Verified Audit Circulation
{{Short description|American media audit company}}
{{Infobox company
|name = Verified Audit Circulation
|logo =
|type = Private company
|foundation = Los Angeles (1951)
|defunct = Closed December 2022
|founder = Geraldine Knight
|location_city = San Rafael, California
|subsid =
|fate = Chapter 7 bankruptcy
|area_served = United States
|key_people = Tim Prouty (CEO)
|industry = Publishing
|products = Circulation audit reports
delivery verification reports
research
|revenue =
|operating_income =
|net_income =
|assets =
|equity =
|num_employees =
|homepage = [http://www.verifiedaudit.com Verifiedaudit.com]
}}
Verified Audit Circulation was a United States company founded by Geraldine Knight in 1951 that conducts circulation audits of both free and paid print publications and of traffic figures for web sites. The company also provides custom research and verifies field delivery of products such as yellow pages, branded delivery bags, and door hangers.{{Cite web
| title = Resource Focus: Verified Audit Circulation
| work = Article
| publisher = MagazineLaunch
| date = 13 June 2005
| url = http://www.magazinelaunch.com/how-to/resource-focus/resource-focus-verified-audit-circulation
| access-date = 2 August 2011}}
As an independent audit firm, Verified Audit Circulation works with publication circulation figures provided by their publisher clients, to verify or adjust these circulation numbers, based on examining a publication’s printing and financial records. Field research also may be conducted to confirm circulation figures. Circulation audit findings are compiled and released in audit reports, which advertisers use to make decisions about advertising placements.{{Cite web | last = Armor | first = Jennifer | title = How to Purchase Print Advertising Wisely | publisher = National Mail Order Association | url = http://www.nmoa.org/articles/dmnews/Howtopurchaseprintadvertising707.htm | access-date = 4 August 2011}}
On December 21, 2022, the company filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, and liquidated its assets.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2022/12/22/verified-audit-circulation-bankruptcy.html|title=Verified Audit Circulation files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy|date=2022-12-22|access-date=2022-12-22}}
History
During the mid-twentieth century, traditional paid-circulation newspapers and magazines were joined by a new publication category: free-circulation newspapers and magazines, known as trade or controlled-circulation publications. As free newspapers and magazines increased in number, in 1951, Geraldine Knight founded Verified Audit Circulation as the first company dedicated to auditing these publications.{{Cite web | title = Company History | publisher = Verified Audit Circulation | url = http://www.verifiedaudit.com/history.htm | access-date = 3 August 2011 | archive-date = 6 September 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110906120213/http://www.verifiedaudit.com/history.htm | url-status = dead }}
Subsequently, Verified expanded its services to include audits of paid publications, free rack-distributed publications, and products delivered to the door.{{Cite web | title = Company History | publisher = Verified Audit Circulation | url = http://www.verifiedaudit.com/history.htm | access-date = 29 July 2011 | archive-date = 6 September 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110906120213/http://www.verifiedaudit.com/history.htm | url-status = dead }} The addition of web site audits provided site publishers with independent confirmation of site visitor activity and with assurance of web site ad delivery.{{Cite web
| title = Resource Focus: Verified Audit Circulation
| work = Article
| publisher = MagazineLaunch.com
| date = 13 June 2005
| url = http://www.magazinelaunch.com/how-to/resource-focus/resource-focus-verified-audit-circulation
| access-date = 3 August 2011}}
By 2008, the company was auditing more than 1,000 free and 250 paid publications, along with more than 100 weekly alternative newspapers.{{Cite web | last = Hanzlik | first = Mark | title = Print Circulation Audit Firms Continue to Survive in the 21st Century | work = Article | publisher = themacwizard.com| date = February 2008 | url = http://www.themacwizard.com/print-circulation-audit-firms-continue-to-survive-in-the-21st-century/ | access-date = 5 August 2011}} Its audit clients included The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune,{{Cite journal | title = Circulation and City and Regional Magazine Association |journal = Brochure |publisher = GulfShore Media, LLC }} and Questex Media.{{Cite web | title = Verified Completes First Integrated Media Audits on Questex Brands | work = Article | publisher = Audience Development.com| date = 10 February 2010 | url = http://www.audiencedevelopment.com/2010/verified+completes+first+integrated+media+audits+questex+brands | access-date = 1 September 2011}}
In 2009, Verified developed and launched an expanded form of integrated audit report to track a larger range of circulation and audience parameters for clients. The new report type addresses the growing diversification of media, beyond print and into electronic formats. The cross-platform audit report supplements print-circulation figures with data on digital editions, events, web sites, webinars, e-newsletters, and supplements.{{Cite web
| title = Questex Adopts New Total Audience Audit Process
| work = Article
| publisher = FOLIO
| date = 14 April 2009
| url = http://www.foliomag.com/2009/questex-media-adopts-new-total-audience-audit-process| access-date = 29 July 2011}}{{Cite web | title = Verified Completes First Integrated Media Audits on Questex Brands | work = Article | publisher = Audience Development.com| date = 10 February 2010 | url = http://www.audiencedevelopment.com/2010/verified+completes+first+integrated+media+audits+questex+brands | access-date = 30 July 2011}}
During 2011, Verified expanded its circulation guidelines to allow publishers to include publications distributed at trade shows and events among their qualified circulation figures. Prior to the update, trade show and event distribution of publications counted as unqualified circulation.{{Cite web | last = Mendolera | first = Katrina |title = Magazines & newspapers can now audit trade show circulation | work = Article | publisher = Vocus.com| date = 14 June 2011 | url = http://www.vocus.com/invocus/media-blog/magazines-newspapers-can-now-audit-trade-show-circulation/ | access-date = 1 September 2011}}
Membership
Verified clients are known as members of the organization, and they have full access to the circulation-reporting and member resources on the Verified Audit Circulation web site. Media buyers, advertisers, and advertising agencies are eligible for free associate membership, which provides online access to audit reports, publisher statements, circulation data downloads, and a Verified e-newsletter.{{Cite web
| title = Verified Associate Member Qualification Form
| publisher = Verified Audit Circulation
| url = http://www.verifiedaudit.com/assocmbrqual.htm
| access-date = 29 July 2011
| archive-date = 17 September 2011
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110917003959/http://www.verifiedaudit.com/assocmbrqual.htm
| url-status = dead
}}
Verified Audit Circulation is headquartered in Larkspur, California.{{Cite web | last = Hanzlik| first = Mark | title = Print Circulation Audit Firms Continue to Survive in the 21st Century | work = Article | publisher = themacwizard.com| date = 1 February 2008 | url = http://www.themacwizard.com/print-circulation-audit-firms-continue-to-survive-in-the-21st-century/ | access-date = 5 August 2011}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Verified Audit Circulation}}
Category:Newspapers circulation audit
Category:Accounting firms of the United States
Category:Organizations based in California
Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2022