Sheridan Magazine Services: News Releases

Proposed Rule Changes from USPS

February 2008 — Designed to ease the implementation of its Flat Sequencing System (FSS), the proposed rule change from the U.S. Postal Service would restrict the placement of mailing labels on all flat mail pieces and require larger fonts, more-generous line spacing and the inclusion of a new 11-digit Postnet barcode or Intelligent Mail Barcode, rather than the current 9-digit barcode.

The address-placement requirement is of particular interest to magazine publishers, since it may affect cover design. Under these new rules, which could take effect as early as August of this year, the address block must appear in the "top" third of the cover when the spine is held in the right hand. This would be the bottom third of the front cover, or the top third of the back cover.

If the address is parallel to the top (or short) edge, the entire address block must appear within 3 inches of the "top" of the mailpiece. If perpendicular to the top edge, one edge of the address block must be within 2.5 inches of the "top" of the piece.

Both Dartmouth Printing Company and United Litho, Inc., are presently running tests to determine how best to accommodate the appearance-related requirements for the mail data itself. But Hugh Tolson, ULI's Mail Services manager, cautions that the options are limited. "Currently, we use a condensed font and pack the lines together pretty tightly. If we need to use 8-point Arial with the line spacing called for in the proposed regulations, we may have to increase the size of the label."

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