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Reporting Guidelines

This area of the emma website provides resources for publishers seeking to either have publications measured by emma, or withdrawn from measurement. emma measures a selection of publications of the following types:

  1. Newspapers (National, Metropolitan, Regional and Community)
  2. Magazines
  3. Newspaper inserted magazines

Titles are measured across one or more of the following platforms:

  1. Print
  2. Website
  3. App

The Readership Works has the sole right to determine the list of publications measured by emma. Titles may be included or removed in response to applications from publishers or at the instigation of The Readership Works. Publications measured on the survey are not reported automatically but must meet defined standards. Learn more about the emma reporting standards.

Seeking measurement

Emma considers applications for measurement of new titles from publishers that are not existing emma subscribers on a quarterly basis, according to the following calendar:

Fieldwork period Deadline for application
Q1 (January-March) 31st October
Q2 (April-June) 31st January
Q3 (July-September) 30th April
Q4 (October-December) 31st July

Seeking cessation of measurement

Publishers may request that they wish to withdraw a title from measurement at any time. Except in the case of closure, six months’ notice of withdrawal from measurement must be given. An explanation is also required as to why cessation of measurement is being sought. Learn more about how to withdraw from measurement.

 

Reporting Standards

Publications measured by emma are not automatically reported.  In order for reporting to occur they must meet certain minimum standards to ensure that the data is accurate and stable over time. Publications must meet criteria around both duration of measurement and sample size:

1. Duration of measurement

Data reported by emma is based on a 12 month measurement period.  Audience data is based on an average across that 12 month period.  An exception can be made for new titles, which can be reported before a full 12 months of sample are available.

New National, Metropolitan and Regional and Community Newspapers

A new title (or a new branded section or inserted magazine) will be eligible for reporting once it has been measured for a minimum number of weeks on the survey, as follows:

Print Website App
Daily newspapers 4 weeks 4 weeks 4 weeks
Weekly newspapers 4 weeks 4 weeks 4 weeks
Newspaper branded sections 4 weeks 4 weeks 4 weeks

New Magazines

A new title will be eligible for reporting after a minimum number of issues have been measured on the survey (for print), or once it has been measured for a minimum number of weeks on the survey (for digital platforms), as follows:

Print Website App
Weekly magazines 4 different issues 4 weeks 4 weeks
Monthly magazines 4 different issues 4 weeks 4 weeks
Bi-monthly magazines 2 different issues 4 weeks 4 weeks
Quarterly magazines 2 different issues 4 weeks 4 weeks
Newspaper inserted magazines 4 different issues 4 weeks 4 weeks

2. Minimum sample

Print

In general, titles that have been measured by emma for a period of 12 months or more via the main national survey should achieve an unweighted sample size of at least 120 average issue readers over a 12 month period in order to be reported.

Mobile and Tablet

For titles that are also published in printed form, no minimum unweighted reader sample size is required.  Titles that are not also published in print, and that have been measured by emma for a period of 12 months or more, should achieve an unweighted sample size of at least 120 average past- 4-week readers over a 12 month period in order to be reported.

Web

Web audiences reported by emma are based on fused Nielsen Online Ratings data. Minimum sample reporting requirements are determined by The Nielsen Company. There are however some exceptions to these general rules:

Smaller Regional and Community Newspapers

The minimum unweighted sample size rule does not apply to smaller regional and community titles that are measured via distribution area surveys and/or modelling, as modelling is conducted to compensate for smaller sample sizes.

New publications (excluding smaller regional and community titles)

Subject to the Duration of Measurement rules, new publications may, at the sole discretion of The Readership Works, be reported for the first time once a minimum unweighted sample size of 120 average issue readers has been accumulated, subject to checks on the integrity of the data.  Checks carried out will include:

  1. Confirmation of the time period over which the title has been measured.
  2. An analysis of Readers per Copy using circulation data corresponding to the period over which the title was measured, checking whether the circulation data includes bulk or free copies.
  3. The demographic profile of readers, which should be similar to the target audience for the title.
  4. A comparison with competitor titles that are already measured on the survey. This may include frequency of reading, source of copy or other measures as appropriate.

Publications that fall below the minimum sample threshold

In the event that a publication that has been measured by emma for at least 12 months achieves a sample size of less than 120 average issue readers over a 12 month period it will be placed under review, and will be subject to the assessment applied to new publications noted above.  Reporting may be discontinued until or unless the sample size of 120 over a 12 month period is exceeded.

The publication may also be withdrawn from measurement at the discretion of The Readership Works.

 

Withdraw from Measurement

A publisher seeking to have a title withdrawn from measurement by emma should complete the withdrawal application form. Applications will be considered by The Readership Works and a response communicated in writing to the publisher.

The information on this page is provided as guidance. Should further information be desired, publishers may contact The Readership Works via info@emma.com.au.

Publishers may request that they wish to withdraw a title from measurement at any time. Except in the case of closure, six months’ notice of withdrawal from measurement must be given. An explanation is also required as to why cessation of measurement is being sought. The Readership Works has the sole right to determine the list of publications measured by emma. The Readership Works may therefore, at its own discretion, remove a title from measurement by emma without having received an application from the publisher.  It may also, at its own discretion, elect to continue measuring a title despite having received a publisher request to withdraw it from measurement.

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