• Editor & Publisher, Thursday, April 17, 2008 10:45 AM

In a major snub to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, three big Canadian newspaper chains, including the parent of the Toronto Star, will now have their circulation audits done by the Canadian Circulation Audit Board. All told, 30 dailies in the Great White North will leave the ABC. The companies say they want a "Made in Canada" structure that will "address widespread concerns within the newspaper industry about a lack of Canadian input into U.S.-based auditing agencies and the need for increased recognition of unique Canadian perspectives on the future of the newspaper industry."

But the move immediately drew fire from some top ad execs: "I can't begin to express how shocked and disappointed I am at this shortsighted move," says Hugh Dow, president of M2 Universal and COO of Universal McCann. "In an environment in which newspapers are struggling to retain readers and advertising revenue, this will only make media buyers more apprehensive and wary. ABC has been the gold standard of auditing since its founding nearly a century ago, and those standards are needed more today than ever..."

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