Subscription Publications That Go Digital-Only Face New Regulations

Spurred by Newsweek’s decision to go digital-only, the Alliance for Audited Media (formerly the Audit Bureau of Circulations) has issued new guidelines for publications

Spurred by Newsweek’s decision to go digital-only, the Alliance for Audited Media (formerly the Audit Bureau of Circulations) has issued new guidelines for publications that make a similar decision.The AAM has endorsed guidelines stating that any print publication that chooses to go digital-only must give print subscribers the option of:

  1. Receiving a digital subscription;
  2. Converting their subscription to another print publications (this presumes the digital-only publication is owned by a parent company that owns many print titles); or
  3. Receiving a refund for the remainder of the print subscription term,

This move follows AAM’s issued guideline that all editorial in the print edition must be contained in the replica digital edition. The new guidelines has led to some confusion, so the organization has since published clarifying guidelines.Of course, the AAM has little enforcement power, and it rules only apply to members who wish to be audited in order to receive advertising dollars. Subscription-only publications needn’t be too concerned about the new rules. Although they do seem like good customer service guidelines.

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