Print subscriptions for the Alliance Times-Herald are set to increase on July 1, 2023, marking the first increase in cost of print subscriptions in the past four years.
As postage and printing costs have risen throughout the past four years, staff at the Alliance Times-Herald has worked diligently to keep costs low for print subscribers.
“The cost of goods and services throughout the United States has risen fairly dramatically over the past four years,” said Shaun Friedrichsen, Alliance Times-Herald Co-Publisher. “We have worked to keep our print subscriptions at a low cost, not raising subscription costs by one single cent since 2019. This increase will realign our subscription rates with the costs we incur to deliver the Alliance Times-Herald every week while still maintaining a discounted price for subscribers. It will still be cheaper to buy a subscription than purchasing a paper every week from our racks and store locations.”
The National Newspaper Association noted that postage costs alone have risen about 35 percent since January 2021. The change in subscription price for the Alliance Times-Herald will not affect the online subscription rate, which is $25 a year for non-print subscribers or $5 a year for current print subscribers.
The pricing change will also shift from an in-county rate and out-of-county rate to an in-Panhandle and out-of-Panhandle rate, offering those who live just outside of Box Butte County a chance to subscribe for a reduced rate.
“I’ve gotten many questions from our subscribers over the years who live within a few miles of the Box Butte County border about why there is a difference in cost between in-county and out-of-county delivery,” Friedrichsen said. “While it does cost more in postage to deliver outside of Box Butte County, we hope that this new shift to an in-Panhandle and out-of-Panhandle rate will help to offer the Panhandle’s citizens a chance to subscribe at a reduced rate.”
The in-Panhandle rate will be offered to citizens of the following counties: Arthur, Banner, Box Butte, Cheyenne, Dawes, Deuel, Garden, Grant, Keith, Kimball, Morrill, Scotts Bluff, Sheridan and Sioux Counties.
The rates that will go into effect on July 1, 2023 are as follows:
In-Panhandle:
Three months: $15.00
Six months: $26.00
One year: $45.00
Out-of-Panhandle:
Three months: $17.00
Six months: $29.00
One Year: $51.00