ABC Changes Variance Report Percentage

By: E&P Staff Newspapers that report into the Audit Bureau of Circulations got a little more slack in their leash when ABC voted to up the percentage required of its variance reports at its last board meeting.

The variance report, published three times a year, lists all newspapers with a 2% difference between the circulation data filed in the publisher's statement and the audit report.

Now, ABC board members voted to lower the bar to 3% for all publications the organization audits including newspapers.

An ABC spokesman said they increased the percentage to help smaller papers that often land on the report for a few hundred copies. Advertisers felt it was inconsequential and too much to wade through on the report.

The variance report only indicates there are differences-- no action is taken by ABC unless a newspaper reports a 5% variation between its pub statement and audit report.