Good news and bad news, but mostly bad news. First, the Bad News Part 1 — Beginning with this issue of the Breeze (September 5, 2024), the cost of a single issue of the Breeze will be $1.00. The Bad news Part 2 — Beginning October 1, 2024, the cost of annual subscriptions will increase for all subscribers.
The cost to subscribers served by the Hurricane Post Office (Zip Code – 25526) will increase from $20 per year to $22. The cost to all other Putnam County addresses will go from $25 to $27. All other West Virginia addresses will increase from $40 to $45 per year. The annual subscription to Out of State addresses will be $50 (from $45).
Now the good news. The cost of digital subscriptions to the Breeze will remain unchanged. The cost of digital will remain $2.50 per month (an annual cost of $30).
WHY SUBSCRIPTION INCREASE?
Everyone understands inflation. Everyone understands that someone or some entity must foot the cost of producing and distributing the Breeze. Production costs have increased over the years and the revenue sources which have paid the bills have changed in the newspaper industry.
In 1971, the out-of-pocket cost of producing an 8-page issue (equivalent to the 10-page issues of today) and the average cost of mailing was about 4¢. The entire production and distribution cost of the newspaper was financed by the annual subscription rate of $2.00. Every penny of advertising revenue resulted in income to individual members of the Forth family who produced pages of type and accompanying graphics from molten lead and printed the pages on an early 1900 era flat-bed press requiring hand fed sheets of newsprint.
Today’s Breeze is printed in about ten minutes on a high speed press with relatively little physical labor. The out-of-pocket cost, however, is much higher. If present day Breeze subscribers were to bear the entire production and distribution costs, the annual subscription rate for in-county subscriptions would be more than $50 per year and the out-of-county rate would be $75. The Breeze has kept subscription rates in check by meeting increased production and distribution costs with revenue generated by legal advertisements. The legal ad rate is set by the West Virginia State Legislature and cannot be increased by the Breeze. The last increase in legal ads rates was 15 years ago. The out-of-pocket cost of printing the Breeze increased 11% in January and the cost of mailing the newspaper jumped 9.75% in July. The increase in annual subscriptions is necessary to meet these increased costs.
WHY THE DRAMATIC SINGLE COPY INCREASE?
The Breeze initiated single-issue sales in 1984 with the intent of reaching more readers. The cost of distributing the paper to twenty-some honor racks throughout the county exceeds the revenue generated by rack sales because of theft and/or discounts created by lack of honor. If the increase in single copy price does not result in increased honor rack sales, it may become necessary to discontinue or to limit single-issue sales.
IMPLEMENTATION
The September 26 issue will feature an updated subscription coupon with the new rates. Any new subscription or renewal payments received after October 1 which are less than the new rates will be pro-rated (payment using the old rate will not result in a 12-month subscription). Subscribers whose subscriptions are due in October, November and December of 2024 may renew early at current rates and will be credited with 12 months if received before October 1st (The date listed after the name on the mailing label is the subscription due date).
