A touch of transparency
WEMF: New regulations will postpone the publication of circulation figures until the fall—starting in 2005.
Wemf A new regulation postpones the publication of circulation figures until the fall. The new circulation figures, which will be published on April 1, will exceptionally be valid for one and a half years instead of one year. This is because Wemf is now definitively adopting new circulation regulations that will come into force on July 1, 2004. This provides for a postponement of the publication date to October 1, which will be the case for the first time in 2005, and circulation will no longer be calculated according to the calendar year as before, but from July 1 to June 30 (for the first time from July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005). "This means that readership and circulation figures will be published almost simultaneously. This has the advantage that publishers have up-to-date data for their rate documentation," explains Christel Plöger, Wemf's chief circulation certifier.
More importantly, however, the "copies actually distributed" will be certified in future. These are calculated (as before) from "paid circulation" plus free circulation. The latter must now also be published. In addition, the "paid circulation" will be calculated in a different way, which is why it will not be comparable with the current figure: It now includes subscriptions, compulsory subscriptions, single copy sales, e-papers, all discounted copies and a maximum of five percent of regularly distributed free copies.
As free circulation and "paid circulation" must be stated in the masthead, in offers or advertising, the circulation figures will become somewhat more transparent. However, there can no longer be any question of genuine transparency, as was envisaged in the first draft of the regulations (WW 41/03).
Markus Knöpfli
More importantly, however, the "copies actually distributed" will be certified in future. These are calculated (as before) from "paid circulation" plus free circulation. The latter must now also be published. In addition, the "paid circulation" will be calculated in a different way, which is why it will not be comparable with the current figure: It now includes subscriptions, compulsory subscriptions, single copy sales, e-papers, all discounted copies and a maximum of five percent of regularly distributed free copies.
As free circulation and "paid circulation" must be stated in the masthead, in offers or advertising, the circulation figures will become somewhat more transparent. However, there can no longer be any question of genuine transparency, as was envisaged in the first draft of the regulations (WW 41/03).
Markus Knöpfli
