CHeaP, CHeaP, hurray!
Postage Rates: Publishers could distribute their print products more cheaply on their own than by mail.
Posttax publishers could distribute their print products themselves more cheaply than by post. "A cheaper distribution option is feasible." With these words, CHP Managing Director Daniel Kaczynski summarized the report of a project group set up by the Swiss Press Association (CHP), which has been looking for alternatives to press distribution by post for publishers since the end of 2002 (WW 15/03). However, he did not yet want to provide any information on the exact content of the report, nor on the question of whether the report would identify more than one feasible alternative. Kaczynski said that the CHP presidium would first discuss the proposals at a closed meeting. Even if the ideas are found to be feasible, the association will hardly take action itself. "We can suggest something, but then the publishers have to take action themselves," says Kaczynski. The reason for the report is the amended Postal Act, which comes into force at the beginning of 2004. It reduces federal subsidies on postal rates for subscribed newspapers and magazines to CHF 80 million per year (previously CHF 100 million). As a result, only print products with smaller print runs will be able to benefit from postal distribution subsidies in future. (mk)
