The Audit Bureau of Circulation (the body responsible for monitoring, verifying, and reporting on media performance) has extended its cross-platform certificate to regional publishers, allowing regional newspapers to include figures for their digital editions alongside print circulation.

Publishers can now disclose their print circulations and the circulations of their digital editions, for example iPad copies, mobile apps and email newsletters, on one certificate. The new cross-platform certificate was developed in response to publishers' requests for the ABC to offer them more flexibility, particularly with regard to demonstrating digital editions (on top of ABCe measurement of online traffic).

Martyn Gates, director of newspapers, ABC, said: "As more and more publishers are launching digital editions of their publications, it is crucial that we support the industry in promoting the growth of their digital offering’’.

MEC Opinion: ABC plays a vital role in media planning and buying, as it provides a major trading currency between agencies and media owners. As buyers, it is essential that we are accountable for our media selections, and ABC certainly provides that accountability.

The dangers of digital editions were that whilst they were an attractive extension of traditional media, they had limited accountability - we simply could not monitor their performance through trusted measurement bodies. The recent news that digital editions will now be ABCed will undoubtedly improve their credibility. Indeed, by incorporating an ABC for digital editions alongside traditional ABC and ABCe measurements, regional publishers can now add integrity to their cross-platform options. This will allow digital editions to become a serious option when planning a regional press campaign.