Postal Advoacy

ACP convenes the Coalition of Religious Press Associations (CRPA), whose main work is keeping postage rates affordable for U.S. religious periodical publishers. ACP belongs to the Mailers' Technical Advisory Committee in Washington, to offer input and get practical information from the U.S. Postal Service.

March, 2008 report: Postal rates go down -- and up

by Bob Terry

Two significant events for nonprofit mailers occurred recently. The United States Postal Service has announced new postal rates which will take effect May 12.

Nonprofit magazine mailers using Standard Mail will enjoy a 1.2% decrease in postage rates. Magazines using Periodical Mail will experience a 2.7% increase in postage.

The reduction in Standard Mail is highly unusual. Some observers see it as an attempt by the Postal Service to stop the downward trend in mail volume in the Standard Flats category.

November, 2007 report

From Bob Terry

In November, I attended the quarterly meeting of the Mailers Technical Advisory Committee in Washington, D.C. It was encouraging to learn that the Postal Service is concerned about the future of periodical publications. It was reported that over the past few years there has been an average decline in periodical volume of about two percent annually. Following the increase in mailing costs in July, that decline has increased. Post Master General Jack Potter reported that the Postal Service expects "a sharp decline in periodical volume in 2008."