Audit Bureau of Circulations
Audit Bureau of Circulations

IF ABC

ABC ČR is a corporate member (full membership) of IF ABC (the International Federation of Audit Bureaux of Certification) and member of IF ABC Europe as well. The other groups of IF ABC are APABC (Asia Pacific Region) and IA / LA (Iberoamericano / Latin America Region).  The IF ABC was created in Stockholm in 1963. There are 30 IF ABC bureaux members.

Management of IF ABC

President: Mr Simon Redlich (UK)
Honorary Treasurer: Mr Hormuzd Masani (India)
Honorary Secretary: Tom Drouillard (USA)

The General Assembly: Members of GA are representatives of individual bureaux.

Executive Committee: Executive Committee shall be comprised of at least 6 members representing officers of full IF ABC member organisations who shall serve for a period of two years or until the next biennial General Assembly of members.

IF ABC membership

Full Membership shall be limited to organizations which meet the following principles:

1. Have tripartite sponsorship - by advertisers, advertising agencies and publishers.
2. Have standardized terms and definitions for reporting circulation within the sphere of their own activities.
3. Have a written Constitution.
4. Operate as not-for-profit organizations.
5. Issue facts about circulation without opinion. Issue circulation and media data regularly. Perform independent auditing.
6. Encourage active participation by all eligible advertisers, advertising agencies and publishers.
7. Pay an annual membership fee which shall be fixed every two years at the General Assembly.
8. Have full voting rights and use of the IF ABC logo.

The next type of membership is so called Affiliated Membership. Affiliated membership with no voting rights may be granted to organizations not qualifying as Full Members but performing activities leading to the verification and reporting of circulation. The members may not use the IF ABC logo without the expressed permission of the IF ABC Executive. Fees to be as decided by the General Assembly.

Associate Members are companies closely aligned to the industries IF ABC serve e.g. paper suppliers, printing machinery & inks, global advertising agencies, media analysis & strategic companies, etc. Their attendance at open events are welcome, though they have no voting rights and may not use the IF ABC logo without the expressed permission of the IF ABC Executive.

Other media industry bodies with similar interests are welcomed to be Reciprocity Members. There is a mutual agreement to waive membership fees and there is free mutual access to international information and data for internal information and use. IF ABC co-operates closely on the development and promoting of transparent media measurement. Reciprocity Members receive no voting rights and may not use the IF ABC logo without the expressed premission of the IF ABC Executive.

Inclusion into the IF ABC system 

At first contact the IF ABC Secretariat and inform them of your intention to develop an audit organisation in your country. You will be assisted throughout the process and put in touch with an existing IF ABC member who will act as a mentor throughout the process. Organisation applying for membership must be sponsored by a member organization and elected by a majority vote of the members. The new member has to accept the IF ABC Constitution and Bylaws.

Members of IF ABC