ABC Looks to Accredit Adobe Audience Tool

In the US, the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) is evaluating software giant Adobe's digital audience measurement tool AudienceResearch, which it says can help its newspaper and magazine publishers to report web site, mobile app and digital publication data.

Launched last month, AudienceResearch provides publishers and digital marketers with metrics on the size and engagement of audiences for web sites, mobile apps and digital magazines. It also provides census-based measurement of metrics captured by Adobe's SiteCatalyst online analytics app, which was recently accredited by the Media Ratings Council.

In order to accredit AudienceResearch, ABC's interactive arm ABCi will initially conduct test audits of several publishers in the first quarter of 2012, using Adobe certified data. The second phase will cover Adobe systems and procedures, with potential for a broader roll-out across ABC member newspapers and magazines.

ABC says accrediting the tool will make it easier for these publications to report audited web site, mobile app and digital publication data in ABC reports such as the Consolidated Media Report (CMR).

ABCi EVP and General Manager Neal Lulofs comments: 'A majority of the newspapers and magazines affiliated with ABC rely on Adobe for digital publishing tools, web analytics and online audience data. We've been working with Adobe and a few of our mutual publishing clients on some early beta audits, using data from Adobe AudienceResearch, and we're excited about the progress and potential we've seen.'

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