National Newspaper Association Press Release

Action by Jackson (MS) postal officials to improve service to newspaper mail are welcome signs that the United States Postal Service is hearing the National Newspaper Association’s call for better delivery, NNA President Jerry Tidwell, publisher of the Hood County (TX) News said this week.

NNA Postal Committee Chairman Max Heath, vice president of Landmark Community Newspapers, Inc., reported results from work by NNA and Mississippi Press Association on particularly troubling service issues from Jackson . NNA highlighted the service problems in testimony to the Postal Rate Commission in September.

USPS’s Jackson Plant Manager Ruben Rodriguez announced that he was requiring preparation of newspapers in white flats tubs with green sleeves for ZIP Codes 369, 390, 391, 392, 393, and 396 in his area. Clear mailing sacks, which were considered part of the service problem, will be abandoned in those areas.

Tidwell said USPS is demonstrating that the tubs can improve service.

³NNA has supported abandonment of sacks for more than a year,² Tidwell said.

³We also strongly encourage both the Postal Service and the Postal Rate Commission to avoid container fees on these tubs. Financial deterrents to the use of tubs will slow our work.²

Heath said both publishers and postal plant managers in other parts of the country should heed Rodriguez’s management example. Carolyn Wilson, executive director of Mississippi Press Association, agreed.

“Delivery of newspapers has long been a growing concern in our state.

Cultivating a good working relationship with USPS folks in Jackson was a primary focus during 2003 when Patsy Speights, general manager/editor of The Prentiss Headlight, was MPA president,” Wilson said. “Developing that line of communication has enabled us to get the attention of postal staff at multiple levels. It also helped to arrange for their participation last week in the postal session during the ArkLaMiss Circulation Conference in Vicksburg . Max, Patsy, and other attendees were able to have personal interaction with the three USPS representatives, and already we’ve seen positive actions being taken by our Jackson plant manager. MPA is hopeful the attention being given to members’ concerns will bring about improved delivery for Mississippi newspapers.”

Heath conducted his “Maximizing Postal Savings & Delivery” seminar for the ArkLaMiss circulation managers, just prior to the announcement of this service improvement. He said massive complaints by publishers were heard at the event.

He said, “The active involvement of Rodriguez, as well as Kathy Horne, manager of Business Mail Entry, interacting with me and the member newspapers, was one of the high points of my postal-seminar career.

“It is rare to get a mail processing manager of Mr. Rodriguez’s stature to attend a state or regional meeting in this setting. He’s a trouper to endure the complaints, was candid about shortcomings and backups in the Jackson plant, and pledged a lasting fix. The granting of flat tray (tub) use to all newspapers within six three-digit processing territories covering most of the state for their 5-digit and 3-digit mail is a significant gesture. If handled properly, this change should significantly improve delivery for the bulk of out-of-county mail, and even some in-county mail not entered in delivery offices, by Mississippi newspapers. He’s a hero to me and members of NNA and MPA in Mississippi .²

“Publishers are encouraged to drop unsacked bundles for all delivery office entered mail and to push for increased use of the white tubs in any out of county mail where USPS permits them.”

Information on that option and on new preparation requirements allowing newspapers to travel with first-class mail in certain areas is available from NNA’s Washington office, NNAWashington@nna.org or from Heath at maxheath@lcni.com