NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION – Periodicals mailers (newspapers) entering their mail at USPS processing plants have until January 29 to reset their production schedules to meet the new USPS deadline for entering mail.
On that date, all Periodicals must be entered and accepted by 8 a.m. to be counted in that day’s entry. Mail entered after 8 a.m. will be counted as entered the following day.
The change will make a difference in delivery speeds for the affected mailers. A mailing entered at 9 a.m. on a Wednesday, for example, would be scheduled for processing on Thursday.
Some publishers will lose a day of delivery time because of the change if they are unable to achieve the earlier entry.
Forrest R. Church, publisher at Northwest Ohio Publishing LLC (The Village Reporter) and member of NNA stated, “I am disappointed that after two rate increases within the last year that our industry will take a hit with the delivery of timely news.”
“Many newspapers from across the country that have set print schedules for years with presses and have had until late afternoon to make Post Office deadlines. ”
“It is nearly impossible for most print presses and newspapers to change production schedule to meet this new morning deadline.”
“These delivery issues, along with printing prices increasing nationwide by up to 50%, is forcing newspapers to cut and/or put more content online which can be delivered to readers immediately (no Post Office delay).”