The Columbus Dispatch Rate Increase

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Prescott

Senior Member

2,569 posts
Dec 28, 2009 6:46 PM
A few days ago I received a letter from The Columbus Dispatch alerting to the fact that my subscription rate for every day delivery would go from $32.00 every ten weeks to $64.90 every ten weeks.

I wondered if others had received a similar notification and what rate subscribers are paying now.
Dec 28, 2009 6:46pm
Apple's avatar

Apple

Prost!

2,620 posts
Dec 28, 2009 7:09 PM
Looks like some of the former jjhuddle employees may have landed at the Col. Dispatch!
Dec 28, 2009 7:09pm
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GoChiefs

Resident Maniac

16,754 posts
Dec 28, 2009 7:11 PM
Damn..that's quite a rate increase!
Dec 28, 2009 7:11pm
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Chesapeake

Senior Member

1,603 posts
Dec 28, 2009 7:12 PM
Sounds like Columbus Dispatch will be signing off soon.
Dec 28, 2009 7:12pm
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believer

Senior Member

8,153 posts
Dec 28, 2009 7:42 PM
^^^^This....

Newspapers across the country are in trouble due the Internet, crappy "journalism", etc. So how does the Dispatch reward its loyal customers? They DOUBLE the rates.

That's just dumb. Apparently they have a death wish.
Dec 28, 2009 7:42pm
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Fab4Runner

Tits McGee

6,196 posts
Dec 28, 2009 7:55 PM
Yikes...why in the world would they think doubling their rates would be a good idea? I get that they may need to raise them but double is just crazy.
Dec 28, 2009 7:55pm
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ts1227

Senior Member

12,319 posts
Dec 28, 2009 9:48 PM
Old people who read the papers are creatures of habit and will pay it just so they have a paper to read, because they hate change and technology (aka all the stuff in the paper is free on the internet).

Even if people cancel at first, they'll just start buying it everyday at the convenience store.

My dad bitches about the crappy paper around here every day, and even after a rate increase the piece of shit is still in the box at the end of the driveway every day.
Dec 28, 2009 9:48pm
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Prescott

Senior Member

2,569 posts
Dec 29, 2009 12:23 AM
I went to Meijer's tonight and The Columbus Disaptch had a sales kiosk there. I asked the salesman what the rate was and he offered me $4.49 per week if I signed up for 13 weeks.

The moral of the story is that The Columbus Dispatch will give new subscribers a much better rate than loyla long-time subscribers. Awesome!!!!
Dec 29, 2009 12:23am
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2kool4skool

Senior Member

1,804 posts
Dec 29, 2009 12:38 AM
Why in the hell would anyone subscribe to a newspaper anymore?
Dec 29, 2009 12:38am
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Sage

Senior Member

2,070 posts
Dec 29, 2009 2:49 AM
Dispatch must be in a world of hurt if this is their battle plan.

Newspapers will be dead before I'm 50. They just can't keep up with the speed of information & the big time writers are going online now.
Dec 29, 2009 2:49am
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sleeper

Legend

27,879 posts
Dec 29, 2009 3:07 AM
Wow, double?

Are they trying to lose customers?
Dec 29, 2009 3:07am
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GoChiefs

Resident Maniac

16,754 posts
Dec 29, 2009 6:10 AM
Prescott wrote: The moral of the story is that The Columbus Dispatch will give new subscribers a much better rate than loyla long-time subscribers. Awesome!!!!
Correct..just like every other company out there trying to get new customers. It's not like the Dispatch is the first to practice this.
Dec 29, 2009 6:10am
S

ss7

Senior Member

256 posts
Dec 29, 2009 8:15 AM
I didn't get a letter but I received this info on my bill. There is no way in hell that I'm renewing.
Dec 29, 2009 8:15am
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cbus4life

Ignorant

2,849 posts
Dec 29, 2009 9:43 AM
They won't lose a whole lot, IMO.
Dec 29, 2009 9:43am
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thedynasty1998

Senior Member

6,844 posts
Dec 29, 2009 9:51 AM
Well you double your rate, and if they lose less than 50% of their subscribers, they are making a good decision.

I do agree with everyone that the Dispatch is a pathetic paper, but what else are you going to do? Sure you can get the USA Today or Wall Street Journal, but for local news the Dispatch is it.
Dec 29, 2009 9:51am
Apple's avatar

Apple

Prost!

2,620 posts
Dec 29, 2009 10:34 AM
cbus4life wrote: They won't lose a whole lot, IMO.
That's what JJ said...
Dec 29, 2009 10:34am
J

JoeA1010

Senior Member

191 posts
Dec 29, 2009 11:32 AM
^ I'm not sure, he might have been talking about the people who drop the Dispatch as the ones who won't lose a lot.

I have noticed the Dispatch has gotten much worse in its copy editing. I notice missed words, misspellings and other mistakes it seems almost every day. If they are doubling the price, they will lose readers, which will eventually hurt advertising rates. Next thing we know Marrison will write a Sunday column once again reminding us how important he and the Dispatch are to our lives and then calling for a federal bailout.
Dec 29, 2009 11:32am
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behindthelense

Member

45 posts
Dec 29, 2009 4:19 PM
I think I'll start a free newspaper.......give me a few minutes and I'll have more details. :D
Dec 29, 2009 4:19pm
P

Prescott

Senior Member

2,569 posts
Dec 29, 2009 5:01 PM
Well you double your rate, and if they lose less than 50% of their subscribers, they are making a good decision.
I'm not sure about this. I would think that the advertising rates would be based somewhat on the total circulation. Losing circulation would translate into a loss of advertising revenue.
Dec 29, 2009 5:01pm
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2kool4skool

Senior Member

1,804 posts
Dec 29, 2009 7:50 PM
Prescott wrote:
Well you double your rate, and if they lose less than 50% of their subscribers, they are making a good decision.
I'm not sure about this. I would think that the advertising rates would be based somewhat on the total circulation. Losing circulation would translate into a loss of advertising revenue.
This is true, although money from advertising has dropped even further than money from subscriptions. Craigslist has hurt newspapers as much as any online news outlet.

Regardless, stupid decision by The Dispatch. Although many/most people that still pay for a newspaper will accept the increase, because if they really cared about cost, they wouldn't be subscribing to a newspaper in 2010 anyway.
Dec 29, 2009 7:50pm
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sleeper

Legend

27,879 posts
Dec 29, 2009 8:39 PM
Prescott wrote:
Well you double your rate, and if they lose less than 50% of their subscribers, they are making a good decision.
I'm not sure about this. I would think that the advertising rates would be based somewhat on the total circulation. Losing circulation would translate into a loss of advertising revenue.
^ This is true.

Also, I'd like to add, I don't think they are going to give this rate increase to everyone, just a few at first, and judging by if they can maintain a certain amount of revenue, they'll add more.

Or not.
Dec 29, 2009 8:39pm
P

Prescott

Senior Member

2,569 posts
Dec 29, 2009 9:18 PM
because if they really cared about cost, they wouldn't be subscribing to a newspaper in 2010 anyway.
Actually, my wife uses coupons and saves $5.00-$10.00 a week on our grocery bill using coupons that come with the newspaper.
Dec 29, 2009 9:18pm
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BCBulldog

Senior Member

824 posts
Dec 29, 2009 10:36 PM
I only get Saturday and Sunday and they want something like $36 for 10 weeks now. I will not be renewing. I can get everything I need online.
Dec 29, 2009 10:36pm
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joebaseball

Senior Member

247 posts
Dec 29, 2009 10:59 PM
Prescott wrote: Actually, my wife uses coupons and saves $5.00-$10.00 a week on our grocery bill using coupons that come with the newspaper.
Actually if your wife shops at Kroger you can load most coupons to your Kroger card online. I know you can for the P & G coupons and a few others.

With the rates going up, (we have paid through early Feb.) I don't think I will be renewing. I usually like it so I have something to read in the bathroom in the morning. I think it is now cheaper to buy an ipod touch and mount a shelf for it in the bathroom and just read it online than to pay for a year of the dispatch. WTF
Dec 29, 2009 10:59pm
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2kool4skool

Senior Member

1,804 posts
Dec 29, 2009 11:11 PM
Prescott wrote:
because if they really cared about cost, they wouldn't be subscribing to a newspaper in 2010 anyway.
Actually, my wife uses coupons and saves $5.00-$10.00 a week on our grocery bill using coupons that come with the newspaper.
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