In 2019, you’d think breaking up with your local newspaper would be easy. With so much customer service technology, one would expect that ending a subscription would be straightforward. But on June 01, I discovered firsthand that the real trouble lies in the disconnect between newspapers and their subscribers.

My subscription was set to expire in seven days, so I visited the newspaper’s website to cancel before the next payment was due. After exploring every link for up to half an hour, I found no straightforward way to end my subscription.

It was actually easier to buy and cancel a plane ticket than to cancel my newspaper subscription. Still, determined to avoid unwanted news, I pressed on.

On Saturday, I called customer service, but the office was closed; the recording directed me to try again online. I emailed all my account details to request a cancellation. On Sunday, I received a reply (see below) stating that I needed to call and speak with someone to cancel the service.

Good Morning (Mr.) Hopkins,

Thank you for contacting the Atlanta Journal-Constitution regarding your newspaper delivery subscription.

Thank you for your email. It appears that you are requesting a permanent stop of service.  To process this request and prevent further payments, please contact our customer support center at 404-XXX-XXX or 800-XXX-XXXX.

**Please note that any automatic deductions will continue until you contact us via phone to process the stop. **

As a reminder, you can always access our excellent all-digital service at no additional cost by visiting myajcdotcom.

With this service, you can enjoy an exact replica of the newspaper in the comfort of your own home, using your computer, tablet, or phone. Just let us know when you would like to subscribe, and we can set you up right away.

Thank you for subscribing to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Have a wonderful day!

customer care at ajc dot com

“Is it the content?”
“Is it the price?”
“Is it access?”

Anthony was more interested in the product. Those questions are based on Marketing’s 4 P’s – Price, Place, Product, and Promotion. And even though there were some upgrades to packaging and delivery, the product hadn’t changed.

Anthony worked in Subscriber Relations, though it felt like Product Relations might be more accurate—he couldn’t make the product prettier, cheaper, or useful to me all the time.

While he recognized me as a long-time subscriber, I could get news anywhere. The core issue wasn’t the product, but our deteriorating relationship.

THINK IT THROUGH

• Why do we buy newspapers?
• What do we want?
• How do we want it?
• When do we want it?
• Where do we want it?

We aim to create a newspaper that shares information about our neighbors, local businesses, and the community, as well as the latest developments in the area. We want to know when the local government infringes on our inalienable rights. When we ask, we want answers. However, we also want our news to be truthful, unbiased, and reported by reputable journalists. In the Information Age, where social media reigns supreme, some of us also want to participate in the news-gathering and dissemination process.

Traditional newspaper publishing focuses on the product, not the reader. Hiring engagement editors is a tactic to attract new prospects, but it doesn’t address the core issue: publishers are still disconnected from what loyal customers actually want, and this is why readers are leaving.

In the newspaper business model, the only control consumers have is whether to accept or reject the product, aside from possibly sharing articles with others. However, with more publications going behind a paywall, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for consumers to share unique articles. The ‘relationship’ has soured, making the newspaper industry ripe for disruption.

Newspaper-style platforms, such as Patch.com and Tapinto.net, are gaining popularity online. These hyperlocal news aggregators feature stories from career and citizen journalists, as well as bloggers. They spark conversations and become digital local public squares. Here, the new town criers answer questions like, “Why was Highway 5 backed up?” Solutions remain as references. While some sites claim editors in top areas, reputation now grows through likes and comments.

Hyperlocal news sites, such as the Patch in Douglasville, make space on their platform so the conversation can begin at any time.

According to Anthony, AJC depends on subscribers like me to keep reporting news. While national sales decline, publishers can stem the loss by building genuine connections—instead of having subscriber reps just sell, they could actually foster relationships.

They could, but AJC hasn’t. If newspapers want to retain and regain loyal readers, they must reshape their approach by building genuine subscriber relationships, streamlining subscription management, and putting the customer at the center of their strategies. Industry leaders, take note—now is the time for real change.

I received a bank alert that AJC charged my credit card for the next quarter. I called again on the 4th. Subscriber Relations representative Donald was very polite and professional in informing me that he requested a refund.

On June 6, 2019, I called my bank to dispute the charge, and my account was credited that day. The newspaper refunded my fee 10 days after charging my card. If Anthony asked why I left, I’d say my bank is more responsive than the newspaper.

#cybermonday