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Ask an Expert Questions and Answers Postal issues

Do we need to do anything at the post office if we’re not going to publish one week?

“We are toying with the idea of shutting down the entire first week of July and not running a paper. A lot of groups (us included) do this on the last week of the year but this would be the first time we have done it twice. The idea is to give our people two full weeks of vacation per year. Does anyone know if we have to do anything special at the post office to make this happen?”
Austin Lewter
Managing editor

Yes, it can be done. However, since it changes the stated frequency with USPS, the newspaper must file a Form 3510 (available at http://pe.usps.gov) under Postage Statements in left toolbar, and then “Periodicals Forms.” The current fee is $65 for “Re-entry” on this multi-purpose form in Part B, Sections a and b. The frequency would be listed as 52 weeks currently and 50 weeks going forward, and the ID statement run in the newspaper should be revised to state something like, “Published weekly except the first week of July and and the last week of the year.”
Max Heath
Postal consultant
Shelbyville, Ky.

By Max Heath

Max Heath is a semi-retired postal consultant for Publishing Group of America (American Profile/Relish/Spry), and for Landmark Community Newspapers, Inc. of Shelbyville, Ky., a division of Landmark Communications. For 21 years he was executive editor and for 23 years corporate circulation director as well. Max received the NNA President's Award in 1989 and 1997, Ambassador Award in 1992, and coveted Amos Award for service to NNA in 1994, and President’s Award in 2007.