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Post-Standard "bonus" Edition Not Free

Deceitful language raises question of trust.

November 17, 2014

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I was quite shocked to read this little notice in Sunday's (Nov 16) Post-Standard. It creates the illusion that subscribers will receive some sort of bonus edition (as "thank you for being a loyal Post-Standard subscriber"). It's apparently primarily advertising ("packed with hundreds of dollars in discounts and money saving deals"). The edition is included in your subscription, but it's not ("the charge will be an additional $0.75"). To reconcile this contradiction, they say you won't be charged extra, but your subscription will expire a little earlier.

My goodness, it takes a concerted effort by a professional to conceive such misleading and deceitful language. What silly nickel and diming by the Post-Standard. Silly, absurd, and shameful.

This is not about a quibble with the local newspaper; it's about the most important media outlet in the region demonstrating its lack of scruples. The quality of our local media is integral and central to political decision-making in our city. This superficially trivial transgression by the Post-Standard can serve to remind residents to be skeptical of our local media.

Carlo Moneti
Syracuse, NY