Jargon Buster

An easy to use guide to key media terms

Contact usABC, Saxon House, 211 High Street, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, HP4 1AD+44 (0) 1442 870800 info@abc.org.uk

It’s as easy as…Confused between your clicks and your circulation. Bewildered by your bulks and your browsers. Don’t worry, we’ve put together this jargon buster to help explain some of the terms you may come across in your journey through the media world.

For the latest definitions visit www.abc.org.uk/jargon

Setting the standardABC inspires market confidence by delivering a valued stamp of trust across the media world. We work with standards agreed by the industry, for the industry. Each media sector has its own Reporting Standards Group drawn from media owners and agencies who work together to define these standards.

Digital media standards are set by JICWEBS (the Joint Industry Committee for Web Standards www.jicwebs.org).

ABC Jargon Buster

Please refer to the back page for sector definitions.

AActive Registered User AccountDigital | WEB A registered user account that has accessed the website, service or network in the certification period.

Actively Purchased CirculationPrint | VAR A term used broadly to describe those copies purchased by an individual at a minimum price. The actively purchased figure is the sum of the copies claimed as newstrade and single copy sales and single copy subscriptions categories.

Ad ClickDigital | AD A click on an online advertisement.

Ad ImpressionDigital | AD An online advertisement served.

Ad Unique BrowserDigital | AD A unique browser (software profile) that has made a request for an online advertisement.

App EventsDigital | APP Any measured event within an app. This is not an auditable metric but allows other auditable metrics to be calculated.

App Page ImpressionDigital | WEB A request for a page of content through an identifiable app.

App Unique Browser Digital | WEB A unique browser that has made an app page impression.

App VisitDigital | APP A near continuous burst of activity by a single app unique browser, where successive app events occur within 30 minutes of each other.

App Visit DurationDigital | WEB The average time of each app visit containing more than one app event.

App (Application)Digital | APP A program with a clearly defined purpose, typically referred to as an app when installed on a handheld device.

AssociateData suppliers who have had their products accredited to industry agreed standards.

Attendance FigureEvent | EX The number of individuals attending an exhibition. This may include visitors and others such as exhibitor personnel or press.

Audit IssueBM The issue that is analysed by category on the certificate.

Audit PeriodThe time period covered by the certificate e.g. “July to December” or “November”.

Audit ReportIf an audit or inspection identifies a material error on a published certificate, the certificate will be re-issued with a report detailing the changes.

Automated Page ImpressionDigital | WEB A request for a page (page refresh) by an automated process.

AV PlayDigital | AV The playing of a piece of audio or video content e.g. live radio, movie, TV broadcast, video clip.

AV Play DurationDigital | AV The number of seconds of content served to a valid browser in an AV play.

AV Unique BrowserDigital | AV A unique browser (software profile) that has played a piece of audio or video content.

BBasic Annual Rate (BAR)Print | VAR Broadly the standard undiscounted rate at which the publisher sells a 1 year subscription to a publication. It is used as a reference on the certificate to show whether subscriptions are sold at a discounted rate.

Basic Cover PricePrint | VAR Broadly the full price a publication is normally sold at (definitions vary between sectors). It is used as a reference on the certificate to show whether copies are sold at a discounted rate.

Bluetooth DownloadDigital | BLU An item of content successfully downloaded to a device via bluetooth.

BrowserDigital | WEB Software used by a device (e.g. a computer, tablet or mobile phone) to display content requested from websites.

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ABC Jargon Buster

BBulk Distribution ReportA monthly report we issue listing the latest distribution data from the ABC Bulk Distribution sector.

Bulk SalesPrint | VAR Bulk Sales (sometimes referred to as ‘multiple copy sales’) are copies sold in bulk to a third party usually for onward free distribution to individuals. In most sectors regular bulk sales must be sold for a minimum of 1p/1 cent per copy but issue specific bulk sales generally must be sold for a higher minimum amount per copy.

ByelawsThe rules and procedures which govern all sectors of ABC. Compliance with byelaws is a condition of membership.

CCachingDigital | WEB The local storage of recently requested files by a computer in case they are required again. This reduces the time required to load web pages.

CertificateWe issue verified data or processes in the form of a certificate. Publicly issued certificates are available on our website.

ClickDigital | WEB The measurement of a mouse click on a hyperlink.

ComplaintWe have a formal procedure to allow a member to complain about possible infringements of our rules and procedures. Most complaints we receive are about how members are promoting their data, using our logo or making comparisons with other products. Although this formal procedure is for members, anyone involved in the buying or selling of advertising can tell us about possible infringements by an ABC member.

Completed DownloadDigital | WEB A request for a file which can be used offline (e.g. a presentation, document or mp3) where more than 95% of the file has successfully transferred.

Completed PodcastDigital | WEB A Completed Download of a podcast which follows automated notification that the file is available.

Consumer Magazines ReportA report we publish twice a year with circulation/distribution data from publications reporting in the Consumer Magazines sector. Inclusion in the report is optional.

Content Verification (CV) TechnologyAD | Digital Products that aim to either report or block an advert from appearing next to inappropriate content on websites. For example hate or brand conflicting content.

Controlled Circulation CopiesPrint | VAR Copies sent free to individuals who meet criteria set by the publisher to define its target audience.

CookieDigital | WEB A text file placed in a website user’s browser software by a website to remember data about that browser.

Corporate Subscription SalesPrint | NN Copies purchased for a defined period by an employer for its employees solely for the purpose of them carrying out their work duties.

Counting SystemDigital | VAR Each media owner chooses a way to analyse their web traffic data and report upon it. This typically requires them to develop their own software, purchase specialist software or outsource to a provider of web analytics.

Cross Platform CertificateA certificate for a newspaper or magazine that includes both print and digital editions for a single publication.

CV (Curriculum Vitae) Details Page ImpressionDigital | WEB A page containing the details of a single curriculum vitae.

CV (Curriculum Vitae) RegistrationDigital | WEB The uploading of a curriculum vitae.

DDaily Average Unique BrowsersDigital | WEB The daily average is the sum of each day’s traffic divided by the total number of days.

Daily Unique BrowsersDigital | WEB The number of unique browsers which have requested content from a website in 24 hours.

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ABC Jargon Buster

DDigital EditionPrint | VAR An electronic edition of a print publication which once published is, as a principle, inert (i.e. does not change).

Digital PublicationDigital | VAR A digital publication which contains date stamped content, divided into pages and is published periodically. It may or may not have a print parent.

Digital Trading Standards Group (DTSG)Digital A group set up to reduce the risk of unsafe ad placement online.

Distribution (Gross)Digital | EMAIL The total number of emails that a company attempted to send to all the addresses on a mailing list.

Distribution (Net)Digital | EMAIL The total number of emails that a company successfully sent to the addresses on a mailing list.

Distribution RegionPrint | RP The geographical area that a publication is primarily distributed in.

Double Opt-InDigital | EMAIL The process by which users confirm an email address to be on a mailing list, by first subscribing to a list and then sending a confirmation email as a reply to the list owner.

Duplication PercentageThe level of duplication of postal/email addresses in a mailing list, expressed as a percentage of the total.

EeAlertOur free email notification service that includes information on data and membership changes. You can register and tailor your preferences on our website www.abc.org.uk/ealerts.

EditionPrint | VAR A version of a publication with either changed advertising and/or editorial content. The requirements vary between sectors in terms of the extent of permitted changes. Please see also: digital editions, special editions and sports edition sales.

Email Job ReferralDigital | EMAIL A click on an email link from a job listing to submit a curriculum vitae.

Emails BouncedDigital | EMAIL The total number of emails in the gross distribution that generated an NDN (Non-Delivery-Notice) measured at least 24 hours after the time of the last email sent in that single mailing.

eReturnThe online form completed by media owners to submit their data claim to ABC.

Excluded IssuesPrint | VAR As a general rule all issues must be included on an ABC certificate, however some issues may be excluded due to official public holidays or where the circulation has been significantly affected by circumstances such as a press breakdown. Excluded issues are reported on the certificate.

FFree Letterbox DeliveryPrint | RP Free copies delivered individually through letterboxes. The general principle is that the distribution must be regular and to a defined area.

Free Pickup CopiesPrint | RP Copies delivered in bulk to designated distribution points where they are either left for free pick up or handed out to individuals. As a general principle they must be regular in quantity, frequency and types of distribution point.

Free Requested, Delivered CopiesPrint | RP Copies that have been personally requested by an individual and have been delivered individually to their address.

Full Rate CirculationPrint | NN A category showing copies purchased by individuals at the basic cover price (including newstrade, single copy sales and paid postal subscriptions).

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ABC Jargon Buster

GGeographical IP AnalysisDigital | WEB The percentages by country established for a given metric (e.g. monthly unique browsers).

Group CertificateA certificate for a media owner that combines the data from two or more certificates in the same sector.

Group Product ReportA single report for a media owner that shows the headline data from two or more certificates (which can be from different sectors).

HHitDigital | WEB A record of a request for a file logged by a computer.

HTMLDigital | WEB HyperText Markup Language, the set of commands used by web browser software to interpret and display page content on a device.

IInteractive TV Ad ImpressionDigital | AD An online advertisement shown in an interactive TV environment such as the “red button” pages available on a digibox.

Interactive TV ImpressionDigital | WEB A request made for a site’s interactive TV content.

Island of Ireland ReportA report we issue twice a year that includes data for products in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Issue by Issue ReportA report we issue twice a year that includes additional detail on issue/monthly data for magazines that have opted to report it.

Issue Specific Bulk SalesPrint | VAR Copies sold in bulk on a one-off or irregular basis usually for onward free distribution to individuals.

JJob Details Page ImpressionDigital | WEB A request for a page containing the details of a single job.

LLesser Rate Circulation Print | NN A category showing copies purchased by individuals at less than the basic cover price (including newstrade, single copy sales and paid postal subscriptions).

MMarket SectorOur products can be analysed by market sector to allow you to identify those that operate in a particular market such as recruitment, TV listings and men’s lifestyle.

Media Owner/Publisher The owner of a product e.g. website, title, brand.

Media Owner Statement/Publisher StatementA statement made by the media owner. Claims are usually identified as a ‘publisher statement’ to distinguish them from information derived from another source, such as ABC.

Mobile Format ImpressionDigital | WEB A page impression delivered in a format optimised for use on a smartphone or similarly capable handheld device.

Monitored Free DistributionPrint | CM Copies that are supplied in bulk to distribution points on an every issue basis. Copies can be left out for free pick up by individuals or handed out individually.

Monthly Unique BrowsersDigital | WEB The number of unique browsers to have requested content from a website in one calendar month.

Multi-Platform Certificate A certificate that displays data by a media owner relating to two or more media platforms, for example print and website figures.

Multi-Platform ReportA report we issue grouping data by media owner relating to two or more certificates, for example print and website figures. Inclusion is optional.

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ABC Jargon Buster

MMultipackPrint | CM A term used to describe two or more magazines packaged or banded together as a unit.

Multiple Copy Subscription Sales Print | VAR Subscriptions for two or more copies, typically where the final recipient of each copy is not known.

NNational Newspapers ReportA monthly report we issue containing data for national newspapers.

Newstrade and Single Copy SalesPrint | VAR Newstrade represents copies the publisher has sold to wholesalers and/or retailers for onward sale to individuals. Single copy sales are single copies the publisher has sold direct to individuals.

Non-Controlled CirculationPrint | VAR Copies that are either mailed to an individual by name or job title or are handed to individuals who have signed for them and have provided their name and address details.

OOnline Job ApplicationDigital | WEB The submission of your application details to a receiving computer, in order to apply for a job.

Online Job ReferralDigital | WEB Clicking on a link to a recruiter’s site.

Online ProfileDigital | WEB Website figures and additional information about a site’s visitors collected by an on-site survey. For example visitor demographic.

Online Property Details Page ImpressionDigital | WEB A request for a page containing the details of a single property listing.

Opt-InDigital | EMAIL Adding your email address to a mailing list by clicking on a subscribe link or sending a subscription email.

PPage ImpressionDigital | WEB A request for a page of content from a website made by a valid browser.

Page ViewDigital | WEB This is the same as a page impression.

Paid and Controlled CopiesPrint | BM Copies that a publisher can demonstrate have been purchased by an individual who also meets their terms of control.

Percentage BouncedDigital | EMAIL The percentage of the total emails sent in a mailing that bounced (see emails bounced).

Personal Identifier Question (PIQ)Print | VAR A question set by ABC that is used as a means of audit verification for telephone and electronic registrations (e.g. via internet or e-mail) for controlled free circulation or exhibition attendees.

Podcast SubscriberDigital | WEB A browser which has been set to be notified about podcast availability.

Process AuditDigital | PRO An ABC audit that checks a process meets specified industry standards.

Product TypeThe channel and sector a product belongs to. For example National Newspapers or Online Certificate.

Publication OpenedDigital | WEB A request for the first page of a digital publication.

RRaw Log FileDigital | WEB A text file containing records (Hits) of all the electronic transactions recorded by a computer.

Regional Publications ReportA report we publish twice a year with data for local and regional newspapers.

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ABC Jargon Buster

RRegistered User AccountDigital | EMAIL A set of credentials (e.g. username, password and email address) set up for a person to gain access to a service, network or website.

Registration StatusWe distinguish between products that are registered with us and those that are no longer registered (having resigned or had their registrations cancelled). Only registered products for which we have issued a certificate can use our logo.

Reporting Standards The industry-agreed rules to which ABC data is prepared and reported.

Reporting Standards Group (RSG)A group comprising of media owners and agencies that approve the Reporting Standards for a particular sector.

Requested DownloadDigital | WEB A request for a file which can be used offline (e.g. a video, a spreadsheet).

Requested PodcastDigital | WEB A requested download of a file which follows automated notification that the file is available.

Return/Return FormThe form completed by media owners to submit their data claim to ABC. In some sectors the form is completed online (‘eReturn’).

SSearchDigital | WEB A set of search results served in response to a request.

Search ClickDigital | WEB A click on a link from within a search results page.

Single Copy Subscription SalesPrint | VAR Single copies mailed to an individual or company that has paid to receive a copy for a fixed period. Sales are usually reported by price banding identifying copies sold at the basic annual subscription rate (BAR) and those sold at a discount.

Site URLDigital | WEB The address (see URL definition) that a website uses to identify itself and its content and that represents the homepage when browsed.

Society/Association/Organisation CirculationPrint | VAR Copies sent to members of a society where the magazine in question is an official publication of the society.

Special Edition SalesPrint | RP Sales of a stand alone edition produced to cover a special subject such as a Royal Wedding or a local football club’s cup win. Special editions can only be sold as single copy sales at full cover price and must comprise of at least 25% editorial.

Sports Edition SalesPrint | RP Sales of a separate sports edition of the parent newspaper. These are usually published on a Saturday giving results and reports of sporting events.

Submission DeadlineThe deadline by which a media owner must submit their return or eReturn to us.

Subsited TrafficDigital | WEB A page which is pushed into a browser, usually by opening a new window “under” the original page requested by the browser.

SubsitingDigital | WEB Entering into an arrangement to have your site’s pages pushed into browsers when other pages have been requested, so generating subsited traffic.

TTaggingDigital | WEB Measuring site traffic by adding tracking code which runs each time a page is rendered by a browser.

Terms of ControlPrint | VAR The criteria used by the publisher to define their target audience. The publisher must retain third party evidence to prove the recipient of each controlled circulation copy meets the terms of control reported on the certificate.

Total Average Net CirculationPrint | VAR Often referred to as the headline or ABC figure. This is the sum of the eligible circulation and is shown as an average per issue over the audit period.

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ABC Jargon Buster

TTotal Average Net Distribution Print | CM In consumer magazines the term “circulation” is replaced with “distribution” when more than 80% of the total claim for a title consists of monitored free distribution.

Total Unique AttendanceEvent | EX The number of individuals who attend the exhibition.

UUnique App DeviceDigital | APP A device that has accessed a given app.

Unique AV Browser Digital | AV The total number of unique browsers who make at least one AV play.

Unique Bluetooth DeviceDigital | BLU A device that has made a bluetooth download.

Unique BrowserDigital | WEB A unique software profile (not a person) which has made requests for content to the site.

Unique Browser DurationDigital | WEB The total time in seconds for all visits of two or more page impressions, divided by the number of unique browsers making such visits.

Unique Search BrowserDigital | WEB A unique browser that has made at least one search.

Unique User Digital | WEB A member of a market research panel whose computer has metering software installed that tracks their website activity.

Unique VisitorDigital | WEB A name sometimes used for unique browser (see definition).

Unique Web Feed Browser Digital | WEB A unique browser that has made at least one request for a web feed.

URLDigital | WEB A string of characters identifying where a networked content resource is available and the mechanism for retrieving it.

VVisitDigital | WEB A near continuous burst of activity by a single unique browser on a site, where successive pages occur within 30 minutes of each other.

Visit DurationDigital | WEB The average time of each visit containing more than one page impression.

Visitor AttendanceEvent | EX The number of visitors who attended an exhibition and did not fall into another category of attendance such as exhibitor personnel.

WWAP Ad ImpressionDigital | AD An online advertisement served in a WAP environment.

WAP Impression Digital | WEB A request for a site’s WAP content made by a valid browser.

webBase ABC’s continuous website traffic reporting service.

Web FeedDigital | WEB A technology that allows a website to flag stories or headlines, that special software delivers automatically to a subscriber’s computer in an easy to read format. The most popular types are RSS and Atom.

Web Feed Unique BrowserDigital | WEB The number of unique browsers (software profiles) to have requested content from a website in a single week (Monday to Sunday).

Weekly Average Unique BrowsersDigital | WEB The weekly average is the sum of each week’s traffic divided by the total number of weeks. Unique browsers are not de-duplicated between weeks.

Weekly Unique BrowsersDigital | WEB The number of de-duplicated unique browsers (software profiles) to have requested content from a website in a single week (Monday to Sunday).

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Print | Digital | Events

We are experts at auditing

circulation, distribution,

attendance, traffic and processes

across a range of media sectors.

AD – Ad Campaigns

APP – Application

AV – Audio/Video Traffic

BD – Bulk Distribution

BLU – Bluetooth Traffic

BM – Business Magazines

CM – Consumer Magazines

EMAIL – Email Distribution

EX – Exhibitions

NN – National Newspapers

PRO – Process Audits

RP – Regional Publications

VAR – Various Sectors

WEB – Web Traffic

This is intended as a brief user-friendly guide to industry terms. It is not intended as a replacement for, or interpretation of, definitions within the ABC Reporting Standards. In all cases where definitions in this guide and the Reporting Standards differ, the Reporting Standards will prevail.

April 2012.

Sector key

Notes

Jargon Buster

An easy to use guide to key media terms

Contact usABC, Saxon House, 211 High Street, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, HP4 1AD+44 (0) 1442 870800 info@abc.org.uk