Rules & Resources
Newspaper Support Center

Third-Party Sales Guidelines - U.S. Newspapers

NOTIFICATION

Format Intended for Notification

When third-party sales circulation is distributed, the targeted recipients receive a newspaper they did not order nor pay for. Therefore, ABC requires the newspaper to notify third-party sales recipients as to who purchased the paper they are receiving.

Distribution locations could be divided into three categories:

  • On-site distribution (at the purchaser’s place of business)
  • Events (at local events that may draw the audience they want to reach)
  • Home-delivered (delivered to the homes of non-subscribing area residents)

On-Site Distribution
On-site distribution is when the third-party purchaser of the newspapers simply wants to distribute the newspapers at its own place of business.

If distribution of the newspapers occurs on-site, then the recipient will assume the purchaser of the newspapers is the place of business they are visiting. In this case, no written notification is required as the assumption by the recipient is accurate.

Events
When the entity wants to reach a specifically targeted audience, they may choose to distribute the newspapers at a local event where that audience is most likely to be present.

In these cases, it is necessary to notify the recipient in writing as to the purchaser of the newspaper. This can be done via a sticker, stamp, flyer, wraps around the top of the paper, or racks with clearly visible signs.

Home-Delivered
Businesses may opt to distribute the newspapers to the homes of non-subscribers in a specific geographic area (town, ZIP codes, etc.)

In these cases, as with event distribution, it is necessary to notify the recipient in writing as to the purchaser of the newspaper. Again, this can be done via a sticker, stamp, flyer, wraps around the top of the paper, or racks with clearly visible signs.

Long-Term Home-Delivered
In some cases, a business may choose to purchase subscriptions for current or potential customers for a term in excess of four weeks.

If the third-party sales home-delivered distribution is intended for a term of more than four weeks, then, in addition to identifying the purchaser, the initial notification must furnish all information necessary for the recipient to cancel delivery (customer service phone number and hours of operation for the newspaper).

Subsequently, the recipient must receive reminders of the purchaser’s identity at least once at the beginning of every four-week period.

Content of the Notification

The notification must state something similar to the following:

  • This newspaper is compliments of …(purchaser’s name)
  • This newspaper is courtesy of…(purchaser’s name)
  • This newspaper is brought to you by…(purchaser’s name)
The notification may also contain the following information without requiring an additional charge to the purchaser:
  • Purchaser’s logo (non-promotional)
  • Street address
  • Web address (URL)
  • E-mail address
  • Phone number(s)
  • Fax number
The purchaser may include additional information on the notification piece. However, the newspaper must charge the purchaser for the cost of these additional items over and above the cost of the newspapers.

ABC views these additional items as “considerations.” Please see Considerations for further detail and explanations.

Examples of additional items the newspaper may wish to include on the notification (considerations) that would require an additional charge include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Advertising for its business
  • Coupon for its merchandise/services
  • Editorial about its business
  • Schedule of events
A sample (mock-up) of the written notification piece must be maintained for the auditor's review.

If the copies will be distributed on-site, then this must be communicated to ABC (as this does not require written notification).





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