Although media groups currently get online figures from research houses like Nielsen, Google Analytics and the Internet Advertising Bureau, “non of it is public, none of it is comparative, non of it is done in an audited way,” Towell told The Australian.

The lack of an industry standard means “cowboys out there (are) making the wildest of wild claims on what their Web sites are doing,” he said.

Without a standard measurement system, advertisers have been unable to ensure their campaigns are reaching the number of people they hope they are, and have no way of knowing if they've invested their ad dollars wisely, The Australian reported.

ABC will release its audited online data along with its print audit figures.