The Alliance for Audited Media (AAM), a nonprofit founded by the Association of National Advertisers to ensure media transparency and trust, is implementing a new circulation category called Multi-Title Digital Programs. The new category is meant to reflect the growth of unlimited access digital magazine programs, such as the Texture app from Next Issue Media. The new category will be included in the June 2016 AAM reports covering the first six months of the year.

"Establishing AAM qualification criteria for these digital programs helps legitimize the innovative work of the consumer magazine media industry over the last several years,” Sue Roberson, SVP and general manager of consumer marketing and revenue, Time Inc., said. “It’s a step forward as we continue to extend our brands to new digital channels and platforms.”

The nonprofit has spent the last three years working with the MPA-The Association of Magazine Media, Magazines Canada and over 100 AAM magazine clients that participate in these programs, to review how the use and circulation of unlimited access models should be reported. 

Under the new Multi-Title category, publishers will report the issues as paid subscription sales, not newsstand sales. AAM statements and its online database will also include the following usage metrics: Average number of total requests by paid subscribers to receive a digital issue; Average number of times issues were opened; and Unique and total opens.