ABC has announced the first new group certificate for the ‘The National’ which will be issued with the six-monthly Regional Publications Report.

The National is a new initiative that has been created by five leading regional press publishers to give national advertisers access to local audiences on a national scale. The 16 titles in The National package, including Manchester Evening News, Liverpool Echo, Leicester Mercury and the London Evening Standard, will continue to have their own individual ABC certificates but ABC will now also issue a single certificate to cover the entire package.

The new figures will cover the audit period July – December 2012 and will be issued on a bi-annual basis.

Jerry Wright, CEO, ABC said: "ABC is happy to have worked with ‘The National’ team to produce its first ABC certificate and that the ABC stamp of trust will help to underpin its unique commercial proposition to press buyers. This innovative step has been taken following a rule change speedily agreed by the Regional Publications Reporting Standards Group and has the endorsement of both our publisher and buyer members.”

Richard Hayes, Trading Director, The National said: “The unique package of the National is simple for advertisers to use with one order, one invoice and one piece of copy. The single ABC certificate gives us greater clarity and credibility around our numbers which is what planners and buyers want and means the huge scale of The National is clear to see.”

Steve Goodman, MD of Print Trading, Group M NZ said: “This is great news. It’s a first and highlights the adaptability of the ABC.”