by Tatiana Repkova

To serve its members' needs in today's increasingly integrated media market, the board of the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) addressed proposals in each of its media divisions for reporting cross-platform audience metrics on ABC reports. Beginning with the June 2007 ABC reporting period, business publications may report an aggregated figure for qualified circulation, Web site unique users, pass-along recipients, and e-newsletter distribution in a sidebar box highlighted on the front page of ABC Publishers' Statements and Audit Reports.

For consumer magazines, the board endorsed the concept of an optional Multimedia Publisher's Statement that would allow publishers to detail print circulation and ABCi-audited Web site traffic in a single report. The ABC board asked that its buyer and publisher advisory committees provide detailed recommendations for the board to consider at its next meeting in July. For newspapers, the ABC board provided preliminary approval to work with the Newspaper Association of America (NAA) and Scarborough Research to begin incorporating audience estimates in ABC U.S. media reports. While still in development, the intent is for ABC to allow newspaper publishers the option to report in-market readership - print and online - in a combined net-audience figure, as well as overall Web site activity. With more than 4,000 members in North America, ABC is a forum of the world's leading magazine and newspaper publishers, advertisers and ad agencies. http://sev.prnewswire.com/multimedia-online-internet/20070313/CGTU01713032007-1.html; March 13, 2007

by Tatiana Repkova

Thailand's army-backed government on March 13 approved a ban on alcohol ads and raised the drinking age to 20 in its latest move to curb youth drinking. The new law, which still needs approval from the junta-appointed parliament, bans advertisements for alcohol in all Thai media, said Health Minister Mongkol Na Songkhla.

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by Tatiana Repkova

Radio is the dominant mass media channel across Africa, according to the African Media Development Initiative that surveyed the media in 17 sub-Saharan African countries. The biggest growth area, however, are mobile phones with 10 of the countries reporting annual compound growth rates of more than 85 percent.

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by Tatiana Repkova

The Fair Trade Commission fined the country's three largest newspapers a combined W552 million (US$1=W944) for offering excessive numbers of free copies for marketing purposes. It was the first time the FTC has fined the publishers for the distribution of free copies.

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