Britain's Audit Bureau of Circulations may investigate Wall Street Journal's European figures amid widespread media coverage of newspaper's circulation

Kendall Sinclair

BERKHAMSTED, England , October 13, 2011 (press release) – There has been widespread coverage about some aspects of the Wall Street Journal Europe's circulation in the press.

When the scheme under question, between the WSJE and ELP was originally set up in 2009, it was reviewed by ABC and deemed to be compliant with the rules in force in that sector, International Publications, for 'Multiple Copy Subscription Sales'. The audit carried out on the July-December 2010 circulation also found the scheme to be in order. More recently we have re-examined the scheme based on some new evidence available. There now appears to be additional new information which may give grounds for further investigation.

The investigation of formal complaints, and the complaints themselves, are strictly confidential until a decision has been reached and upheld on appeal if the member chooses to do so. This will also include any corrective actions deemed necessary. If a complaint is upheld after investigation, it will be published on our website (www.abc.org.uk). The results of investigations where the complaint is not upheld are not made public.


About ABC

ABC is governed by the media industry, for the media industry and is the expert at setting data and process standards across multiple platforms. ABC provides a stamp of trust for media buyers, media owners, publishers and digital traders working in existing and emerging platforms.

The ABC Board consists of 16 media owners, media agencies, advertisers and trade body members – with 25 per cent of the Board representing the digital sector. The Board make strategic decisions as to how ABC is run and each industry sector is represented by a Reporting Standards Group.

ABC was established in the UK in 1931 and is a founder member of the International Federation of ABCs (IFABC), of which ABC CEO Jerry Wright is President. ABC’s digital arm was established in 1996 and was united with ABC under one brand with a new identity and integrated structure in March 2011. ABC works to deliver common international standards for measuring digital reach, engagement and loyalty, as well as creating common standards for good practice throughout the industry.

JICWEBS www.jicwebs.org is the Joint Industry Committee for Web Standards. This industry-owned organisation meets 4 times a year to provide credibility, comparability and transparency for digital measurement. ABC audits digital media to these industry- agreed standards and accredits other digital service providers across the industry. Representatives on JICWEBS encompass all areas of the industry including advertisers, agencies and media owners from the following trade bodies: IPA, IPA digital, ISBA, AOP, IAB, NS, NPA.

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