• by Erik Sass , January 10, 2006

Magazine circulation auditor BPA Worldwide Monday unveiled important changes in its rules for classifying the circulation of magazines distributed via a variety of digital platforms. Chief among the rule revisions is the creation of a separate classification for "stand-alone" digital magazines that are published without a corresponding print edition.

While the BPA has always been able to audit digital publications, the change effectively recognizes digital magazines as a distinct, new medium in the eyes of one of the print industry's leading auditors.

For example, the change specifies that other forms of digital publishing, including "e-newsletters and Web sites, do not qualify as digital publications/magazines"--but that digital and print magazines may be simultaneously classified as "versions" or "editions."

In order to be designated a digital "version" of a print publication, the BPA said a digital magazine must include the complete editorial content of the original print publication--although not the same advertising, layout, or pagination.

Digital "editions," however, have more editorial flexibility in the BPA rubric, depending on whether they are business or consumer magazines.

For B-to-B publications, the rules require that demographic print and digital editions contain at least 50 percent common editorial content with the original print publication, while geographic print or digital editions must have only "common editorial scope" with their original publication.

For editions of consumer magazines, the rules are a bit more stringent: both demographic and geographic editions must contain "the same editorial content, with only such variations in editorial matter required by the different demographic or geographic audience served."

For the digital demographic and geographic editions of consumer magazines, the BPA said advertising, layout, and pagination "need not be common."

The BPA's rules, however, give publishers the discretion of reporting whether their subscribers actually download electronic copies of publications. "If a member chooses to report on a download basis, any issue that cannot be verified as having been downloaded does not count within the digital download totals," the BPA said.

In other news, the BPA also issued new rules governing print publications, including new definitions covering the distribution of magazines in public spaces.

The full language of the amendments is available digitally by clicking here.