National Newspaper Association
Protecting, Promoting and Enhancing Community Newspapers Since 1885
Postal Tips by Max Heath
Max Heath, NNA Postal Committee, is a postal consultant for Landmark Community Newspapers LLC and NNA members. Email maxheath@lcni.com.
Advertising measurement rules from DMM and Customer Support Rulings compiled
Rules concerning ad measurement are shared below, with citations from the Postal Service Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) and Customer Support Rulings (CSRs).
Most efficient newspaper and shopper mail could escape the worst of a harsh rate case
An extreme second rate case this year by new leadership in the Postal Service is bad news all around, if approved as proposed for August 29, 2021. However, if implemented, the most efficient mail would ...
Postal Q&A: COVID subscriber/requester expiration extended
Sample large number on small circ pubs
Electronic paid/requester subscriptions can count as valuable add-ons, depending on circumstances
The ability to count electronic subscriptions on the annual postal Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation, PS Form 3526, has been established since 2012, when a third page was added to the ...
2021 postage rates for local newspapers mostly same as 2020, plus long-sought flats tray discount granted
Requester pubs, shoppers also fare well.
Postal Q & A: Subscriptions in arrears, sacks vs. trays, etc.
“Copies may be mailed at the prices that apply to subscriber copies for 6 months after a subscription has expired if the publisher makes a good-faith attempt to obtain payment or a promise of payment ...
Periodical Postage advertising standards, measurement
Advertising measurement for calculation of Periodical postage on PS Form 3541 is required to compute higher, zoned pound rates on ad matter based on distance outside the county and allows lower, unzoned ...
Postal Q & A: Value of IMb? Sampling problems
Q: I have a publisher who wants to use the sampling rule to do a one–time, all–county distribution to share a COVID-19 four-page insert. My understanding is that the 10% rule applies to his ...
Mail volume to fall 18%, deliveries up 5%
The Postal Service’s updated five-year plan predicts mail volume will fall 18% during that period, while delivery points will grow by 5%, or 6.9 million. That, in turn, means revenue per delivery ...
Electronic paid/requester subscriptions can count as valuable add-ons in certain circumstances
The ability to count electronic subscriptions on the annual postal Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation, PS Form 3526, has been established since 2012. I have not revisited the subject since ...
Postal Q & A: Statements of ownership run in text form? Late?
These are questions to the NNA postal hotline that may be of interest to all members but with names and titles removed to protect the identity of the location asking. Q: We forgot to file our Statement ...
In-county newspapers, marketing mail shoppers, get low or no increases in 2020 rate case; distant mail more costly
The Postal Service filed October 9 for its annual inflationary rate increase effective Jan. 26, 2020. The price cap was 1.9%, limiting the hike for mailing services. In-County was announced as 1.5% and ...
Postal Q & A: What are my options to deal with local delivery complaints?
Q: One of our newspapers had a question about a postal weight limit on an insert. Disagreement ensued over a 3.3-ounce limit existing (or not). Does one exist?
Maximize postage savings & improve delivery under NNA-won rules, prices
Compare these to your postage statements and practices.
Boost distribution, sell extra advertising and grow subscriptions with mail sampling
I get frequent contacts about sampling and update my column on this topic every few years. I’m altering my approach some to suggest how to legally keep mail distribution at higher levels weekly, ...
Postal Q & A: Can my mail be held if there is a PostalOne! outage?
Are medical marijuana or CBD oil advertisements OK in newspapers?
