/ 8 February 2008

Media24 sales figures adjusted downwards

The circulation figures of some magazines published by Media 24 were adjusted downwards, the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) said on Friday. This follows an audit the ABC did on all Media24 magazines after it was found that the circulation of some of the company's women's magazines were fraudulently inflated between April 2006 and June 2007.

The circulation figures of some magazines published by Media 24 were adjusted downwards, the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) said on Friday.

This follows an audit the ABC did on all Media24 magazines after it was found that the circulation of some of the company’s women’s magazines were fraudulently inflated between April 2006 and June 2007.

The audit of all Media24 titles revealed there were a number of other transactions that had not been correctly reported, ABC said on Friday.

The sales figures of some editions of the Finweek, Kick Off, Wisden Cricketer, Sports Illustrated and Best Life magazines, sold between January 2006 and March 2007, were adjusted downwards.

Rikus Delport, general manager of Fin24, said they disagreed with the downscaling of the sales figures for two editions of Finweek, saying it was not an issue of dishonesty or fraud.

”In the view of Finweek, the matter relates to a difference of opinion between the ABC and Finweek in the interpretation of the rules.

”Moreover, the ABC is not disputing the fact that the magazines under question were actually delivered to identifiable readers,” Delport said.

It said it was willing to cooperate with the ABC to resolve the dispute.

ABC said the women’s magazines suspended last year — True Love Babe, In Style SA, True Love, Leef, Fair Lady, Sarie and True Love Bride — had been reinstated.

The suspensions have been lifted and the affected titles will be reinstated from January 1 2008.

A spokesperson for Media24 magazine was not immediately available for comment. — Sapa