The Landscape magazine audited circulation - 18.3% drop?

The Landscaper magazine's ABC audited circulation figures have finally been released.

I am not sure why it has taken quite so long because the circulation date which was used for the audit was the 18th May 2009 - ABC didn't release the Landscaper certificate until the 4th November 2009.

The Landscaper figures are of great interest to me for two reasons. Firstly, these are the first set of figures that have been officially audited by ABC and secondly, advertisers can get a real feel for how their adverts are viewed by landscaping and horticulture industry professionals.

This is how the figures break down:

100% distribution 5748 copies

1.23% or 71 copies are actually sold at face value to anyone who requests a copy.

10.75% or 618 copies are given away to BALI and APL (I will come back to this).

46.78% or 2,690 copies is controlled free circulation - to qualify under this category, the copy has to be requested by the recipient and details of the magazines destination must be recorded.

41.23% or 2,371 copies of non-controlled free circulation. These can be copies that are given away to anyone at trade shows or events. Names and addresses should be recorded.

I am a little concerned - unless I am reading it wrong (and I hope editor, David Curtis gets in touch if I am) - that the Landscaper has declared that it is the official journal of the APL and BALI. I am even more concerned that ABC appear to have accepted this.

Previous to the ABC figures, Metropolis Publishing had claimed 7041 copies were distributed. If we assume that this was a genuine figure (and I have got my sums correct)and we compare it to the audited numbers then it represents a drop of 18.3%.

I am also a bit concerned and sceptical about the claim that every copy of The Landscaper magazine is read by an average 3.9 people - to come to this conclusion The Landscaper interviewed just 100 members of the Association of Professional Landscapers (see the circulation breakdown)

I have emailed David Curtis and asked him to get back to me if I am interpreting these figures incorrectly.

View The Landscaper's ABC certificate here.