Newspaper delivery blues
Newspaper readers -- God bless them! -- are a talkative, opinionated bunch. I've been reminded of this recently after our designers decided to list all of the reporters' phone numbers on A2 in addition to the usual placement at the end of each article. This has led to some interesting callers, mostly from people who see "Wendy Leung, Rancho Cucamonga" and think I'm the person to call because they have a complaint and they live in Rancho Cucamonga. I always feel like I've let them down when I tell them I just cover Rancho Cucamonga and I have no idea why their paper wasn't delivered last Sunday to their Rancho Cucamonga home.
Readers like to tell me their delivery woes in person too. And although I'm happy to listen, I'm afraid that's all I can do. I have no clout in the circulation department. I met Franz Wagenbach, a smoker of 63 years, at the senior center last week and I wanted to interview him about his views on the proposed smoking regulations. He had other plans however.
"Sometimes, when it rains you don't put it in a bag," Wagenbach said. "Then I have to put it in the microwave."
"You put your paper in the microwave?"
"Sometimes I have to put it in the oven."
For the record: If you want to tell circulation you're sick and tired of putting your paper in the oven, call (909) 987-9900. If you want to tell the Rancho Cucamonga reporter what you really think of her coverage, call (909) 483-9376.
Readers like to tell me their delivery woes in person too. And although I'm happy to listen, I'm afraid that's all I can do. I have no clout in the circulation department. I met Franz Wagenbach, a smoker of 63 years, at the senior center last week and I wanted to interview him about his views on the proposed smoking regulations. He had other plans however.
"Sometimes, when it rains you don't put it in a bag," Wagenbach said. "Then I have to put it in the microwave."
"You put your paper in the microwave?"
"Sometimes I have to put it in the oven."
For the record: If you want to tell circulation you're sick and tired of putting your paper in the oven, call (909) 987-9900. If you want to tell the Rancho Cucamonga reporter what you really think of her coverage, call (909) 483-9376.
Sounded like the “designers” should have another look at the paper. Good design—information design, in this case—is more than just pretty to look at; it solves problems and allows people to use the information with effectiveness and efficiency.
The IEDB did a good expose on its use of independent contractors for delivery a few years ago. Given their fines for complaints, they may or may not make minimum wage, and of course get no benefits.