ImpreMedia Demands Hoy Remove ABC Numbers from Its Masthead.

ImpreMedia LLC, announced that in a letter sent to the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) this morning, it has asked ABC to demand Hoy remove all references to ABC sanctioned circulation numbers from the front page of its newspapers until ABC releases revised numbers.

The Tribune Company admitted Thursday that Hoy had overstated circulation in its September 2003 ABC publishers’ statement by 19% and served notice that it expects to restate its March 2004 ABC numbers.

The Company indicated that its internal investigation is still underway. The Company’s release offered no explanation as to how Hoy’s circulation came to be inflated or how it was able to pass ABC’s scrutiny.

ImpreMedia Chairman & CEO Douglas Knight said, “While we are encouraged that the Tribune Company has taken responsibility for inflating circulation claims at Hoy, this story is far from over. The full extent of the overstatement of legitimate paid circulation has not been revealed. Who knew, when they knew and how long this has been going on has not been revealed.”

ImpreMedia publishes El Diario La Prensa in New York and La Opinión in Los Angeles.