In addition to setting up a local opt-out registry, distributors in Seattle will need to pay a license fee and fees for each book and each ton of books delivered. Two Yellow Pages publishers, Dex Media West, SuperMedia LLC and the Yellow Pages Association sued Seattle in federal court to overturn a law passed by the City Council last year that lets residents opt out of receiving paper phone books. The lawsuit, filed earlier this month claims the new law will hurt San Francisco's "poorest, oldest and least English-proficient" residents. The Yellow Pages Association is suing the City of San Francisco who approved last month an opt-in system, where Yellow Pages can be delivered only to those who request them. Not eager for a change might be an understatement. So you can understand why the Yellow Pages publishers are not eager to change their model from opt-out to opt-in. Unlike White Pages, Yellow Pages phonebooks are a profitable business and publishers’ profits depend on larger circulation numbers because they allow the publishers to charge higher prices to advertisers. If you’re wondering if this is also the case in the discussions on the elimination of the White Pages’ “cousin”, Yellow Pages, then the answer is no. Everyone wins here – the state, the phone company and the consumers. The fact that in California, as well as in other states that considered similar requests of Verizon and AT&T, there was no real fight about this change is no surprise. On the national level, estimates that 5 million trees are cut down yearly to print the White Pages. Tim McCallion of Verizon mentioned in their announcement that “moving from automatic to on-request delivery of white pages listings is expected to save an estimated 1,870 tons of material from California's waste stream.” According to Campaign for Recycling, this step will also reduce 7,293 tons of CO2 from the environment. Basically it was a lose-lose situation where Verizon probably lost money on printing and delivering these phonebooks (no ads.), most consumers saw it as a service that they don’t need or even as a nuisance and of course let’s not forget the waste. The opt-in system Verizon will be offering in California not only makes sense, but also shows how unsuitable the opt-out system we had so far was. It’s no wonder than that according to a report of the Iowa Policy Research Organization (IPRO), AT&T estimates that in places where they have been allowed to implement opt-in distribution, only 2 percent of the customers have asked for a printed copy. In the age of the Internet and smartphones most people just have better alternatives for searching residential landline phone numbers. I guess in its heyday White Pages was an important service, which explains why 35 states require that phonebooks will be delivered every year to their residents at no charge, but these days are over. Makes sense, right? This is an obsolete product that almost no one uses anymore, generating mostly waste, costs and environmental impacts. People who don't use the residential white pages listings will not get a Verizon directory they don't necessarily want, and those who do use the listings will be able to get them easily online or by asking for a print or CD-ROM version.” "The PUC's decision to allow Verizon to end the automatic delivery of residential white pages listings is good news for California consumers and the environment. Tim McCallion, president of Verizon's West region explained why Verizon was happy about this decision: Customers will also be able to request a free printed or CD-ROM directory of residential listings. Instead, the company will provide customers with an online, electronic version of white pages residential listings. Verizon reported earlier this week that the California Public Utilities Commission has granted Verizon’s request to end the automatic delivery of printed Verizon residential white pages listings to customers in the state. If you haven’t guessed yet, we’re talking about the White Pages. This is still a celebration because we’re talking about a book that is redundant and wasteful, and yet about 6 million Californians receive a new copy of it every year without being asked if they want or need it. This book club doesn’t celebrate the release of new books, but actually promotes the disappearance of one. Last Thursday California joined a unique book club, which already includes 16 other states.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |