Al-Jazirah becomes first Saudi newspaper to commit to BPA auditing

In a separate statement Mr. Abdulatif Al-Ateeq, the General Manager of Al Jazirah Corporation for Press, Printing and Publishing, described Al Jazirah's application as a significant step in its history.

As for the reasons behind the newspaper's decision to apply for BPA membership Mr. Al-Ateeq said:' It is a move in our adherence to transparency as well as a continuation of Al-Jazirah's recent declaration of its distribution figures. A step we have been calling on other titles to take since 2005 but we had to take separately'.

Mr. Al-Ateeq sees an increasing demand from within Saudi Arabia for audited data. In this respect he added: 'It is beyond no doubt that the enrolment of Saudi Arabia in the membership of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the everlasting growth it witnesses in the different economic, political, educational, and social aspects, as well as the necessity to cope with such remarkable and amazing developments, have made it inevitable for the printed media to respect its readers and advertisers, who are becoming more intelligent and would not accept any declared data unless they are verified by concerned international bodies, BPA being the most prominent.'

'It is worth mentioning here that the entities working in areas such as telecommunications, real estates, travel and tourism, banking, distribution of consumable materials, etc, are concerned more than any time in the past with establishing their marketing plans and promotional programs on verified figures. We are now carrying out an awareness campaign in which all community sectors are requested to adhere to credibility and transparency if they wish to rectify personal impressions and mistaken concepts'.

On the benefits he expects to derive from having a BPA certificate, Mr. Al-Ateeq said: 'It is needless to say that one of the most important duties of media is to consolidate the concept of transparency among the community. Such role necessitates that media must apply the concept on itself first, a matter which would not come to reality if it has to conceal its data of circulation. Al-Jazirah, by applying for BPA auditing, would like to verify more its circulation data and follow up its growth. We also have the courage to declare any recess as soon as we notice. We believe that, in an era of opening and globalization, a day would come in which we would find that no place is available for media owners who resort to fraud and deception when declaring their circulation data.'

Al Jazirah's decision demonstrates its commitment to international best practice in circulation auditing and to the principle of accountability to the advertising community whose ad spend fuels the market. From an internal operational and strategic standpoint, the audit data will assist the newspaper in focusing its future strategies of circulation development and increase accountability from its own suppliers.

'As a pioneer among Saudi newspapers - and indeed one of only a few Arabic newspapers that have opted for transparency - al Jazirah is sending a clear message to the market that other publishers will need to heed or possibly experience a decrease in advertising sales from advertisers who have pushed for audited media in the Saudi market,'

explains Stuart Wilkinson, BPA's Managing Director of Europe, Middle East & Africa.

In an earlier comment Glenn Hansen, CEO of BPA Worldwide said 'We applaud Al Jazirah's move to become the first Saudi newspaper to be audited. Al Jazirah's application for audit and their call for further accountability and transparency in the Saudi marketplace is an important milestone for fostering international best practice. We call upon the advertising communities within Saudi Arabia and the broader GCC market to recognize Al Jazirah's important step and its commitment to transparency by supporting the only Saudi newspaper to currently be under audit.'

Al-Jazirah newspaper, which is unconnected to the Qatari television news channel of a similar name, has achieved success in many fields of journalism. The newspaper was awarded the Best in Print prize in Asia by IFRA, a media industry organisation, in Manila in 2007; has been awarded the Arabian Journalism prize in Dubai for three successive years, and has been recognised for best coverage of Hajj season for two successive years. It has also been recognised by the King of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, for its initiative in launching a Research Chair Program in a number of Saudi Universities.