Don’t forget annual postal report due by Oct. 1

TPA members are reminded PS Form 3526, Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation, must be filed by Oct. 1 with the post office where newspapers are mailed. In addition, the statement must be published during the month of October.

The filing and publication of this form is a requirement for maintaining periodicals mailing privileges. Dailies must publish a completed copy of this form in their newspaper by Oct. 10, and non-dailies by Oct. 31.   The ability to claim electronic subscribers is incorporated into the form.

A copy of the form is available for download on the TPA website, click here.

PS Form 3526 is a three-page form with a fourth page of instructions. Page one includes information on ownership and management. The figures on Page two relate only to print copies. Page three is for claiming paid electronic copies. Claiming electronic paid subscribers is voluntary. If you choose to not claim electronic copies, page three has a box to certify that at least 50 percent of all distributed copies are paid for above a nominal price, and a signature section.

There are specific requirements as to what defines a paid electronic subscriber. A print subscriber that is given free access to the newspaper’s electronic version is not a paid electronic subscriber. A paid electronic subscriber must pay a separate subscription rate that you have established for electronic subscribers. You are allowed to offer discounts to this rate but there are limitations. Additionally, reporting less than 60 percent total paid subscribers on your Statement of Ownership could trigger a USPS circulation audit to verify your Periodicals eligibility. Also, at least 40 percent of your paid circulation must consist of printed copies. For newspapers filing postal reports electronically through Postal One, USPS form 3526 may be filled out and filed online on that site. Instructions are located on the site.

Be sure to keep or print a copy for publication during the month of October.