ABC Introduces New Name -- Alliance for Audited Media -- To Reflect Leadership in New World of Media

NEW YORK, Nov. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) introduced a new brand identity today – the Alliance for Audited Media – to more accurately portray its evolving leadership in media verification.  The new name reflects the industry's transformation and reinforces the organization's preeminent role in providing cross-media standards, audit services, and data critical to the advertising and publishing industries.

The new brand, endorsed by 94 percent of the organization's members who recently cast votes on the matter, builds upon AAM's expanding role in auditing media across multiple platforms. These include print media brands, tablet and smartphone apps, websites, social media, email newsletters, and digital publishing platforms that serve the media industry.

"The ABC brand has served our organization and our industry well for nearly 100 years, but this represents much more than a name change," said Michael J. Lavery, president and managing director of the Alliance for Audited Media. "With advancements in the media industry and the progress our organization has made in developing new digital audit services and cross-media expertise, we felt it was time to refresh our brand to better reflect our strategic role in the new world of media." Lavery added that the nonprofit organization's mission would remain focused on bringing third-party accountability, credibility, and confidence to a changing media landscape.

The announcement of the new name was accompanied by the introduction of a new logo and new U.S. and Canadian websites. The sites feature an all-new Media Intelligence Center—an online resource housing a comprehensive range of audited information and media analysis tools, available exclusively to AAM members.

Lavery also noted that the new AAM brand fits well with the organization's recent acquisition of the Certified Audit of Circulations. "Our relationship with CAC helps expand our audit services for smaller U.S. newspapers and increases the granular data available in our new Media Intelligence Center," he said.

Media Continue Digital Transformation

According to AAM's fourth annual digital publishing survey, which will be released in full in December, publishers continue to transform their business models to reach readers across multiple platforms. Ninety percent of AAM publisher members today provide content on mobile devices like tablets and smartphones, up from 51 percent in 2009. Publishers also expect smartphone and tablet apps to double in profitability by the end of 2014. Other digital products will see smaller, but still significant, gains. As another sign of the digital transformation occurring in publishing, earlier this month, AAM released figures showing that digital editions now represent 15 percent of all U.S. newspaper circulation, up from nine percent the year earlier.

As further evidence of its evolving business, the Alliance for Audited Media also announced today that it has completed an initial certification audit of Adobe Inc.'s Digital Publishing Suite, a set of programs that many AAM publisher members use to create and distribute digital publications on tablets and smartphones.

Industry Leaders Show Support for New AAM

In conjunction with the launch of its new brand, AAM released a new video in which several industry leaders speak to the changes occurring in media and the critical need for third-party auditing across multiple publishing platforms. Speakers featured in the short video include:

• Michael Clinton, president, marketing and publishing director of Hearst Magazines, and current board chairman of the MPA – The Association of Magazine Media
• Jim Moroney, publisher and CEO, Dallas Morning News, and current board chairman of the Newspaper Association of America
• Sunni Boot, CEO of ZenithOptimedia Canada, and current board chairman of the Alliance for Audited Media
• Phillip Crawley, publisher and CEO, The Globe and Mail
• Rob Fisher, senior vice president, group publisher, American City Business Journals
• Steve Mueller, president, NSA Media
• David Murphy, president, Novus Media
• Shelagh Stoneham, senior vice president and general manager, brands and marketing communications, Rogers Communications
• Brenda White, senior vice president, director of the publishing activation group, Starcom USA

New "AAMbitions" Introduced

The Alliance for Audited Media introduced its new name at its annual conference this morning in New York. In his remarks to attendees, Lavery presented eight "AAMbitions," reflecting the aspirations of the organization:

1. Remain the world's preeminent provider of media verification and information services.
2. Build upon the tripartite alliance that has shaped our organization and ensure that we serve each sector of our membership – media companies, ad agencies and advertisers — with integrity, diligence and commitment.
3. Uphold AAM as the gold standard in audited media and an essential source of cross-platform information.
4. Invest in AAM's technical resources and capabilities so that members can continue to access timely, customized information for North America's leading multiplatform media.
5. Continue to develop the skills, resources, and expertise required to lead in an increasingly digital media environment.
6. Pursue strategic acquisitions and relationships that deepen AAM's expertise in audited media services.
7. Strengthen our commitment to industry education and training—built upon AAM's nonprofit mission—to enable members to thrive in an ever-changing media environment.
8. Uphold our promise to provide superior customer service to all members.

About the Alliance for Audited Media

The Alliance for Audited Media (AAM) is a nonprofit organization that connects North America's leading media companies, advertisers and ad agencies. Founded in 1914 as the Audit Bureau of Circulations, the AAM is the preeminent source of cross-media verification and information services, providing standards, audit services and data critical to the advertising industry. The organization independently verifies print and digital circulation, mobile apps, website analytics, social media, technology platforms and audience information for newspapers, magazines and digital media companies in the U.S. and Canada. In November 2012, the AAM joined forces with Certified Audit of Circulations. To learn more about the Alliance for Audited Media, visit the AAM website.

SOURCE Audit Bureau of Circulations/Alliance for Audited Media