Newsstand and subscriptions: Bringing a silver lining to a tough decision | Guest Column

By Cyrus Gubelman
Posted 1/15/25

As someone on the business side of running The Leader, it’s never occurred to me to write a column. Our recent decision to raise the price of the newspaper has given me …

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Newsstand and subscriptions: Bringing a silver lining to a tough decision | Guest Column

Posted

As someone on the business side of running The Leader, it’s never occurred to me to write a column. Our recent decision to raise the price of the newspaper has given me reason to explain our decision.

Raising our rates isn’t a decision we take lightly. We’ve kept newsstand prices the same for years, through the pandemic and through strong inflationary conditions while the cost of almost everything else has risen. We’re a local, family-run newspaper investing in the community, unlike our competitors, who tend to be big venture capital players running dozens of newspapers from far away. With The Leader, the money spent here, stays here.  

This community has been good to us, as well. Circulation is up more than 10%  year over year.

With the pandemic and the fallout from it, we have seen many community publications wiped out on a mass scale across the country. For The Leader to not only survive, but thrive, is in great part due to the support of our community. 

We have invested a lot in our people to regain our footing after the downturn. Meanwhile, the cost of production, distribution, and personnel has continued to rise. Printing a newspaper requires paper, ink, presses, delivery and logistics all of which have increased. Paper prices alone have risen sharply due to global supply chain disruptions and increased demand. We use recycled paper and remain committed to it. Paper is biodegradable in a world increasingly filled with things that don’t break down.

We understand this price adjustment may be challenging for some of our readers. There is good news. Subscription rates are $99 a year. That’s equivalent to $1.90 a week, a savings of more than 30% at the newsstand. However, If you prefer to buy on the newsstand, know that you’re supporting the reporters who keep you informed about your community. If you buy The Leader in a store, know that you’re also helping to support merchants. 

The Leader has been here since 1889. Our commitment to the community today — from Publisher Lloyd Mullen to the folks in the front office, and from myself and Kachele Yelaca in the sales and marketing department to everyone in the newsroom — is as strong as it has ever been. We appreciate your continued support.

If you have any questions, feel free to call the front office or email subscriptions@ptleader.com. 

Cyrus Gubelman is in charge of sales and marketing for The Leader.