---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 29 Oct 1998 11:30:53 -0500
From: Albert Henderson <NobleStation@COMPUSERVE.COM>
Subject: Re: Newspaper subscriptions (2 messages)

on  Wed, 28 Oct 1998 Louise Pierce <lpierce@EAGLE.YCP.EDU> wrote:

> We were faced with the same complaints because most of our papers came by
> mail.  The college bookstore had today's news today.  Titles like the New
> York Times & Washington Post were available there on the day of
> publication and we looked BAD.  I looked into delivery through an agency
> and was all set to go with that when I realized what they could deliver
> was the earliest edition published and what is indexed is the last
> edition.  My decision was that titles that we have indexes for here would
> have to be the right edition and have to be mailed, coming late.  Those
> papers that are not indexed and can be delivered, are delivered the same
> day.

My experience (I worked for King Features and the Daily Mirror years ago)
suggests that the mailer goes out early and may not be all-inclusive. Indexing
should cover the microform edition -- although copies made from convenient
sources might cover the mailer.

Each publisher operates a huge distribution operation with specific deadlines
for the mail edition and for loading trucks headed for various regions. National
papers like Wall Street Journal have regional editions. You might wish to check
this out with each publisher if you feel precise information is critical.

Albert Henderson, Editor, PUBLISHING RESEARCH QUARTERLY
<70244.1532@compuserve.com>