A glossary of circulation terms that you'll find on AAM reports and data in the Media Intelligence Center.
General Circulation Terms
| Term | Definition | AAM Rule Reference |
| Annual Frequency | The number of times a magazine is published in a year. | |
| Digital Edition (Nonreplica) |
A digital publication that shares the same name as the print publication or is referenced as “an edition of ______,” with editorial and advertising that may differ. A digital edition is not a newsletter or unrestricted website. | D 10.3/ D 110.3/ E 10.3/ E 110.3 |
| Digital Version (Replica) |
A digital publication that mirrors the editorial and advertising of the print version. A publisher may substitute links to the publisher’s website if it contains updated or expanded editorial content compared to the print edition. A digital version is not a newsletter or unrestricted website. | D 10.3/ D 110.3/ E 10.3/ E 110.3 |
| Field Served | A description of the publication's target audience or industry focus. | |
| Net of Considerations | The actual amount a consumer pays to subscribe to or purchase the magazine after subtracting any incentives like gifts or discounts. | |
| The paper version of the publication. | ||
| Print/Digital Unduplicated |
Subscribers who receive both print and digital versions of the publication, but are counted only once in the Total Unique Qualified category. |
|
| Total Average Qualified Paid & Nonpaid Circulation |
Total circulation including paid and nonpaid distribution. Note: If a publication includes print/digital unduplicated circulation, all totals in AAM reports will represent aggregate unique recipients, not the sum of print and digital circulation. |
Average Qualified Paid Circulation
| Term | Definition | AAM Rule Reference |
| Qualified Paid Membership Benefit |
A subscription included as part of membership in an organization. | |
| Qualified Paid Individual |
A subscription purchased by an individual for at least one cent net of considerations. | D 1.1/ D 101.1/ E 1.1/ E 101.1 |
| Qualified Paid Multicopy Same Addressee |
Multiple subscriptions or single issues shipped in bulk to the purchaser and redistributed to promote their business. The publisher likely does not know the recipient. | |
| Qualified Paid Partnership |
A subscription or single copy of a publication included with the sale of another product or service where the consumer may decline the publication or receive a refund. | D 2.8/ D 102.5/ E 2.8 |
| Qualified Single-Copy Sales | Paid single issues purchased by an individual, not as part of a subscription. | D 1.1/ D 101.1/ E 1.1 E 101.1 |
| Qualified Paid Sponsored Individually Addressed |
Multiple subscriptions or single issues purchased by a third party and sent directly to named individuals or shipped in bulk to the purchaser. The publisher knows the recipients. | D 2.1/ D102.1/ E 2.1/ E 102.1 |
Average Qualified Nonpaid Circulation
| Term | Definition | AAM Rule Reference |
| Qualified Nonpaid Membership Benefit |
Free subscriptions provided as a benefit of membership in an organization. |
D 2.3/ D 102.2/ E 2.6/ E 102.4 |
| Qualified Nonpaid Individual |
Free copies addressed to an individual whose role aligns with the publication's field served. | |
| Qualified Nonpaid Multicopy Same Addressee |
Free copies sent in bulk to a single address for redistribution to individuals unknown to the publisher. | D 12.3/ D 112.3/ E 11.5/ E 111.3 |
Analyzed Nonpaid Circulation
| Term | Definition | AAM Rule Reference |
| Nonqualified Allocated for Shows & Conventions |
Free copies that are distributed at shows and conventions to be picked up by attendees. | D 12.4/ D 112.4 |
| Nonqualified Miscellaneous Including Staff Copies |
Miscellaneous nonpaid distribution that does not qualify as qualified nonpaid distribution, such as advertiser checking copies and staff copies. | D 12.4/ D 112.4 |
Regional and Demographic Editions
| Term | Definition | AAM Rule Reference |
| Regional & Demographic Editions |
Editions sold with advertising specific to a region or demographic. |
Average Circulation By Issues
| Term | Definition | AAM Rule Reference |
| Adds & Removes | Additions and removals of qualified nonpaid distribution. Reporting this data is optional. | D 11.1/ D 111.1/ E 11.4 E 111.4 |
| Issue by Issue | The count of paid and free distribution for each issue. |
Business and Occupational (BOA) (Business Publications Only)
| Term | Definition | AAM Rule Reference |
| Business & Occupational Analysis |
A breakdown of the distribution of the analyzed issue by industry or job function. | D 5.2/ D 105.2 |
Demographic (Farm Publications Only)
| Term | Definition | AAM Rule Reference |
| Demographic | Distribution of the analyzed issue by farm industry demographic. | E 5.4/ E 105.4 |
Source Analysis
| Term | Definition | AAM Rule Reference |
| Acquired Circulation |
A free subscription sent to an individual who previously received a subscription to a discontinued publication. | D 12.2/ D 112.2/ E 11.2/ E 111.2 |
| Source Analysis | Information on how subscribers were acquired, such as through direct requests or lists. | D 5.3/ D 105.3/ E 5.5/ E 105.5 |
| Membership Benefit | Publications sent to members of an association as a free benefit. | D 2.3/ D 102.2/ E 2.6/ E 102.4 |
| Business Directories and List Sources |
Free publications sent to individuals selected from business directories or obtained from lists. | D 12.2/ D 112.2/ E 11.2/ E 111.2 |
| Communication Other Than Request |
Free publications where the individual or company has communicated their desire for the publication, but not all requirements for direct request are met. | D 12.2/ D 112.2/ E 11.2/ E 111.2 |
| Direct Request From Recipient |
Free publications sent to qualified individuals who verified their qualification and communicated their desire to receive the publication. | D 12.1/ D 112.1/ E 11.1/ E 111.1 |
| Direct Request from Recipient’s Company |
Free publications requested and communicated by a company's management for the company's employees. | D 12.1/ D 112.1/ E 11.1/ E 111.1 |
| Other Sources |
Other sources used to obtain a recipient’s name who is within the publication’s field served and meets the definition of a qualified recipient. Examples include: |
D 12.2/ D 112.2/ E 11.2 E 111.2 |
Mailing Address Analysis
| Term | Definition | AAM Rule Reference |
| Mailing Address | An optional section that reports how the copies were addressed. | D 5.4/ D 105.4 |
Geographic Analysis
| Term | Definition | AAM Rule Reference |
| Geographic Analysis | A breakdown by state and/or province, demonstrating the geographic distribution of the publication. | D 5.1/ D 105.1/ E 5.1/ E 105.1 |
Prices
| Term | Definition | AAM Rule Reference |
| Price Data | Subscriptions and/or single-copy prices at which the publication may be purchased. | D 1.2/ D 101.2/ E 1.2/ E 101.2 |
Optional Data
| Term | Definition | AAM Rule Reference |
| Post Expiration Copies |
Copies of the publication sent to individuals after a subscription has expired. | D 1.1/ D 101.1/ E 1.1/ E 101.1 |
| Premium Usage | Indicates whether paid subscribers received an inducement to purchase a subscription. | |
| Renewal Analysis | The percentage of subscriptions that were set to expire and were renewed by the subscriber. | D 6.1/ D 106.1/ E 6.1/ E 106.1 |
| Sales Channels | The methods used to acquire new and renewal subscriptions. | D 10.1/ D 110.1/ E 10.1/ E 110.1 |
| Term Data | The time frame of the subscription. | D 1.2/ D 101.2/ E 1.2/ E 101.2 |