Fairfax and magazine body both pull out of print readership project

Fairfax and Magazine Publishers of Australia have both withdrawn from the controversial process of creating a new print readership measurement metric.  

At the end of a statement announcing the list of companies selected for the next stage of the project, marketing body The Newspaper Works announced:

Fairfax Media has advised the board of The Newspaper Works that it has decided not to participate in the remaining stages of the readership tender. Fairfax Media will remain a member of The Newspaper Works.”

In what appeared to be a coordinated announcement, an email followed from the MPA two minutes later saying that it was also not going to be involved. Fairfax simultaneously put out its own statement.