Bloomberg Businessweek signs alternative delivery deal with newspaper company Gannett

Faced with the possible (or likely) end of Saturday delivery by the USPS, usually used by weekly magazines in the U.S., Bloomberg Businessweek has struck a partnership with newspaper chain Gannett for alternate delivery to an additional 100,000 subscribers in 15 markets. 

According to Audience Development, the Gannett deal is an extension of something BBW was already doing, starting in 2010; some 350,000 subscribers in 21 markets now get their magazines delivered to them with the newspaper. By the end of this year the alternative model will be in use in 18 of the magazine's top 20 markets.

The alternative delivery doesn't save the magazine money, neither does it significantly change the production and delivery schedule, nor does it cost more than the post office. President Paul Bascobert said that wasn't the goal.

“We wanted to improve the service, its critical they [readers] get the news as soon as possible, especially in light of the possible USPS Saturday shutdown” he tells AD.

Many publishers, including a consortion of magazines in Canada, have looked closely at alternative or "expedited" delivery, using already existing networks of newspaper delivery contractors. One of the benefits is the ability to polybag the magazine and make money by carrying inserts.

“With expedited morning delivery we significantly shorten the time from the printing press to the doorstep” says Bascobert. When asked if other publishers should get on board with expedited morning delivery he emphatically says, “I don’t know why other publishers haven’t done this already. To me, it seems like a fairly natural thing to think through.”

Related posts:

• Bloomberg Business Week plunges ahead with alternative delivery 
• Bad news for U.S. periodicals: USPS business model said to be "not viable"
• Rogers mags to test alternative delivery