The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel explains that it’s discontinuing the practice because stepping onto porches and placing the paper behind the screen is just too dangerous, at least legally:
…A more critical reason for the new delivery policy is to insure distributor safety and to protect our subscribers from liability issues. Should an Independent News Distributor become injured while delivering on your property, you, as the homeowner are legally liable for damages. One of the major reasons Journal Sentinel is moving to doorstep delivery is to avoid this situation for both our customers and our distributors. …
Sincerely,
Sheila Davidson
[Vice President/Circulation]
(Romenesko, Apr. 23).
3 Comments
Well, I guess I was 63 years ahead of the times.
I tip my hat to Mr. Wallis.
Having spent four years of my youth hand delivering newspapers to my customers’ doorsteps in an upper Midwest state, it is disappointing to learn that a Milwaukee paper nows seeks to dissuade its paper carriers from putting their customers’ newspaper behind the door, so to speak. With that kind of customer service, I used to earn some nice tips on top of the ordinary monthly collection for the basic subscription cost.
On but one occasion in four years did I ever have a problem with putting the paper behind a customer’s storm door. That was an unusually blustery day, on which the wind yanked the door from my hand and shattered it. My customers were very understanding, however, and did not ask me (14 or 15 years of age at the time) to pay for the broken door, even though I offered.
Alas, a forgotten age.
If you read the other paragraph of the memo, it’s apparent that this is a corporate cost-cutting measure, shaving a few seconds here and there in the name of efficiency (i.e., it’s about the money). The liability nonsense is just there to try to keep homeowners from complaining about the cutback in service.