Local press set to lose snail-mail favours

Regional newspapers in the UK are facing the withdrawal of key postal services that will seriously affect their business, according to the Newspaper Society.

Despite the increasing use of the internet as a publishing platform, services such as the newspaper registration service support the core subscription revenue of local newspapers.

The service was introduced in the mid-1800s and allows approved publications to post to subscribers at reduced rates.

The Newspaper Society, which represents the interest of the regional news business, has written to the Royal Mail objecting to the plans to close the service.

"Many publications have built their business on back of services like these," explained Ms Anderson, communications director for the Newspaper Society.

"They are losing hundreds of readers, and I don’t think internet penetration has grown enough to make up for that.

"Print on paper is still the core of the regional news business."

Online readership is expanding, said Ms Anderson, and newspaper groups such as Northcliffe are successfully developing their web publishing strategies.

"There is great potential and some publications are making money - particularly with classified advertisements.

"Organisations such as Newsstand are producing digital replicas and there are online products out there."

The Royal Mail is also said to be considering the future of the late-access arrangement, which extends the deadline for first-class mail-outs to allow for morning print deadlines.

"Some local newspapers are beginning to convert postal subscriptions to online subscriptions," said Ms Anderson.

"But it’s early days for the internet publications, and regional newspapers still provide an important lifeline for rural communities."

See also:
http://www.newspapersoc.org.uk
http://www.royalmail.co.uk

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