The Audit Bureau of Circulations plans to adopt new guidelines that will help publications providing versions for E-readers to utilize that circulation in their overall count.

Paidcontent.org reports that ABC and the Newspaper Association of America have studied the issue and come up with standards that will make such hand-held devices and digital versions more accountable for overall readership figures.

“The old standards have always required that in order to be considered as part of a periodical's circ, the e-paper version must include an exact replica of a print edition's full editorial content and advertising,” the report stated. “The change is that an e-paper edition no longer needs to be presented in a layout identical to the print version. Replica digital editions will continue to be included in a magazine's circulation guarantee, or rate base.”