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Hotel Guide—U.S. Newspapers (Effective April 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010)

Individually Paid, Single Copy

Copies are classified as Individually Paid, Single Copy if:

  • The newspaper is purchased by a guest at a gift shop, or
  • The guest orders room delivery at registration and the cost of the newspaper appears as an itemized charge on the guest’s invoice.

In either scenario, the price paid by the guest must be a qualifying price of at least one cent, net of all considerations.

When a guest purchases the newspaper for room delivery, the program must be executed in accordance with the following guidelines:

  1. The consumer must receive notification offering room delivery and an opportunity to take affirmative action to either accept or decline. This notification must occur in one of the following ways (Examples):
    • On the registration form.
    • On the key card holder.
    • On a sticker affixed to the top of each day’s newspaper.
  2. The notification must state the cost for the newspaper.
    • The cost must be at least one cent, net of considerations.
  3. The newspaper must be delivered to the guest’s room.
  4. The newspaper delivered must be the current issue.
  5. The cost of the newspaper must appear as a separate line item charge on the guest’s invoice. (Example)

When a guest declines delivery, any copies distributed to the hotel for that guest are considered returns and must be excluded from paid circulation.

NOTE:
The price paid by the hotel to the newspaper is considered a wholesale rate. Wholesale rates are not used to determine qualifying prices for paid circulation—they are reviewed by the audit staff to evaluate the risk a hotel may not have accurately communicated circulation sales to the newspaper.



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