Communications of the ACM has a long history of attracting advertisers who value a global audience of computing professionals. Indeed, the first ad appeared by the fifth issue: The Radio Corporation of America (aka RCA) advertised on the back cover of the May 1958 issue to promote the many career opportunities available in its Astro-Electronics Products Division. That placement would draw the attention of many corporate competitors of the day, including Bendix, Remington Rand, Burroughs, IBM, Sylvania, and Wiley. All recognized the stellar audience their ads would reach if positioned in Communications.

Now, in its 50th year, advertisers continue to value the role Communications plays in keeping its readers ahead of the technological trends, new applications, and timely research developments. ACM's flagship publication is delivered each month to its 83,000 members—an illustrious audience representing every known computing discipline (and some still unknown) who look to their monthly edition to stay abreast of the latest in their own field as well as learn how advancements in other fields will impact their work. Communications of the ACM is devoted to providing readers with in-depth coverage of the uses, strengths, and future of information technology and computer science.

Competitive realities demand new skills from successful decision makers, IT managers, and researchers. New products enter the marketplace daily promising greater productivity and quality. But new products alone do not offer long-awaited profitability gains or offer a competitive edge—people do—well-informed people who regularly read Communications of the ACM.

Communications readers are highly educated, with 68% obtaining master’s or doctorate degrees and 55% with more than 20 years of professional experience. According to a recent independent readership survey, the majority of Communications readers describe their primary job responsibilities as software/applications designers, developers, and engineers. Indeed, 75% of Communications readers design or write software. The average annual budget for computer products at the companies these readers represent is over $850,000.

As Communications of the ACM embarks on a new year, with many new and extraordinary editorial changes afoot, its readers will still turn to it for the same reasons those first readers did 50 years ago—to stay informed of the ever-changing world of computing and the countless opportunities it affords.

“Communications readers describe
their primary job responsibilities as
software/applications designers,
developers, and engineers.
75% of Communications
readers design or write software”