Magazine 360° Circulation - What you need to know
The MPA – as the industry body for magazine publishers – has decided to move away from the outdated ABC circulation measure and replace it with a new, simplified print calculation called Magazine 360° Circulation. Circulation will be reported every six months for the 12 months ending March and September.
This new measurement – which will be free to MPA members - will be hosted on the Maga- zine 360° site (magazine360.co.nz), alongside readership, digital, social and newsletter met- rics. Regular audits will be carried out by the MPA to verify publishers supplied figures. Our aim is to create a single go-to source of information, giving advertisers and publishers a clear picture of each magazine’s audience.
The circulation data on the site is the 12 months ending September 2021. The 12 months ending March 2022 will be available in June 2022. Magazines must collate their returns / unsold copies before they can supply their data.
Here’s how to be part of the Magazine 360° Circulation.
when the MPA asks you to verify your numbers. Every title will be audited by the MPA at least once in a three-year period, possibly more often.
Formula for calculating your title’s Magazine 360° Circulation
You will be asked to upload your own circulation number, which you will calculate using the formula below.
You may wish to use this template. It is recommended you adjust it to suit your publication (this is set up for a monthly title), save your workings, and use it when you go online and enter your new circulation number every six months. After entering your figures into magazine360.co.nz, save your template somewhere so that you can use it when the MPA asks you to verify your numbers. Every title will be audited by the MPA at least once in a three-year period, possibly more often.
Your circulation is calculated per issue using the formula below, then aver- aged out over the rolling 12-month measurement period to give you your Magazine 360° Circulation figure:
Start with Quantity Printed (Verification Printers Invoice)
Less overseas circulation (copies going to retail and subs)
Less unsold Retail copies (Verification Ovato Statement e.g.: final sales, returns estimates or scan sales estimates)
Less bundle returns* (Verification Ovato Statement e.g.: final sales, returns estimates or scan sales estimates)
Less 2-for-1 returns* ((Verification Ovato Statement e.g.: final sales, returns estimates or scan sales estimates)
Less Publishers internal copies (Self-declared, verification may be required).
In addition, the average paid subscription number within this total will be declared (As it was in the ABC Audit). This number should include only those subs sent out. Any leftover subs stocks should be counted as publisher copies.
*This applies only to those magazines that are doing bundles (i.e. mag packs that contain mul- tiple titles) or 2-for-1s.
Once you have calculated your circulation, you can upload it to the MPA, and it will be pub- lished on “go live” date (see below). Full upload instructions will be sent to you in a separate email.
2022 Dates for Magazine 360° Circulation
There will be two Magazine 360° Circulation measurement releases in 2022. We will let you know when it’s time to start loading your data, and you will have five weeks to do this. At that time, we will also send you full instructions on how to do the upload.
Q 1: For 12 months ending March 31, 2022.
First day for publisher upload of circ information: 1 April 22 Last day for publisher upload of circ information: 30 May 22
Magazine 360 circulation figures go live on magazine360.co.nz: June 18 2022
Q3: For 12 months ending September 30, 2022
First day for publisher upload of circ information: 1 October 2022. Last day for publisher upload of circ information: 20 November. 2022
Magazine 360 Circulation figures go live on magazine360.co.nz: 1 December 2022
Fee structure
Magazine 360° Circulation is free to members of the MPA.
Publishers who are not MPA members will pay a fee to be part of the Magazine 360° Circulation, as below:
- $250 per magazine per annum for magazines with a circulation up to 20,000
- $350 per magazine per annum for magazines over 20,000 circ.
There is also a $100 joining fee which you will not pay if you are already subscribed to the ABC. Publishers who are not currently subscribed to the ABC metric, but wish to use Magazine 360° Circulation, will be charged the $100 joining fee. Publishers who are MPA members and are not subscribed to the ABC will not be charged a joining fee if they wish to display their circulation measurement on the Magazine 360° until 3 months after the new measurement’s launch. After July 2020 all publishers who have not transitioned will be charged the fee.
FAQ
How do we treat mag bundles and 2 for 1s?
The Magazine 360° Circulation measurement allows for these. (Bundles are defined as multiple magazines that are sold as one package.)
Are we reporting on worldwide numbers? Not just NZ?
Like the rest of the Magazine 360°, and most digital audience measurements, Magazine 360 Circulation measures NZ copies only.
Where do Australian retail numbers and subs factor in this equation?
They are not included. The Magazine 360° Circulation measurement is NZ copies only.
What are publisher internal copies?
This figure should include only copies that are NOT going to an audience. Copies that the publisher can legitimately say have gone to a specific audience, such as distribution at a trade show or circulation to a relevant business, should not be counted and deducted. Copies that should be counted and deducted are those held aside for award entry, or for internal use, or that are disposed of. This figure does rely on a self-declaration by publisher: during verification, you will be asked to explain how you got your figure.
What is the verification system?
At least 15 percent of magazine titles using the Magazine 360° Circulation measurement will be audited by the MPA each six-month period. If you are audited, you will be asked to supply Print Run documents for every issue in that period; Ovato documentation showing unsold retail copies; proof of subscription numbers; plus a breakdown of how you arrived at your publisher internal copies number. Every title will be audited at least once every three years.
Can I challenge another publisher’s numbers?
Yes, if you have good reason to suspect another magazine’s Magazine 360° Circulation numbers are incorrect, you can contact the MPA. If we agree, we will ask them for verification.
Will I still be able to access historic ABC data?
Yes, our plan is to house the most important historic data on the Magazine 360° site. We are working on changes to the site to accommodate this now.
For more information, contact Sally Duggan [email protected] or Trudy Dickinson [email protected] | Magazine Publishers Association of New Zealand Ltd