The chair of the Middle East Advisory Board of global media audit organisation, BPA Worldwide, has called on advertisers to move their advertising dollars from unaudited titles to audited titles, including Akhbar Al Arab, which has become the first daily Arabic newspaper in the UAE to publish independently-audited circulation data.

The audit showed that the mainly free Akhbar Al Arab had a 'public place' circulation of 50,325 in Abu Dhabi for the weekday edition and 40,166 for the weekend edition. The majority of these copies were circulated through public place distribution at retail, public and private locations, though 3,040 copies had an audited distribution through street boxes in Abu Dhabi.

Margie Gilbride, who is also marketing communications manager for Beiersdorf Middle East , a leading manufacturer of branded consumer products for skin and beauty care, commented:

"Akhbar Al Arab is the first Arabic newspaper in the UAE to publish BPA-audited circulation data and I would encourage advertisers to take full advantage of this publisher's  commitment to transparency in its circulation. I hope this sets a positive example and is an encouragement to other Arabic newspapers to also be pioneers in circulation transparency in the region."

"The BPA audit is our way of differentiating Akhbar Al Arab in the market and assuring advertisers, whether they be regional or international, that we are working to a globally-recognised audit standard," explains Akhbar Al Arab's General Manager, Abdulrahman Shemiry.

Akhbar Al Arab is not the only Arabic newspaper in BPA membership. The audit organisation is also working closely with the Oman-based weekly Al Isbou'a.