NEWS FLASH * * * Elimination of Publishers Periodical Rates for Foreign Subscribers.

BoSacks Speaks Out: The Following News Flash was submitted by a BoSacks Reader. I felt it was too important not to pass along immediately .

"He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else"
Benjamin Franklin


It appears to be a little known fact that included in the next increase and effective May 14th is the elimination of Publishers Periodical Rates for foreign subscribers. Publishers will no longer be able to include foreign mail on Form 3541, nor will they be able to pay for these subscribers from their Periodicals accounts at their respective mailing points. These copies will have top be repackaged and mailed with postage affixed via ISAL. The USPS will not allow the copies to be mailed even though the new mailing statements 3541-1 (8 pages vs. 3) don't go into effect until July 15. As an example a 10oz magazine from the US to Canada will go from $1.09 to $2.45 that is almost a 244% increase. I don't think the fulfillment houses are even aware of this change.

The USPS says the change is being forced due to complaints on service to foreign countries by Publishers, but won't give any names. I don't know what service the IMTAC committee has provided in this area for the small publisher as most of their foreign subs are already being handled by remailers. This is about the stupidest thing I have see the USPS do in the 33 years I have been in this business.
(Submitted by a Director)