we grew up in, we will never grow and prosper.
Bob, I can assure you that the ABC board considered all your questions when they established guidelines for magazine digital editions. The guidelines, which are posted online, note that additional interactive content such as audio and video do not impact the "replica" definition. Likewise, advertising can contain additional interactive elements.
It's worth noting that publishers are not required to have their digital editions resemble their print editions at all, if they so choose. However, if they want to claim them as "replica" and, therefore, count as paid in the rate base number, certain requirements must be met.
Full details here: http://www.accessabc.com/resources/c_electronic.htm.
Neal Lulofs, SVP
Audit Bureau of Circulations
Actually I believe all of your questions are answered in the announcement and on ABC's website:
http://www.accessabc.com/resources/c_electronic.htm
You may ADD to the editorial content, but you cannot take away from it.
Advertisers may be swapped as well.
"Replica: Replica digital editions must include the print edition’s full editorial and advertising content and all editorial photography. The edition can be reformatted to accommodate the delivery device being used, provided the editorial and advertising content is presented in a fashion that is similar and consistent with the print publication.
Additive content such as additional advertising, hyperlinks, video, audio and other similar Web enabled enhancements will not impact the consideration of the edition being a replica provided placement of the editorial and advertising remains consistent as in the print version.
In situations where a print advertiser elects to opt-out of advertising in a Digital Edition – Replica, the magazine can replace that advertisement with another and still qualify and report the digital circulation as Digital Edition - Replica."