Instead of waking up and reading the morning news with a cup of coffee, subscribers must wait until the mail is delivered to read the newspaper. As of March 18, the Gainesville Sun, Ocala Star-Banner and several other Gannett-owned newspapers have transitioned to delivering their newspaper through postal delivery.
While readers of weekly newspapers around the nation are used to postal delivery of their newspaper, it’s a big adjustment for dedicated daily newspaper readers.
Holly Lubart, vice president of News Media Alliance, said she has seen a trend of daily newspapers using mail delivery. “Newspapers have had to make strategic shifts when necessary to cover service gaps, particularly in rural areas or less populated areas,” she said. “With increased gas prices and labor shortages, newspapers are losing home delivery drivers and are forced to put some home delivery in the mail.”
After polling the National Newspaper Association postal team, Executive Director Lynne Lance said the association does not track the number of newspapers using mail delivery. However, a large majority of the association’s 1700 member newspapers use mail delivery and have for years.
News Media Alliance members have expressed concerns about using the postal service. “We have heard from our members about slow delivery from the postal service, which is a concern when it comes to news content,” she said. “Also, if readers are used to getting their paper first thing in the morning but do not get their mail until later in the afternoon, that will be an adjustment.”
When newspapers arrive may vary depending on what practices newspaper mailers use for delivery.
Newspapers can be delivered the same day if the newspaper mailer uses certain practices, like exceptional dispatch, where the newspapers are delivered directly to area post offices, eliminating USPS transportation to a distant sortation center, Lance said.
Papers can qualify for overnight drop privileges, which allow them to be delivered to the entry post office’s loading dock after hours. Newspaper mailers can also combine these practices and use exceptional dispatch to deliver to area post offices overnight for next-day delivery. However, she said this does not apply to out-of-area mail.
If daily newspapers use USPS for transport, sometimes newspapers will arrive on time, and other times they will not.
Lance said she does not think that daily newspapers will force improvement in the periodical mail delivery system. “No, the Postal Service is focused on delivering packages and is tailoring the delivery network to do that rather than traditional letter and periodical mail,” she said. “There is so much to change in USPS on how they move newspapers through the system. They are looking to do nothing to really improve service in dominant mail classes.”
A concern about the transition is that the post office does not deliver on Sundays. “One member said when they convert an entire market to mail, they print the Sunday edition on Friday night and deliver it by USPS on Saturday,” Lubart said. “When they convert individual routes or a portion of a market to mail, they put the Sunday paper in Monday’s mail.”
“The transition from carrier to U.S. Postal Service delivery will ensure we can provide a more consistent experience for our valued subscribers,” said a Gainesville Sun spokesperson. “We also encourage readers to visit us regularly on our digital platforms, as well as access our eNewspaper, a digital replica of the newspaper.”
Questions directed at the Gainesville Sun remained unanswered and attempts to identify the Gainesville Sun spokesperson through email were refused by Gannett public relations.
John Freeman, an associate professor of journalism at the University of Florida, has subscribed to the Gainesville Sun since the fall of 1991. However, he canceled his print subscription when the newspaper sent him a letter saying that it would be transitioning to postal delivery.
He said he did not want to get the newspaper in the mailbox and look at it in the evening. “I think that’s going to be the last step probably before they may have to shut down because mail delivery is so slow and so late compared to getting the paper in the driveway which I always enjoyed in the morning.”
An issue the newspaper industry is facing is the ongoing decline of print readership.
“How many people actually get the paper delivered nowadays,” said Michelle Riling, a 20-year Gainesville resident. “You know, a lot of people read it online, or like my dad being older, goes and picks it up. So not sure how many people actually get delivered anymore.”
“I think a lot of people have already lost confidence in the Sun because the news that they read is often late, so mail delivery will not help support for the Sun,” said Freeman. “I know a lot of people who were print subscribers like me that enjoyed getting the morning paper and looking at it while drinking a cup of coffee. And now that that ritual is going to be gone, I think people will look elsewhere for their news.”
