CHANGES AFOOT: This weekend, magazine executives will descend on Boca Raton, Fla., for the American Magazine Conference, where they'll subject themselves to Waverly Inn truffle fries and full-bore schmoozing. But there will be substance to the soirees: The conference is also expected to bring some changes to the National Magazine Awards, according to sources. One to be revealed there is that, for the first time, magazines put out by newspapers will be eligible for the highly prized awards. The New York Times magazine is expected to be a prime beneficiary of this (though perhaps Parade and USA Weekend would be indignant at the suggestion).

Earlier this year, after sweeping the awards with five wins, New York magazine editor in chief Adam Moss told WWD he intended to push for newspaper magazines' eligibility, having edited The New York Times magazine for five years. He was elected to the board of ASME last year, and is now secretary.

Other changes that will be discussed when board members meet in Boca this weekend include possible consideration of online-only features in regular categories (currently, they are judged separately). Board members privately disputed speculation that the fiction category would be eliminated; instead, members are said to be discussing how to reenvision it.
— Irin Carmon

NUMBERS, PLEASE: Condé Nast Publications and Hearst Magazines finally agreed to sign up to the Audit Bureau of Circulations' Rapid Report filing system, which reports circulation figures weeks after a magazine's on-sale date. The system reports figures on individual issues much quicker than the old-fashioned biannual reporting schedule from the ABC, and gives advertisers a faster read on a magazine's circulation performance. The news was reported by Advertising Age on Tuesday.

Condé Nast will put 24 of its titles, including Vanity Fair, Glamour and The New Yorker, on the reporting system by the end of the first quarter of next year, but the group will not include its newest launch, Portfolio. The business title is still not listed with ABC, but is expected to join in the latter part of next year. The magazine then will be added to Rapid Report.

Hearst Magazines also said it would commit its remaining titles to Rapid Report by January. The company already lists Good Housekeeping, Smart Money and Town & Country, but will sign up titles including Quick & Simple, Cosmopolitan, Redbook and Esquire.