I Cancelled My Fort Worth Star-Telegram Subscription

For decades virtually every morning my routine has been to lay on the floor and read a morning newspaper while drinking coffee. When I lived in Washington it was the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. In Texas it's been the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, except for a short bout with the Dallas Morning News, which was unable to reliably deliver the Dallas paper. So, I went back to the Star-Telegram, even though I preferred the superior Dallas paper.

It will be strange tomorrow morning to not open the front door to look for a paper. But, change is good.

My final straw with the Star-Telegram came when I got the bill for November. On the bill the carrier had highlighted via asterisks, "Remember, Star-Telegram distributors are independent contractors in business for themselves and have paid for the newspapers delivered to you." And, "If your subscription is paid, please disregard this statement. Thank you."

Well. The implication is that I'd been late paying for the paper. One thing I'm never late paying for is the paper. I well remember what a pain it was to collect when I was a paper boy.

In addition to highlighting the 2 items I already mentioned, the carrier billed me, ahead, for December, making the total bill $35.00.

Now, I think I know the reason the carrier may think I don't pay on time. The check is made out to the Star-Telegram and mailed to the Star-Telegram. Not the carrier.

Each month the check written to the Star-Telegram does not clear my bank account til about the middle of the month. I'm guessing that the carrier is paid after that. Why the Star-Telegram sits on the check for so long, I've no idea.

I also think the carrier may be strapped for Christmas money. Last January on the second day of the New Year, she called me, saying she was "clearing her year end books", whatever that means, and she wanted to know if I'd sent in my payment for December. Yes, I told her, it was mailed 4 days ago. I found that phone call so annoying I almost cancelled then.

On Friday I emailed Customer Service at the Star-Telegram, basically telling them the same thing I've said above and telling them I'm cancelling my subscription. I included the scanned image of the bill that was my final Star-Telegram straw. That's the bill below. I did not hear back from the Star-Telegram. This morning it was no huge surprise to find a newspaper outside my door. So, I just now called up and cancelled, again. I didn't get the satisfaction of explaining why I cancelled, because the Customer Service person didn't ask and didn't much seem to care that they'd lost a long time subscriber.