This blue travel magazine won't be found
in newsstands or in stores, but come
this Sunday, some people will find it in
their Sunday Times Herald.
The reason only some subscribers will get
it is because of economics
out of the newspapers.
But other subscribers themselves,
Travel Illustrated, will only go to
Dallas area, communities where households
supposedly unknown have money to take
advantage of the magazine's travel
information.
For a long time, newspaper advertisers
have selected their target markets.
But this is the first time a magazine
will be targeted.
South Dallas, half of Oak Cliff and Grand
Prairie will not get the magazine.
The Times Herald says if the distribution
smacks of elitism, it's not the
newspaper's fault.
We have no control over this new gimmick
or new magazine.
We are. We are the vehicle with which
it's distributed.
If if the United States Postal
Service was told to deliver this to one
out of every three households in North
Dallas, they would have no control over
that and go out and do it.
So, I mean, that's fair, isn't it?
Travel Illustrated is a glossy
publication slicker and what is
usually found on Sunday for free.
It offers everything from sports to wines
that demographic information for its
distribution was supplied by the Times
Herald. And the paper says if enough
people complained about the way is being
set out, it will pass the information
along.
So if your Sunday edition of this
particular newspaper comes this weekend
and this little insert isn't in it, you
know, somebody decided you didn't need
it.
Noah Nelson, Channel 5 Action News, Dallas.