Newsletter Archive - Environment
Defeating Unnecessary Legislation
06/14/2010 -
In this article we are running the entire press release from the Yellow Pages Association (YPA) which fully describes why this legislation made no sense and would have done little to appease the few people who want you to believe that the delivery of a print directory is an egregious affront on their lives and the environment.
Everyone in the industry should be aware of the key points that YPA has beautifully laid out in this release. This industry MUST continue to work together to defeat such legislation and educate the public (and legislators) on the efforts the industry already has underway to be eco-oriented:
The Yellow Pages Association (YPA) today applauds the California State Senate’s overwhelming defeat of SB 920, which would have added layers of government regulation on companies that help small businesses market themselves, employ thousands of Californians and contribute millions in state taxes.
Business directory publishers, which range from large telecommunications companies to niche-oriented neighborhood publishers, offer small businesses an affordable and effective vehicle to market themselves to consumers who are ready to buy a product or service.
The State Senate smartly defeated SB 920 by a vote of 18 against and 12 for at a time when California is coping with one of the largest budget deficits in state history and thousands of small businesses are struggling.
“The defeat of this legislation is welcome news to local businesses that rely on directory advertising to get customers in the door during this difficult economy,” said Neg Norton, YPA president. “We’re pleased that California officials made the right decision by rejecting unnecessary government regulation on companies that help small businesses market themselves and risk thousands of jobs and millions in state taxes from directory publishers.”
About three of every four California adults (71 percent) used the print Yellow Pages at least once in the past year for local information, according to research released in March 2010 by Burke Inc., an independent marketing research firm.
Directory publishers remain committed to offering California residents a choice in which directories they receive at their doorsteps. The industry’s website, www.yellowpagesoptout.com, provides a central and convenient resource for residents who would like to limit or stop delivery to their home.
Concerns from directory publishers and telecommunications providers across California about the now-defeated legislation included:
- Government Regulation is Unnecessary: Directory publishers have made significant progress in launching consumer choice programs that let California residents stop or limit the number of print directories they receive.
- Impact Could Be Harmful to Fragile Economy: Yellow Pages publishers employ thousands of Californians and contribute significant tax revenue to the state budget. Any legislation that puts jobs and taxes in jeopardy is bad for Californians, especially when the legislation is unnecessary.
- Anticompetitive Measures are Bad for Small Businesses: This legislation could have increased the cost of advertising for small businesses. Directory publishers believe it is anticompetitive and unfair to single out directory advertising among other forms of advertising. Phone book regulation puts the directory industry – and its advertisers – at a disadvantage against other local media providers.
- Lower Circulation Will Not Lower Ad Rates: The bill’s sponsor made misleading statements that decreased costs from lower circulation could be passed on to advertisers despite knowing that this legislation is not likely to generate cost savings for either the publishers or the advertisers. Most publishers base ad rates on directory-usage data and local market factors, not total circulation.
- Needs of Rural and Suburban Residents are Overlooked: The Senate bill’s sponsor is from San Francisco, which includes a digitally savvy population that may first turn to online or mobile directories. As research shows, this is not representative of today’s fragmented local media market. Studies demonstrate that actual usage of print directories across many demographics is quite high, especially among rural and suburban dwellers and older consumers who have a high disposable income. Print directory usage is also high for consumers experiencing life events and certain emergency situations.
“It continues to be an urban legend in many major metropolitan areas that consumers no longer use phone books,” Norton said. “In reality, 70 percent of Californians used print directories last year.”
Local Publishers Speak Out
Many small and independent publishers in California strongly opposed SB 920. Some publish directories oriented to Hispanic, Chinese, gay and lesbian (LGBT) and other specialized communities. Others focus only on specific neighborhoods.
“This legislation would be detrimental to my small business, and our community as a whole,” said Tom Adler, president and owner of The Essential Gay and Lesbian (Directory) Yellow Pages. “We are helping LGBT-owned and LGBT-friendly operated businesses find customers in this very challenging economy. We are also helping our community find the gay-owned and gay-friendly business that are looking for where they can feel safe and comfortable giving their dollars to businesses that support gay rights. None of us can understand why our elected Senators would pass laws that make it more difficult for small mom-and-pop businesses to survive, especially during these economic times.”
“We don’t believe it makes sense to deliver a directory to someone who doesn’t want one,” said Sieg Fischer, publisher of the Valley Yellow Pages. “We’ve made so much progress with our consumer choice program that now I’m concerned a government-run program will not only slow us down through regulation, but also confuse consumers in the process. The motivation behind this bill is everything but genuine concern for the environment or concern for small businesses. Mr. Yee is clearly preparing to run for mayor of San Francisco and perceives a need to polish his environmental-image credentials.”
Sustainability Programs Make Directory Publishing More Environmentally Friendly
Directory publishers have made significant investments in sustainable production practices since launching industrywide Environmental Guidelines in 2007. Successes include:
- Launch of consumer choice programs (www.yellowpagesoptout.com) to give consumers a choice to reduce or stop directory delivery.
- Use of paper that contains recycled content and fiber derived from lumber byproducts (woodchips) – making it unnecessary to use new trees to produce Yellow Pages.
- A 29 percent reduction in the use of directory paper since 2006, as a result of programs to reduce the size of directories.
- Use of more efficient pagination systems.
- Implementation of soy-based inks and non-toxic dyes that pose little threat to soil or groundwater supplies and adhesives in the binding process that are eco-friendly and non-toxic.
- Support of recycling and up-cycling programs that ensure directories have a life after use.
About The Yellow Pages Association
The Yellow Pages Association (YPA) (http://www.ypassociation.org and http://www.insideyp.org) is the largest trade organization of a print and digital media industry valued at more than $30 billion worldwide ($12 billion in the U.S.). Association members include Yellow Pages publishers, certified marketing representatives (CMRs), and associate members (a group of industry stakeholders that include Yellow Pages advertisers, vendors, and suppliers).