For three weeks, requirements are levied differently

The new circulation regulations generally have two effects: It tends to lead to higher print runs, but at the same time the figures for paid circulation are also tougher," says Roland Achermann, Head of Circulation Certification at Wemf. What is also certain is that when the circulation figures are published for the first time in just over a year's time on October 1, 2013, they will no longer be comparable with the previous figures, not even with those that will be published this fall. This is because the changes will affect a large number of titles.
 
New value: Circulation

The first change is the introduction of a new value: in order for a publisher to be able to publish the copies actually distributed in one figure, the paid circulation and the free circulation become the "widespread circulation" added together. In the imprint, however, the distributed circulation may only be stated together with the paid circulation for reasons of transparency.
 
Sold circulation is now more meaningful

A second change has a direct impact on circulation: In the future, interruptions in delivery, for example due to a subscriber being absent on vacation, will result in the Circulation sold to a reduction - and thus to a harder value. Previously, interruptions could be reported to Wemf, but they did not have any effect on reducing the requirement, despite the pause in delivery. Further the other sale, a subcategory of paid circulation, has been revised: Previously, this was understood to mean copies sold at less than 50 percent of the regular subscription price. Often, hundreds or thousands of copies were "sold" under this category to bulk buyers (restaurants, companies) at merely symbolic rock-bottom prices. The new regulations now introduce a lower price limit: Only copies sold at at least 20 percent of the regular subscription price are considered other sales; anything sold at a lower price now counts as free circulation.
 
Digital usage is partially mapped

E-Papers are now also counted differently. Previously, only sold e-papers were counted, which also had to correspond to the print edition in terms of layout, advertisements and mode of publication, but could at most include additional image, video, text or music sections. This type of e-paper is now called Replica, and free copies will also be shown in future. This will increase the free circulation. Different the Non-replicas: This refers to e-papers that belong to the same print brand, but whose layout, editorial contributions and advertisements can change at any time. Although they are now also listed, they are not counted in the distributed circulation at the request of advertisers, among others.
 
Switch target group verses are now worth something

The last change concerns the Target shipping. This was already part of the free circulation, but only if a daily or weekly title was delivered to the same address for at least three months, and a monthly title for six months. Change target verses on the other hand, where a different additional audience is supplied per issue, were not shown at all. This is now changing. However, since alternate target audiences vary in frequency and size, the so-called median value is used for this category. "This calculation method is a kind of average value, but it prevents individual upward or downward fluctuations from being reflected in the reported circulation figures," explains Roland Achermann.

Markus Knöpfli

Graphic: The changes at a glance