Rules & Resources
Newspaper Support Center

Single-Copy Promotions Guidebook—Canadian Newspapers

Sale of Single Issues with Announcements

A publication may choose to sell copies of the newspaper with the sale of its announcements such as an obituary, wedding, engagement, anniversary, or birth announcement. On the day the announcement is published, the purchaser is provided with a single or multiple copies of that day’s newspaper.

If a third party purchases the copies for the recipient (such as a funeral home, bridal shop, hospital, etc.), those programs would be governed by the guidelines for third-party sales.

Qualification

In circumstances where newspapers are offered in conjunction with the sale of an announcement, the following is required:

  • The decision to purchase the copies of the newspaper must be separate and distinct from the purchase of the announcement.
  • The consumer must take affirmative action (opt-in) to order the newspapers.
  • An incremental cost for the copies must be charged to the consumer above the cost of the announcement.
  • The promotional material, invoice or receipt must itemize the charge for the newspaper copies separate from the cost of the announcement.

In other words, the newspaper copies may not be automatically included with the purchase of the announcement. The announcement must be available for sale without the inclusion of the newspapers. The cost of the announcement on its own must be less than the cost with the newspapers by a qualifying price for the newspapers.

See ABC’s Policy on Sales with Other Services.

Pricing

A qualifying price for copies sold with an announcement is a minimum of one cent per copy.

Promotional Material

All promotional material must:

  • Offer the consumer the choice to purchase newspapers.
  • State the selling price for the newspaper.
  • Reflect a qualifying price.
  • Exclude any reference to the copies as being free, no additional cost, bonus, or other synonymous language.

Examples—Sale of Single Issues with Announcements

Reporting

Circulation generated from single issues sold with announcements is classified as single copy on the ABC Publisher's Statement.

Canadian Publisher's Statements delineate between circulation sold at 50 percent or more of basic prices and circulation sold at less than 50 percent of basic prices.

The price classification for single issues sold with announcements is based on the price offered to the consumer, per copy.

  • If the price offered for the newspaper is 50 percent or more of basic prices, the circulation is included in Paragraph 1A.

  • If the price offered for the newspaper is less than 50 percent of basic prices, the circulation is included in Paragraph 1B, with further disclosure in Paragraph 1G.

In Paragraph 2, the circulation is classified in the proper reporting zone based on where the copies were purchased by the consumer.



<< Return to main Single-Copy Promotions Page