BPA's Canadian division, CCAB, responds to inaccurate claims by rival ABC

Toronto, 24 April 2008 –This is an open letter to all media auditing stakeholders. It is intended to provide pertinent information that was left out of most media coverage about three major Canadian newspaper publishers changing their circulation auditor from ABC to Canadian Circulation Audit Board (CCAB).

Much ado is being made over the news that three major newspaper publishers decided to change their circulation audit service provider from ABC to the Canadian Circulation Audit Board (CCAB), a division of BPA Worldwide, last week. It is much ado about nothing.

The negative media coverage originated from ABC issued statements, made by spokespeople who were represented as independent, concerned media buyers and advertisers, but failed to disclose that these spokespeople are directors or past directors of ABC.

These ABC directors stated that the three newspaper groups moved their audit from ABC to CCAB and ‘settled for a less rigorous, less acceptable alternative’. These statements are false and unsubstantiated. Worse, these statements are not in the interests of anyone in the media industry, including advertisers, publishers and advertising agencies.

The publishers made their decision based on a desire for a ‘Made-in-Canada solution’ and the opportunity to participate in the newly formed Canadian Newspaper Advisory Board (CNAB) for the benefit of advertisers, media buyers and publishers.

Advertisers and media buyers are fully represented on the CNAB. CCAB is the Canadian division of BPA Worldwide, a global organization operating in more than 30 countries with a 75-year history of unsurpassed stringency and an industry-leading commitment to accuracy and full reporting disclosure. The CCAB audit will continue to be conducted according to the highest industry-approved standard.

Although every marketers’ dream is to have one brand be all things to all people, we know that having a choice of equally qualified media auditors, such as ABC and CCAB, is healthy for everyone involved in the industry—advertisers, agencies, publishers and auditors alike.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I have included below the complete list of current Canadian Directors of ABC, current Canadian Directors of BPA Worldwide, the participants in the CNAB, and the participants in the Canadian Magazine Advisory Board (CMAB).

Sincerely
M. Timothy Peel
General Manager
Canadian Circulation Audit Board

 

Members of ABC Board of Directors from Canada

ADVERTISERS:
None

ADVERTISING AGENCIES:
Sunni Boot, ZenithOptimedia Canada Inc.
Bruce Claassen, Aegis Media Canada
Robert Troutbeck, Troutbeck-Chernoff
Hugh Dow, M2 Universal; COO, Universal McCann (former ABC Director)

MEDIA OWNERS:
Dennis Skulsky, Canwest
Brian Segal, Rogers Publishing, Rogers Media

Members of the BPA Worldwide Board of Directors from Canada

ADVERTISERS:
David Green, Fluke Electronics Canada Inc.

ADVERTISING AGENCIES:
Richard Willingham, motum b2b
Tim Hughes, Mindshare Canada

MEDIA OWNERS:
Niel Hiscox, CLB Media
John Milne, Rogers Media
Francine Tremblay, Médias Transcontinental S.E.N.C.

Members of the CCAB Canadian Newspaper Advisory Board

ADVERTISERS:                                     
Stephen Dupuis, Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD)              
Karen Hudson, Shoppers Drug Mart              
Karen Sayed, Loblaws                                     
Diana Simpson, Sears Canada                           
                                                         
ADVERTISING AGENCIES:
Brenda Bookbinder, PHD Canada
Ross Marin, The Marketing & Communications Network
Bruce Neve, Mediaedge:cia
1 vacancy

MEDIA OWNERS:
Steve Angelevski, Sun Media
Sue Borthwick, Black Press Group
Kathie Braid, Metroland Media Group
Jean Durocher, Gesca
Spencer Levan, Van Net Newspapers
Sandy MacLeod, Star Media Group (Chair)
Charles Stacey, Transcontinental
Andy Wheeler, Osprey Media

Members of the CCAB Canadian Magazine Advisory Board

ADVERTISERS:
David Green, Fluke Electronics Canada Inc.

ADVERTISING AGENCIES:
Susan Ellsworth, OMD Canada
Mary Rizza, Calexis-Hoberlin
Richard Willingham, motum b2b
Tim Hughes, Mindshare Canada

MEDIA OWNERS:
Jim Glionna, New Com Business Media Inc.
Tim Goodman, Relevant Communications Inc
John Kerr, Kerrwil Publications Limited
Wendy McClung, Baxter Publishing Co.
Niel Hiscox, CLB Media
John Milne, Rogers Media

About CCAB: CCAB, a division of BPA Worldwide, serves advertisers and advertising agencies and over 500 Canadian consumer magazines, business publications and newspapers media properties from its offices in Toronto and Montreal. BPA Worldwide, a not-for-profit organization since 1931, is governed by a tripartite global corporate board and regional advisory boards comprising advertisers, advertising agencies, and media owners. Headquartered in Shelton, Connecticut, USA, BPA has the largest membership of any mediaauditing organization in the world, spanning more than 30 countries. Globally, BPA serves more than 2,600 media properties—including more than 1,900 B-to-B publications, more than 400 consumer magazines, more than 150 newspapers, plus websites, events, email newsletters, databases and other advertiser-supported media—as well as more than 2,600 advertiser and agency members. Visit www.bpaww.com for the latest audit reports, membership information and publishing and advertising industry news. BPA Worldwide is a founding member of the International Federation of Audit Bureaux of Circulation.

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