Ad Age: Media Buyers Angry; Mea Culpa Letter to Industry Readied

Magazine publishers may not have to tell the truth about circulation figures to ad buyers and auditors, but they do in court under oath, and the difference between the two representations is beginning to have some effects in the media buying industry. Following on the courtroom spat between Rosie O'Donnell and the publisher of Rosie, Gruner & Jahr (G&R), one agency CEO told Ad Age, "We look like we were asleep at the switch."

For its part, a G&R representative said, "I don't think we have adopted any practices that, frankly, aren't widespread within the industry."