The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) is an Indian non-profit circulation-auditing organisation. It is a voluntary body founded by publishers, advertisers and advertising agencies to certify the net paid circulation figures of member newspapers and periodicals in India. The certified data forms a key reference for the buying and selling of print advertising space in the Indian market.
| Name | Audit Bureau of Circulations |
|---|---|
| Type | Non-profit, voluntary industry body |
| Sector | Print media; circulation auditing |
| Country | India |
| Headquarters | Mumbai |
| Membership | Publishers, advertisers, advertising agencies and associated bodies |
| Function | Certification of net paid circulation of newspapers and magazines |
The ABC follows the international model of audit bureaux of circulation that emerged in the early twentieth century, when advertisers sought independently verified figures rather than publisher-declared numbers. In India, the bureau was set up to provide a similar mechanism so that media planners and advertisers could base their decisions on audited data. Membership is open to publications that meet the bureau's criteria and agree to submit their records for audit.
The ABC issues circulation certificates to member publications, typically on a half-yearly basis (January–June and July–December). The figures audited represent net paid circulation, which excludes free, complimentary and unsold copies. Audits are conducted through a defined methodology that examines printing records, distribution data, returns and financial accounts of the publication.
Certified ABC figures are widely used in India as a basis for:
Because Indian print media remains large and linguistically diverse, ABC certification plays a particularly important role in providing a common, audited benchmark across English, Hindi and other Indian-language publications.