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Quick Helpful Tips for Navigating AAM’s Newspaper Quarterly Filing Application
Navigational Tips
Save Commands:
Tab Key/Mouse:
The Save and Save & Continue buttons are located at the bottom of each
page in the filing application.
Use the tab key or mouse to navigate to the next field. The enter key will not
move to the next field.
= the delete key.
Red X:
= drop down menu to add information.
Add Button:
= drop down calendar menu.
Calendar Icon:
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Access Quarterly Filing Instructions
Visit AAM’s Website. On the right hand side of the
screen, there is set of quick links. Click on Publisher
Filing Center.
Log into the Publisher Filing Center using your AAM
 Member number
 Username
 Password
On the landing page of the Publisher Filing Center,
click on the Quarterly Filing tab.
Quick Tip
Contact you Client Solutions team if you
need log-in information.
The Quarterly Filing Application is broken into four main areas:
Quarterly Filing Questionnaire
Enter Circulation Data
ZIP code (Par 3)
Review & Submit
5 Cross-Media Filing is the fifth section of the filing application and is optional. This section is if
you plan on submitting your optional cross media metrics (i.e. web metric, social media etc.)
Learn about your cross-media filing opportunities.
Below, we’ve included an overview of our step-by-step instructions to give you a brief review of the
main menu and provide helpful tips.
1. QUARTERLY FILING QUESTIONNAIRE
Section:
1. Quarterly
Filing
Questionnaire
Introduction
Survey
Main Edition
Publishing Plan and
Affiliated Publishing
Plan
Reconciliation of Days
CMR Format
Description/Action of Section:
This section is the starting point for filing.
Here you’ll provide information regarding
your publishing plan, contacts and CMR
intentions.
Provides an overview of the filing
application as well as helpful links,
including a virtual tour of the filing
application.
In the Survey you will need to report the
following:
 Declare circulation types (i.e.
print, digital replica, and/or digital
non-replica).
 Declare any applicable affiliated
publications.
 Indicate if you will report Par 2
Zone Reporting (i.e. NDM/ONDM)
Note: Par 2 is optional unless you
report basic prices by Zones.
 Review and update the contact
information.
In these two areas, you will review the
following for both the main edition and
any applicable affiliated publications:
 Quarterly Average Dates
 Publishing Plan (Frequencies)
 Nonpublishing Days
 Omitted Days
This area is a review only section and will
automatically calculate the reconciliation
of quarter days by utilizing the data
already inputted in the Main Edition Pub
Plan and Affiliated Pub Plan sections.
At least once a year, all AAM newspaper
members will need to compile and release
a Consolidated Media Report (CMR).
 Indicate whether or not you will
produce a CMR during this quarter
period.
 If yes, select whether if the CMR
will be on a ‘Standard’ or
‘Enhanced’ format.
Quick Tips:
 This section must be completed prior to
navigating to other sections within the
filing application.
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Access the link for a virtual tour of the
filing application.
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Only the checked categories will display in
the applicable filing tool sections.
Contact Client Solutions if you have any
questions concerning affiliated
publications.
If you are on a CNA format, you are not
eligible to report Par 2. Also any affiliated
publications will not be broken out
separately, but will be included in the total
circulation figures.
The contact information will be
prepopulated in the application based on
previous quarterly filing.
To edit your publishing plan for either the
main edition or affiliated publication,
please email the frequency changes to
your processing team or contact your
Client Solutions team member.
To enter information for applicable
affiliated publications, click on the name
of publication’s name for data entry fields
to appear.
If the reconciliation of days does not agree
with your circulation records, go back to
the Main Edition/Affiliated Pub Plan
sections to revise.
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See our FAQs about the CMR.
For standard CMR format, you can use
either Word or InDesign, however please
upload as PDF.
The Standard CMR is at no additional cost.
Contact Client Solutions to discuss your
Enhance CMR options and cost.
2. Enter Circulation Data
Section:
2. Enter Circulation
Data
Pars 1/Para 1 and 2
Description/Action of Section:
This section is for the reporting of your
circulation claims for the quarter period
by distribution type and frequency as
well as your basic prices and general
explanatory.
This area allows for you to enter your
circulation claims by distribution type
per frequency for your main edition as
well as any applicable affiliated
publications.
Quick Tips:
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Basic Prices
Explanatory
For this area you would report the basic
prices by the frequencies that were
marketed to the consumers (new or
renewal) during the quarter period. The
following basic prices to report are:
 Annual Home Delivery and Mail
basic prices by applicable
frequency per print/digital.
 Single Copy price(s) by
applicable Daily and Sunday
frequency.
The following information will be
reported in the Explanatory Section:
 Applicable Nonpublishing Days
 Applicable Omitted Days
 Other applicable general
explanatories that you can
chose from the pull down menu
in this section. (i.e. Credit &
Arrears Allowance)
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Report Net Circulation totals not
averages, since the application will
automatically calculate the averages.
If you indicated in the Survey to report
Par 2, this will be the area to report
your distribution by market zones (i.e.
NDM/ONDM).
If a data entry section is missing or
appears in error, go back to the
Survey in section 1 and revise your
responses.
Click View Totals to view subtotals.
Basic prices will be prepopulated
based on previous filing information.
Review and update accordingly.
Click on Add Explanatory to view the
different explanatory options.
Nonpublishing and Omitted days will
be prepopulated based on the entries
made in the Survey section.
Credit and Arrears Allowance is
commonly referred to as the “4%
Allowance.”
3.
Section:
2 ZIP Code (Par 3)
Add/Modify
ZIP Code (Par 3)
Description/Action of Section:
This section is where you will file your actual
ZIP code data analysis for a representative
daily day (choose between Mon. through Fri.)
and Sunday day within the quarter period for
the Main Edition Pub Plan and Affiliated Pub
Plan.
Below are the basic steps for inputting your Par
3 information:
1. To begin, click on Add New
Paragraph 3 and complete the Par
3 Survey.
2. In the Par 3 Survey, use the
calendar Icon to select a daily and
Sunday Par 3 date.
3. Next to the Par 3 date enter in the
“pub code” for the main edition
and any applicable affiliated pub.
4. The circulation categories will
already be prepopulated based on
your previous Par 3 filing. To
change the categories, click on
Change Categories in the Par 3
Survey.
5. Choose whether or not you will be
reporting the optional Par 3 town
analysis.
6. At the bottom of the Par 3 Survey
is tab labeled “Circulation Record.”
Click on this tab and enter your
circulation totals for the Par 3
date(s), and for the previous
corresponding day before and
after. This is needed for
reconciliation purposes and to
verify the Par 3 dates are
representative.
7. To begin data entry, in the Par 3
survey click on the tab labeled ZIP
Code Entry.
8. Once you have completed and review
Par 3, click the Ready for Submission
button.
Quick Tips:
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Par 3 can be based on the
actual “Gross Circulation”
(returns can be included) for
the selected Par 3 dates not
by quarterly averages.
 Saturday is optional to report.
ZIP code data maybe uploaded via
the Par 3 Survey section. The file
must be either CSV or ASCII
format.
Pub Code is anything chosen by
publication. If you plan to upload
a ZIP code file, the pub code must
be exactly the same as indicated in
the file.
Par 3 may be prorated if the
following criteria has be met:
o Daily Circulation Average is
less than 25,000.
o No new circ categories added
since your last released audit.
o No new affiliated pub added
since your last released audit.
o No material findings since
your last released audit.
o At least one reporting quarter
during the audit period has to
be an actual Par 3.
4. Review and Submit
Section:
3. Review and
Submit
View Errors
Upload Images
Publisher Comments
View Quarterly Data
Final Step Submit
Description/Action of Section:
This area is the review section to ensure
that the publication’s circulation claims,
basic prices, explanatory content, and
ancillary pieces are uploaded and ready
to be submitted and featured on AAM’s
Media Intelligence Center (MIC).
Allows you to view and resolve any
errors prior to submission.
Here, you can upload your publication’s
covers, images, or logos.
Share any comments/issues pertaining
to AAM processing here.
Preview your quarterly data prior to
submission.
Here you will provide your electronic
certification and signature and submit
your quarterly data.
Quick Tips:
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Logo must be in a TIFF or JPEG format.
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If any changes need to be made, go
back into the applicable section to edit
prior to submission.
The ZIP code analysis must be checked
Ready for Submission via the Par 3
section of the filing tool in order for
submission to take place here.
A hard copy signatory form (printed,
signed and faxed to AAM) is not
necessary. This section will now
provide a digital signature.
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Questions:
Please contact your Client Solutions
team for assistance.