Consumer Magazine Member Advisory
on Agent Reporting (7.15.05)

A BPA Worldwide consumer magazine member has requested a reporting exception based on issues arising from the InFlight Newspapers & Magazines Inc. agency source. This advisory is intended to ensure that all members are clear on acceptable reporting procedures. 

While this situation is unfortunate, BPA’s core mission and value to both media members and the advertising community are, as you know, founded on providing full, uniform disclosure in reporting and auditing. We serve this purpose by adhering to the rules established by media owners, advertisers and advertising agency representatives acting through our Board of Directors.

BPA rules state that no copy may be reported as paid unless the proper documentation of their distribution and paid status can be supplied, and BPA cannot accept variations from this requirement.

If records proving delivery of copies to a distributor are available, but proof of payment is not, copies may be reported as qualified non-paid instead of paid, with an accompanying footnote in the explanatory paragraph that reads along the following lines:

 “Effective with the [insert date of issue] issue, a distributor of copies to airports and planes suspended business, and no records were provided for the public distribution of and payment for the [insert dates of issues] issues. As a result, the paid circulation claim for each of these issues is lower by X [insert number of copies] copies, or Y%, than it otherwise would have been. However, records of delivery of these X copies to the point of distribution (the distributor) are available, and will be audited.”

This wording is similar to notations we have used in the past under unusual circumstances, such as distribution affected by 9/11 and natural disasters affecting printing plants.

I think it also important to take this opportunity to stress that BPA will continue to apply the highest standards to auditing all agent sources, and insuring that they are properly reported. A reminder: Our bylaws state that the accuracy of circulation claims are the responsibility of the publisher, not the supplier. Therefore, any misstatements, including any agent-generated subscriptions that are found to have been misclassified on a circulation statement, are the publisher’s responsibility.

 We are gratified and proud that you count on BPA for the uncompromised accuracy and transparency that insure credibility with your media-buying partners, at a time when such credibility has never been more critical.

And as always, we are at your disposal for any assistance that you might require at any time.Please contact your BPA Member Relations Manager (MRM contacts are listed at www.bpaww.com/contact/member_relations), any of our audit staff, or me, if you have questions.

Sincerely,

Glenn Hansen

President and CEO