Audit Bureau takes action on two-year audit p. 17

By: Editorial Staff AT ITS SUMMER board of directors meeting, Audit Bureau of Circulations gave final approval to a change that raises the circulation limit for two-year audit eligibility.
Now daily newspapers with an average daily paid circulation of 15,000 or below may opt for a schedule of audits every other year. Previously, the limit was 10,000.
The Audit Bureau's board also announced that the Newspaper Association of America has withdrawn its original request to change how Newspaper In Education (NIE) circulation is reported.
NAA had suggested two basic changes in the use of NIE results:
? One amendment would have permitted school copies sold at at least 50% of the basic price to be included in calculating household penetration reported in the six-month FAS-FAX statements.
? A second amendment would have limited reporting NIE by county, so that NIE copies reported could not exceed 5% of a newspaper's individually paid circulation by county.
Both changes had won tentative Audit Bureau approval back in March 1993, but by last summer, continuing objections to the proposals convinced the board to defer final approval.
In other action reported from the closed July 16 board hearing, the Audit Bureau ended its two-year freeze on fees by increasing the hourly rate for field auditing from $55 to $58. Technical review hourly fees will also increase, from $39.50 to $41.50. Both increases will be effective Jan. 1, 1995.
The board also served notice that "selective increases in report prices and member dues are also under consideration."
It noted that report prices were last increased Jan. 1, 1993, and that some dues have not been increased since 1986.
The Audit Bureau will celebrate its 80th anniversary at its annual meeting at the Fairmont hotel in Chicago Nov. 2-4.