ABC Interactive Working with Handmark to Provide Audited Mobile Application Usage Metrics for Publishers and Media Brands

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. & KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Audit Bureau of Circulations’ interactive unit, ABCi, announced it is working with Handmark®, the industry’s leading mobile solutions partner for publishers and media brands, to provide detailed, audited mobile usage statistics for publishers and advertisers. The announcement follows ABCi’s recent review of Handmark’s mobile application platform, confirming it meets the necessary prerequisites as part of the ABCi audit process.

“The burgeoning mobile market, paired with promising mobile advertising forecasts expected to top $3.3 billion by 2013,* present a strategic opportunity for the publishing and advertising industries,” said Michael Lavery, ABC president and managing director. “We are pleased to work together with Handmark and its partners to provide independent verification of app usage to facilitate this burgeoning and important channel. ”

As one of the most trusted sources advertisers have relied on for decades to assist in making spending decisions, ABC continues to broaden its audit services to reflect the realities of today’s multiplatform publishing environment. Audited mobile app usage statistics are among the important metrics that now can be found on ABC Publisher’s Statements, Consolidated Media Reports, and interactive audit reports. Handmark publishing and media partners, including a wide range of newspapers, magazines and other digital media outlets, will now benefit from being able to include their verified mobile usage data that will support additional advertising revenue opportunities.

“A mobile app is no longer a luxury for publishers and media brands, it is a necessity,” said Evan Conway, Handmark EVP of marketing. “As we continue to help publishers broaden their reach and engage their readers in a new way, it is fantastic to have the support of ABCi making it easy for our partners to broadly communicate their success with confidence.”

Handmark is the industry’s only end-to-end mobile publishing and advertising solution supporting application development, strategic distribution, monetization and on-going innovation. The company’s Mobile Publishing Platform powers mobile applications for hundreds of leading content publishers and media companies across the widest range of mobile platforms, including iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Windows Mobile, and Nokia (S60 5th Edition) devices, as well e-readers and other tablet devices like the iPad.

Publishers and media brands interested in learning more about the Handmark and its Mobile Publishing Platform, can visit www.handmarkmobileapps.com.

About ABC

ABC is a forum of North America’s leading magazine and newspaper publishers, advertisers and advertising agencies. The organization provides credible, verified information essential to the media buying and selling process. ABC maintains the world’s foremost online database of audited circulation information and a growing array of readership, audience and website usage data. ABC’s digital arm, ABC Interactive, is one of the world’s leading independent auditors of websites and digital ad-based technology. To learn more, visit www.accessabc.com.

About Handmark

Handmark is the world’s leading developer and distributor of mobile applications, specializing in mobile solutions for publishers and media companies. Leveraging 10 years of experience, Handmark is trusted by many of the world’s leading media brands. The company delivers the industry’s only full-service mobile publishing solution including development, distribution, monetization and on-going innovation across all major mobile platforms. Handmark also has a rich history of operating successful mobile application stores around the world and continues to create some of the industry’s most successful mobile brands including Pocket Express and TweetCaster.

*eMarketer, February 2009