Would Time-Warner and the USPS have ended Dragon and Dungeon if the DI never happened?

[NPC Dave]

I only recently became aware of the massive post rate increases the USPS is planning for small periodicals in July. While I don't expect Paizo to speculate on what might have happened, since the USPS is too incompetent to yet be able to reliably calculate how much the new rates will be for small publishers, it may be the Digital Initiative came just in time. Many small periodicals may have to go online only this year.

Hopefully Pathfinder with its book format will be unaffected by these changes. Or at least be able to ship some cheap option like media mail.

If you are not aware of what I am talking about, you can read more here:

http://fe15.news.re3.yahoo.com/s/huffpost/20070516/cm_huffpost/048616

http://reclaimthemedia.org/communications_rights/postalhike

But basically the short of it is, the USPS proposes raising all periodicals shipping rates by 11%. Time-Warner jumps in and manages to bribe/bully/lobby the USPS to get price breaks for itself, and massive increases on small publishers who compete against them by catering to smaller market interests. Some magazines might see their postal costs rise by 30%. Time-Warner was having trouble competing with its news periodicals in current day markets, so it figured out how to solve the problem.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0514/p13s01-wmgn.html

[Andrew Turner]

NPC Dave wrote:

I only recently became aware of the massive post rate increases the USPS is planning for small periodicals in July. While I don't expect Paizo to speculate on what might have happened, since the USPS is too incompetent to yet be able to reliably calculate how much the new rates will be for small publishers, it may be the Digital Initiative came just in time. Many small periodicals may have to go online only this year.

Hopefully Pathfinder with its book format will be unaffected by these changes. Or at least be able to ship some cheap option like media mail.

If you are not aware of what I am talking about, you can read more here:

http://fe15.news.re3.yahoo.com/s/huffpost/20070516/cm_huffpost/048616

http://reclaimthemedia.org/communications_rights/postalhike

But basically the short of it is, the USPS proposes raising all periodicals shipping rates by 11%...

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0514/p13s01-wmgn.html

regarding the recent rate hikes:

USPS does such an outstanding job---rain, hail, snow, sleet, dark of night, heat of day, etc.---it's only natural...

Why, fully 10% of all my Dragon and Dungeon magazines have arrived completely intact and unmarred, no rips, bends or creases!

[Vic Wertz]

We knew the magazines were going away before we knew about the postage increases, so we were saved from having to investigate it.