FREQUENT ASKED QUESTIONS | FAQ'S

1. As far as possible bifurcation shall be discouraged except in case where a client (department/organization) spends more than one million for bifurcated account in Print Media. The clients may bifurcate their account for different media i.e. T.V., Radio or print media. However, no client shall be allowed to appoint more than three agencies for dealing its account in the print media.
2. The clients shall be required to clearly specify the products or the nature of ads to be handled by the agencies on the panel to the satisfaction of the APNS. No bifurcation on area/region basis shall be allowed. The bifurcation of account for temporary basis shall not be entertained.
3. The appointment of additional agency shall only be regularized by the APNS, if the No Objection Certificates of the existing agencies are provided along with the bifurcation of account. The No Objection Certificate will also be required in case of new products/services.
4. No Services such as Hotels, Airlines etc. will be bifurcated. Only clients handling multiple but distinguishable services can bifurcate their account clearly specifying the nature of services handled by each agency. Those clients which handle both products as well as services may bifurcate their account appointing an agency for their products and the other agency for their services.
5. A client having an accredited agency on its panel cannot appoint a non-accredited agency as an additional agency to share its account.
6. The member publications of the APNS shall not publish and the advertising agencies /clients shall not release the ads of bifurcated account until the bifurcation requirements noted above are completed by the clients and regularized and circulated by the APNS.
7. While making a bifurcation, or while evaluating an existing bifurcation, ONE agency shall be listed, among these bifurcations, for products and/ or services as a residual agency. This implies that residual agency is responsible for releasing all non-brand advertising including corporate, jobs wanted (where no brands are listed ) and any other advertising not listed under the bifurcation.

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Rules and Guidelines for Appointment by Clients

1. The appointment letter on the official letter head of the clients, should be addressed to the Secretary General, APNS and forwarded to APNS Secretariat in original. No Photostat will be entertained. No appointment by group of companies will be acceptable, as each company should send appointment letter separately.

2. The client should undertake that their advertisements to the APNS member publications will not be less than 500,000/- per annum.

3. If the client is already listed under any accredited agency or intend to change the agency, the Society may require the client to obtain a clearance certificate from the previous agency to the effect that there are no dues outstanding against the client pertaining to advertising with member publications.

4. In case the clearance certificate of the outgoing agency is not provided with the appointment letter for the new agency, the APNS Secretariat will ask the outgoing agency to send its clearance / objection if any, within 7 days, failing which, the appointment would be regularized by the Society. However, if a claim of outstanding dues relating to member publications, is received by the Society it would arrange settlement / arbitration among the clients and the outgoing agency and the clearance would be issued after settlement / decision of the Society. The decision of the Society in this regard would be final.

5. In case the client appoints an additional agency / agencies, the clients will provide NOC from the existing advertising agents, along with the bifurcation of account among the advertising agencies on their panel, clearly specifying the products / nature of ads to be advertised by each agency.

6. If a dispute is established on issuance of the clearance certificate / NOC, the APNS Secretariat may issue a provisional clearance on receipt of payment of the disputed amount as trust money by the clients for arbitration by the APNS. In such case the outgoing agency shall not be entitled to trade discount, not exceeding 15% of the invoice on ads published after the provisional clearance / NOC issued by the Society.

7. The advertising agencies should not release the advertisements of the clients till the appointment is regularized and circulated by the APNS Secretariat.
   
8. If an agency is suspended on default, all listed clients of the agency would stand suspended and their ads will not be accepted by member publications. However, if a client of a suspended agency intends to change the agency, it would be required to provide the NOC of the agency along with documentary evidence i.e. last statement of the agency with cheque number and bank certificate to prove that the payment has been made and there is nothing outstanding against the clients or pay the amount they still owe to the agency of the APNS. On verification from member publications, the name of the client will be deleted from the list of suspended agency.

1. The sponsoring agency of a special supplement will be required to provide authority letter of the clients consent and undertaking by the agency to share 50% of trade discount, not exceeding 15% of the invoice with participating agencies on the advertisements contributed by them in the supplement at least 7 days before the date of supplement.
   
   2) The sponsoring agency shall guarantee volume of supplement in each member publication and in case of failure to meet the guaranteed volume, shall be liable to pay the unutilized space, if any.
   
   3) It shall be the responsibility of the agency / clients to provide advertisement and material as per ratio agreed mutually by member publication and the sponsoring agency.
   
   4) The sponsoring agencies shall be entitled for their trade discount, not exceeding 15% of the invoice  on the supplements regularized and circulated by the APNS. Those member publications not included in the list contained by the circular on special supplement, if arrange a supplement by their own efforts, the sponsoring agency shall have no entitlement of trade discount, not exceeding 15% of the invoice on such supplement.
   
   5) The minimum volume of special supplement in no case shall be less than two pages.
   
   6) It shall be the sole responsibility of the sponsoring agency to supply material in the language of the publication and lay out etc., three days before the date of issue. In case of failure on the part of the agency, it shall not be entitled for trade discount, not exceeding 15% of the invoice.
   
   7) The participating agencies to the supplement shall be required to issue their own release orders to member publications and the member publications will send their bills directly to the concerned participating agency who will be responsible for making payment against their advertisements directly to member publications deducting their share of 50% trade discount, not exceeding 15% of the invoice.
   
   8) The sponsoring agency shall be entitled to 50% trade discount, not exceeding 15% of the invoice  on the advertisements acquired by member publications themselves or through accredited agencies on their listed clients.
   
   9) Member publications shall be responsible to abide by the agreement reached by them with the sponsoring agency.

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1. That Society, through its members, undertakes to use all possible measures to develop the qualitative and quantitative factors of the publications so as to render the best possible service to the public and to advertisers.
2. All advertising agencies shall take all reasonable precautions to ensure that all advertising released by them is legal, decent, clean, honest and truthful and that such advertising is in respect of goods or services prepared with a sense of responsibility to consumers and to society.
3. The advertising agencies/ advertisers, before releasing an advertisement for publication, must have documentary evidence to prove all claims, whether direct or implied, that are capable of objective substantiation and it will be required to be provided to the APNS on demand.
4. The advertisers should assure that no advertisement should mislead by inaccuracy, ambiguity, exaggeration, omission or otherwise. No advertisement should so closely resemble any other product/advertisement that it misleads or causes confusion.
5. No advertisement should make unfair use of the goodwill attached to the trademark, name, brand or the advertising campaign of any other advertisers.
6. No advertisement should contain anything that is likely to cause serious or widespreadoffence or fear or distress among its readers without good reason.
7. The advertiser should not unfairly attack or discredit other businesses or products.
8. No advertisement will be accepted which in any way advertise prescription - only medicines in the lay press unless authorized by the Ministry of Health. However, such advertisements may be published by medical and allied publications meant for medical practitioners.
9. Any advertisement intending to influence public opinion in favour of or against any political party/ group or electoral candidate must not contain anything that breaks the law or incites any one to break it. Personal attacks on the candidates should also be avoided and only the policies or manifestos should be referred to.
10. No advertisement will be accepted containing claims or illustrations which are distorted or exaggerated in such a manner as to convey false impressions or containing "knocking copies" of direct nature.
11. All monies due from the Advertising Agency to the members of the Society shall be payable at the place of publication of the member newspaper and only the appropriate court at the place of publication or any of its notified establishments for this purpose shall have the jurisdiction in the case of any dispute or legal proceedings. In the event of any dispute or difference between the members of the Society and the accredited advertising agency and the advertisers, arising out of or in connection with the contract or order of insertion or a bill in connection therewith, or otherwise, the same would be referred to an arbitrator who may be nominated by APNS if both parties agree. Otherwise, disputes would be settled in accordance with the Arbitration Act.
12. Member publications shall not favor direct advertisers by giving them better facilities such as lower rates, longer credit periods, preferential positions, trade discount, discounts and supplying artwork at nominal rates.
13. The members of the Society shall not give trade discount or any rebate to any direct advertiser provided that a non-accredited advertising agency or a canvasser may be allowed trade discount not exceeding 6.5% on advance cash payment.
14. In case space contacted for is not fully utilized, space consumed shall be paid for at the rate applicable to such space which was in force at the date of contract as per Rate Card of the publication.
15. The members of the Society shall be free to approach clients of advertising agencies for the purpose of procuring advertisement business. However all such business will be routed through the appointed agency and the agency will be entitled to trade discount, not exceeding 15% of the invoice, if client listed under the agency, as per the Rules of the Society.
16. The members of the Society may in their discretion allow concession on advertisements published in their publications by other members of the Society.
17. The members of the Society may in their discretion allow concession on advertisements relating to charitable and Public Service organizations.
18. The advertiser shall pay dues to the advertising agency, not later than 45 days from, the date of issue of Agency Invoices. Where an advertiser fails to pay and in consequence the agency is unable to pay publications, APNS upon being authentically informed by the Agency and being so satisfied will advise its member publications to suspend the advertisements of the concerned advertiser, until payment is realized. This is without prejudice to the agency's clear liability to pay its dues even if its clients have not paid.

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REQUIREMENTS FOR ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP

1. Applicant must be in publication:
For atleast 6 months in case of daily publication.
For atleast 12 months in case of a periodical publication.

2. Application must accompany profile / bio-data and passport size colour photographs of publisher and editor of the publication. 

3. The application must contain a demand draft in favour of APNS being the Application fee, entrance fee, as per following:

Description

Metro A
Dailies from all three Metropolitan Centers, i.e.Lahore, Rawalpindi/Islamabad, Karachi

Membership Fee	Rs.25,000/-
Application Processing Fee	Rs.25,000/-
Annual Subscription	Rs.75,000/-
Total	Rs.125,000/-

Metro B
Dailies from Lahore/Rawalpindi/Islamabad/Karachi

Membership Fee	Rs.20,000/-
Application Processing Fee	Rs.20,000/-
Annual Subscription	Rs. 15,000/-
Total	Rs.55,000/-

Regional / Periodicals

Membership Fee	Rs.15,000/-
Application Processing Fee	Rs.15,000/-
Annual Subscription (Regional Daily)	Rs. 5,000/-
Annual Subscription (Periodical)	Rs. 5,000/-

(The application processing fee is non-refundable, in case of the application is rejected by the Executive Committee, the membership fee will be refunded)

4. Issues of publication as per following:
- Dailies : 25 separate issues per month for a period of six months.
- Bi-Weeklies : 80 separate issues per year.
- Weeklies : 40 separate issues per year.
- Fortnightlies : 20 separate issues per year and
- Monthlies : 10 separate issues per year.

5. Following documents must be enclosed with the application:
i) Copies of the declaration duly authenticated by the prescribed authority, 
ii) Printer's Certificate from the press
iii) Newswire Service Certificate, 
iv) National Tax Number and 
v) ABC Certificate.

In case any of these documents are not provided, reasons for inability to do so must be explained in writing to the satisfaction of the Executive Committee:

6. In case of daily publication proof of the fact that the publication is subscribing to news service if such a service is available in the town of publishing. However, if the publication is unable to avail such service, it must explain in writing the reasons for its inability to provide the same to the satisfaction of the Executive Committee.

7. No application for associate membership shall be considered by the Executive Committee unless complimentary copies of the publication are regularly submitted to the Secretariat since the date of the application under postal certificate.

NOTE: Please note that canvassing among members of provincial committee / Executive Committee is strictly prohibited which would disqualify an applicant for membership.

Requirement for Associateship

- Associateship shall be granted to advertising agencies doing business with  APNS member publications. Agencies dealing with classified ads or booking    agents  do not qualify for associateship. These  agencies will be allowed trade discount as mutually agreed by members and the respective agencies in accordance with international standards of print media. The Associate agencies will not be allowed to handle govt. advertising.

- Credit Period: The associate agencies will submit their releases along with post-dated cheques of 60 days.
- Application on prescribed form, which can be had from the APNS Secretariat on Payment of Rs.1,000/-
- Following be sent alongwith the application:
* In case of owned premises, please provide documentary evidence. In case of rental premises, please provide a copy of the Rent Agreement and a copy of the last rent
paid receipt be provided.
* Pay Order for entrance fee for Associateship, Rs.25,000/- (includes non-refundable processing fees of Rs.10,000/-)
* Pay Order for Annual Associateship fee, Rs.15,000/-
* A Pay Order of Rs.1.5 million as guarantee money
* Personal Surety of Directors/Proprietors on prescribed form.
* Business and clearance certificate  of member publications for placement of Business by the agency.
* Appointment letters of  its clients addressed to the APNS.
* Bank statement of the agency for last six months.
* Bio-data of Directors/Proprietors. Mention previous experience, if any in the field of
advertising  / marketing and, or any association with an advertising agency.
* Constitution of the Company.
In case of  sole proprietorship, please provide :

• Documentary evidence of proprietorship
• Copy of NIC

In case of partnership, please provide :
- Partnership Deed
- Copy of National Identity Card of Partners.
- Copies of Certificate of Registration of Partnership Deed issued by Registrar of firms.

In case of Limited Company, please provide:
- Copies of the Memorandum and Articles of Association
- Copies of Certificate of incorporation issued by the Registrar of Companies.
- Copy of National Identity Card of Directors.
* Adequate and skilled staff.

AFTER COMPLETION OF 6 MONTHS ANY ASSOCIATE AGENCY CAN APPLY FOR PROVISIONAL ACCREDITATION

Requirement for Provisional Accreditation

- Application on prescribed form, which can be had from the APNS Secretariat on Payment of Rs.1000/-
- The applicant agency must be in active operation for at least 6 months.
- Following be sent alongwith the application:
* In case of owned premises, please provide documentary evidence. In case of rental premises, please provide a copy of the Rent Agreement and a copy of the last rent paid receipt be provided.
* Pay Order for Entrance fee, Rs.50,000/-(Non-refundable Rs.10,000/-)
* Pay Order for Annual Accreditation fee, Rs.25000/-
* A Pay Order of Rs.2.5 Million as guarantee money to be enhanced by Rs.2.5 Million more at the time of applying for confirmation of accreditation.
* Personal Surety of Directors/Proprietors on prescribed form.
* Business and clearance certificate of member publications for placement of minimum Business of Rs.5,000,000/-within 12 months of the date of application.
* Bank Statement of the Agency for last six months.
* Minimum 5 appointment letters of its clients addressed to the APNS.
* An undertaking to place business in member publications for Rs.5 million during every year.
* Bio-data of Directors/Proprietors mention previous experience, if any in the field of advertising / marketing and, or any association with an advertising agency.
* Constitution of the Company:

In case of sole proprietorship, please provide
  -Documentary evidence of proprietorship
  -Copy of NIC
In case of partnership, please provide:
  - Partnership Deed
  - Copy of National Identity Card of Partners.
  - Copies of Certificate of Registration of Partnership Deed issued by Register of firms.
In case of Limited Company, please provide:
  - Copies of Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association
  - Copies of Certificate of incorporation issued by the Registrar of Companies
  - Copy of National Identity Card of Directors

* Adequate and skilled staff

 

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