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An Open Letter to The Akron Beacon Journal (ABJ)
I am writing an open letter because nothing has changed after four phone calls over the last six months.
The ABJ thinks they are doing me a favor by dropping off unsolicited newspapers in my driveway, street, sidewalk (and wherever the paper lands). It is wrapped in bright oranges plastic and you can see it up and down the street (after the snow melts); sometimes for weeks on end.
Because it is rainy or snowy, many times the paper is not readable. I am of the firm opinion they are littering and they should be fined for each newspaper that sits on the street. We have a do not call list, a do not fax list, why not a no ABJ newspaper list?
Because it is not at my door or in my paper box, I do not know it is there until I am either leaving or coming back from an appointment. Sometimes, when it snows, I may not know it is there until the snow melts enough for the orange plastic to be seen.
These "drops" as they are called have been sponsored by the Cleveland Zoo and the Cleveland Art Museum. Do they actually think I would visit these otherwise fine organization under these circumstances? In case I am not clear the answer is a respounding NO!
I called them (ABJ) and told them if this is the service I get and I am not a customer, what will happen when I am a customer. Will I be ignored even more (like that is possible).
It is not uncommon to see these orange plastic bags in the street for days (and sometimes weeks) on end. People are not going to walk out in the cold and wet weather to pick them up. I usually stop the car and reach out to get the paper on my way in or out of the driveway. The paper is usually wet and I do not want it in my car but I like it less on the street.
If anyone has any contacts at the ABJ, please let them know that this West Akron resident does not want a paper that is not accessible, wet, timely or otherwise inconvenient to read. Nor do I like to see my neighborhood street lined with this orange plastic litter.
What really makes this so ironic is that I like the paper; but the service sucks (hear that SUCKS) so much I will not order it. I want to order the paper but I won’t. Any company that will not listen to me when I am not a customer will probably not listen to me if I become a customer. How is that for order prevention at its best?
If anyone has a meaningful contact at the ABJ and they can stop this littering, please have them call me at 330-990-0788. I really do want off their list.
Sincerely,
Ron Finklestein
Update on this post. Two days after writing this I received a call from ABJ and they tell me this practice will stop - at least at my address. Stay tuned and if anything changes I will let you know.
