After nearly 100 years, The Commercial Dispatch will no longer be delivered door-to-door by carriers, according to publisher Peter Imes.
Instead the paper will shift to same-day delivery by the U.S. Postal Service.
Imes said the change is driven by difficulties in finding enough carriers.
“It’s increasingly hard to hire people to do a wide range of tasks, and it’s been especially hard to find carriers for the past couple of years,” Imes said. “For nearly 100 years we’ve relied on this network of independent contractors to deliver our paper on a daily basis.”
The postal service offers a same-day delivery option, and the paper will be delivered to subscribers with their daily mail, Imes said.
“We’ll be coordinating with 12 different post offices on a daily basis to deliver the paper,” Imes said. “We’ll basically be dropping bundles of papers off each day between 4 and 5 a.m. and they will be delivered to subscribers that day.”
Limited mail delivery will begin Feb. 1, starting with customers in Starkville, Imes said. Other customers will continue having the paper delivered by carrier for now, with the final carrier delivery set for Feb. 14.
“As far as coverage goes, readers should not notice much of a change,” Imes said.
Perhaps the most visible change will be the Sunday paper, which will switch to Saturday delivery.
“Because the post office does not offer Sunday delivery, we will rename that paper the Weekend Edition and it will be delivered on Saturdays beginning Feb. 18. It will be exactly like the Sunday paper, just a day earlier.”
The Dispatch will retain some carriers to handle deliveries to the post office and to racks throughout town, Imes said.
“Nothing will change with regards to our single-copy sales,” he noted.
The Dispatch isn’t alone, according to Mississippi Press Association Executive Director Layne Bruce.
“Over the past five or six years this has been a pretty steady transition for papers that were traditionally delivered by carriers,” Bruce said. “When they do a cost analysis of what their delivery expenses are, it ends up being a favorable transition to go to the mail.”
There are very few papers who are still using carriers in Mississippi, Bruce said.
“There are very few carrier-delivered papers remaining,” he said. “Most of them have switched to mail delivery, and certainly those that are consistent with (The Dispatch’s) market size have switched in the past few years.”
Bruce said the only daily paper to his knowledge in the state that still relies on carrier delivery is The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson.
“Obviously this is something very sensitive, because it affects the contract employment of individuals at each newspaper,” he said. “But the (postal service) has proven that they are consistently able to handle the load, so it’s a very attractive alternative for newspapers.”
Imes also acknowledged the personal impact of the change.
“Many of our subscribers have very personal, very long-term relationships with their newspaper carrier. I recently heard a story about one subscriber who saves the rubber bands from her paper and returns them to her carrier. Carriers also often place papers in very specific locations for subscribers,” Imes said. “I’ve got a deep appreciation for our carriers and the legacy they represent.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Beginning in February, The Dispatch will transition to using the U.S. Postal Service’s same day delivery for the delivery of the newspaper to subscribers. Below are frequently asked questions about this change.
Will delivery be delayed?
No. We will deliver each day’s paper to the post office around 4 a.m., and the USPS will deliver the paper to our subscribers the same day. You will still receive Tuesday’s paper on Tuesday, Wednesday’s paper on Wednesday, etc. You will receive your paper along with your normal mail.
What about Sunday?
Since the USPS doesn’t deliver most mail on Sunday, we will rename the Sunday paper the Weekend Edition, and it will be delivered on Saturday. The Weekend Edition will be exactly the same as the Sunday paper, including inserts, color comics, etc. The first Weekend Edition will be delivered Saturday, Feb. 18.
Are prices changing?
No. If you currently get your paper delivered by newspaper carrier, your rate will not change.
Will inserts still be in the paper?
Yes. The contents of the paper are not changing.
Why are you making the change?
It is increasingly difficult to find new newspaper carriers. Relying on the USPS is a better long term solution.
What will happen to existing newspaper carriers?
We will continue to work with several carriers to help bulk-deliver papers to area post offices. Unfortunately, some of our independent newspaper carriers will no longer be involved in the delivery of the paper.
Will my paper look different?
We are redesigning the very top of the front page to leave room for address labeling.
What if my paper doesn’t arrive with my mail?
Simply call our office at (662) 328-2424 and we can either put a credit on your account or we will deliver you a replacement paper if you are in our redelivery area.
How do I handle vacation holds?
Since your paper will be delivered with your mail, contact the postal service for any mail delivery holds.
What if I get my mail at a post office box?
We will use your current home delivery address on the mailing labels. If you want mail delivered elsewhere, including to a post office box, call us at (662) 328-2424.
I have other questions
Give us a call Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., and we’ll be happy to answer your questions.
Brian Jones is the local government reporter for Columbus and Lowndes County.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
