Sunday, December 28, 2008

MJS Raises Rates, Lowers Service

On the front page of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, there is a small blurb at the bottom of the front page. The blurb is from Sheila Davidson, Vice President of Operations. It reads:
Dear Readers:

For the past 10 years, we have been able to hold steady the cost of daily and Sunday Journal Sentinel editions sold at retail outlets and vending machines. However, rapidly escalating costs - primarily of newsprint - requires us now to raise our prices by a modest 25 cents.

Beginning next Sunday, the price of the Sunday Journal Sentinel sod at retail locations and vending machines will increase from $1.75 to $2. Beginning Monday, the cost of the daily Milwaukee Journal Sentinel sold at retail location and vending machines will go from 50 cents to 75 cents. The price change does not affect home delivery subscription rates.

We thank you for understanding, and your continued readership of the metro area's best resource for in-depth news and information.

Sincerely,
Sheila Davidson
VP Operations
So, after they lay off a great deal of their staff members, diminish the size of the paper, combining sections, and providing less news, they still are going to raise their rates. I would like them to tell us how much the newsprint went up, that would justify paying more for less product.

Anyone who buys papers outside of the metropolitan area knows that those costs are much, much higher. Up to a year ago, a weekday edition of the MJS cost a dollar. I stopped buying it when it went to a $1.25. Do they think I will be more willing to buy it now that it has gone up again?

And to make it all the more preposterous, I did not get a complete paper this morning. I've tried to call from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. I went to their website to try to address the issue this way, but guess what, I'm blocked. I've tried to work around it, and they said that they would give me a new password in an email, but that was 45 minutes ago, and no email.

As a paying customer, I expect that this issue be addressed, I get credited for the incomplete paper, and an apology.

4 comments:

  1. Milwaukee - first thought - ehhhhhhh, The Fonzie :)

    I'm a simple creature.

    My apologies!

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  2. I love it. But my dear, it's officially spelled "Aaaayyyyyy!", unless, of course, it's the Canadian version of Fonzie.

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  3. Oh, right, I was typing Canadianeeze :) Is that how you spell... oh, never mind ;-)

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  4. Boy, you must have really pissed them off for you to be blocked, especially being blocked for customer service.

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