Audit Bureau of Circculation's board of directors has broadened its definition of a digital magazine edition to include content published via any digital means, not just an exact electronic copy. Beginning with June 2009 ABC statements, magazines may report paid digital editions in two categories: “replica,” where the advertising and editorial content exactly match the printed publication, and “non-replica,” where the basic identity and content are similar to the printed edition, but the articles and advertising may differ. Free, unrestricted public access to a Web site does not qualify as a paid digital edition.
The board agreed to establish a new magazine task force to evaluate ABC's current reporting process. The group of advertisers and publishers will work with ABC staff to "find ways to simplify the process, eliminate extraneous information, and present additional audience and multimedia data of value to advertisers."