News media paid promotional programs
Applicable Rules: C 1.1/C 101.1 Paid Circulation, C 1.3/C 101.3 Combination Sales, and C 5.3/C 105.3 Single Issue Sales of Back Copies
When multiple subscriptions/single-copy sales to the same newspaper are sold together, all subscriptions are eligible as paid individual subscriptions/single-copy sales if the following requirements are met:
- Promotional materials state the subscription term, frequency and quantity of subscriptions.
- For single-copy sales, all issues are current (no back copies).
- The purchase price is at least one cent, net of considerations, per individual subscription/single-copy sale.
- The consumer is presented with the option to purchase only a single subscription/single copy.
- The price of the single subscription/single copy is lower than the bundled price by at least one cent (per subscription/single copy removed from the sale).
- None of the individual subscriptions/single copies are stated or implied as free, no additional cost, complimentary or other synonymous language.
Notes:
- Copies presented or implied as free are only eligible as qualified distribution.
- Back copies are not eligible for inclusion as paid circulation. An issue of a newspaper becomes a back copy when the following corresponding day’s newspaper becomes available for sale (i.e., Monday issue stays current until the following Monday’s newspaper is available for sale, a Tuesday issue stays current until the following Tuesday’s newspaper is available for sale, etc.).
Example: Multi-Copy Subscription Example
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No more sharing! |
Example: Multi-Copy Single-Copy Sale Example
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DOUBLE-DEAL SUNDAYS! Double the coupons and double the comics. Why share when you can get a copy for each of you! Get 2 copies of today's Sunday Illinois Today for only $1.25! * *A single issue of the newspaper is available for $1.00. |