BPA offers enhanced transparency, audit timeliness for major consumer title

Starting immediately, BPA Worldwide will conduct circulation audits for BusinessWeek's North American edition.

BusinessWeek cited added transparency and improved timeliness as reasons for adding a BPA audit. BPA completes 92% of consumer magazine audits, and 97% of all audits, within six months of statement filings.

"We are extremely gratified to have this world-respected consumer magazine brand apply for BPA membership for its North American edition," said BPA president and CEO Glenn Hansen, who noted that BPA has been auditing BusinessWeek's Chinese edition for six years now.

BPA audits more than 500 consumer magazines, including Sports Illustrated for Kids; FSB-Fortune Small Business; Budget Living and National Geographic Kids.

"To make well-informed planning and buying decisions, marketers must have full reporting disclosure and auditing data that is not only accurate but timely," stressed Carole A. Walker, Director, e-Communications, Advertising & Strategy for Kraft's Global Digital Marketing Group and Chairman of the BPA Worldwide Board of Directors. "BPA has consistently delivered on all three scores."

"It's always good news for marketers and agencies to have more high-quality and more timely audited media information," said Foote Cone & Belding Senior Vice President, Director of Media Brand Planning and BPA Director Tyler Schaeffer. "It's very positive that BusinessWeek, one of the world's leading business newsmagazines, is now adding an audit by BPA, one of the world's leading media-auditing firms. I look forward to knowing that BusinessWeek's audited media information will soon be available from BPA, to enable us to optimize our clients' marketing communications efforts."

"BusinessWeek is to be congratulated for this initiative," said John B. Kahan, General Manager, Global Relationship Marketing Group, Microsoft Corporation and a BPA Director. "I have long been impressed by BPA's high auditing and disclosure standards, integrity, and ability to get verified consumer magazine circulation data into the marketplace more quickly."

BPA consumer magazine circulation reports provide enhanced disclosure by requiring that publishers break out all sponsored, bulk, partnership, loyalty point and club subscriptions, from copy one, without thresholds. BPA conducts audits of unsurpassed stringency, and leverages technology, operational efficiencies and internal auditing safeguards to enable greater timeliness.