National Newspaper Association Foundation

Promoting news literacy, protecting the First Amendment
and enhancing the capabilities of community newspapers

Editor's Note: Reminder about annual Statement of Ownership

Sep 1, 2023

Reminder! All publishers of Periodicals publications, including Foreign publications, must file a Form 3526 Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation by October 1st each year at the original entry post office. Since Oct. 1 is a Sunday this year, file by Friday, Sept. 29.

To expedite the process, you may submit the PS 3526 online using the Business Customer Gateway. Simply log into your Business Customer Gateway at https://bit.ly/3snIEUA. From the Welcome page, go to Mailing Services>Postal Wizard>Complete a Customer Service Form>Online Form 3526.

The PS3526 form can be downloaded from https://bit.ly/3qJ4Ecj

Please have your 3526 uploaded or the completed hardcopy returned to this post office on or before Oct. 1.

For questions, please contact your office of entry.

–Managing Editor Kate Decker (kate@nna.org)

Comments:

NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION CALLS PROPOSED NEW POSTAL RATES 'PUNITIVE'

The proposed Jan. 21, 2024, postage increase for community newspapers is nearly four times the rate increase proposed for other users of the mail. In an announcement last Friday, the United States Postal Service announced it expected a 7.3% increase for the local Within County mailing rate for newspapers.

Within County newspaper mail to nonsubscribers now allowable up to 50% of Within County circulation

Newspapers that previously were limited to sending up to 10% of their Within County circulation to non-subscribers without commingling are now officially allowed up to 50% non-subscriber copies. The USPS Postal Service today published its new rule, as was required by the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022.

The new law went into effect April 6, but USPS is putting it into effect as of May 27, 2022.

Electronic paid/requester subscriptions can count as valuable add-ons in certain circumstances

The ability to count electronic subscriptions on the annual postal Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation, PS Form 3526, has been established since 2012. I have not revisited the subject since then, when a third page was added to the form to make counting possible.

Newspapers selling e-subs, as commonly abbreviated, wanted to be able to count them on their sworn statement as legitimate proof to advertisers of the additional circulation. NNA worked for three years through various channels to make it happen.