Jackson Free Press

A Citizens' Guide to Fighting TDN

Sept. 5, 2006: The Clarion-Ledger's "exclusive" TDN contract with Jackson-area Conoco/Super Stops has ended. The company has opted to allow local publications to distribute in MIPA's new large red boxes in front of locations throughout the metro. The Clarion-Ledger says that it does not want to "co-exist" with MIPA publications and will remove their large green boxes from those locations.

Conoco/Super Stops gave notice to cancel its exclusive contract with TDN several weeks ago, but those locations were included in a full-page TDN ad in The Clarion-Ledger on Sunday as exclusive TDN locations, but as of today, they are off that list. Conoco/Super Stops are the latest in a growing list of local businesses that are opting out of their TDN contracts in order to provide their customers choices in free publications. Please give lots of business to Conoco/Super Stops, as well as the other supporters of local media listed below, and thank them for allowing these choices. And wherever you see a green TDN box, be sure to ask them to follow Super Stops' and Mac's Gas' lead and allow local publications back into their stores.

Update, Aug. 25, 2006: We are thrilled to announce that 10 Mac's Gas locations in the metro have invited independent media back into their stores. The locations are now added to the growing list of MIPA distributors down below. Please stop into a Mac's Gas location this weekend, buy something and thank them for supporting local business!

Aug. 23, 2006: The members of the Mississippi Independent Publishers Alliance, including the Jackson Free Press, are pleased to announce the roll-out of nine-window distribution boxes in many locations around the Jackson metro. As our non-exclusive agreements with businesses that want to offer independent publications to their customers go into effect, we will announce those spots in this space over upcoming weeks. Many of these businesses have cancelled the exclusive contract that they signed with The Clarion-Ledger/TDN in favor of offering their customers wider choices; others are new locations for MIPA members. We urge our readers to personally thank this list of businesses for supporting locally owned media in Mississippi, and in turn support their businesses. And please urge any business where you see a dark green or blue Clarion-Ledger/TDN box to also allow local publications.

MIPA boxes in place as of Sept. 5, 2006:

Conoco Super Stop, 306 Government St., Brandon
Conoco Super Stop, 103 Grants Ferry Road, Brandon
Conoco Super Stop, 5348 Lakeland Drive, Brandon
Conoco Super Stop, 350 Gilchrist Drive, Pearl
Conoco Super Stop, 246 South Pearson Road, Pearl
Conoco Super Stop, 1281 Hwy. 49 South, Richland
Conoco Super Stop, 1693 Old Fannin Road, Flowood
Conoco Super Stop, 4445 Magnum Drive, Flowood
Conoco Super Stop, 2799 Siwell Road, Jackson
Conoco Super Stop, 7382 Siwell Road, Jackson
Conoco Super Stop, 1635 County Line Road, Jackson
Conoco Super Stop, 700 Lakeland Drive, Jackson
Mac's Gas, 276 Hwy. 51, Ridgeland
Mac's Gas #23, 1937 Spillway Rd., Brandon
Mac's Gas, 3601 Hwy. 80 East, Pearl
Mac's Gas #27, 3720 Siwell Road, Jackson
Mac's Gas #11, 109 Greengable Road, Terry
Mac's Gas #18, 5555 Hwy. 18 S., Jackson
Mac's Gas #80, 913 W. Government, Brandon
Mac's Gas #20, 165 Broadway St., Clinton
Mac's Gas, 104 Withers St., Edwards
Mac's Gas #49, 711 Hwy. 49 South, Richland (MIPA box will be placed Saturday)
Value Mart Shell, 1016 Highway 471, Brandon
Primo's, Lakeland Drive
Dragon Palace, 120 Hwy. 80 West, Clinton
Polk's Discount Drugs, 1866 Spillway Road
Cool Fuel Mart, 3190 Hwy. 80, Pearl
Dixie Gas, 375 McDowell Road, Jackson
Polk's Discount Drugs, 2306 Crossgates Blvd.
Kea Food & Deli, 3433 Davis Road, Jackson

We also thank the following businesses that have decided to continue allowing racks and boxes of local publications, although they were listed as TDN spots initially:

Rooster's/Fondren Corner
YMCAs
McDade's grocery stores
Old Venice Pizza
Brookshire's grocery stores
Azteca Restaurant, 201 W. Government St., Brandon

Again, please support these businesses and thank them for supporting local business!

Previous Comments

ID

170898

Comment

I'm enjoying this one. http://www.americancowboy.com/SO03/FewDollars.jpg NOW we start.

Author

Kingfish

Date

2006-08-23T14:29:02-06:00

ID

170899

Comment

Yeah, and some folks thought we we just passing around petitions. Ha! ;-) Just returned from a reconnaissance mission out east. At the Polk's Discount Drugs on Spillway, The Clarion-Ledger indeed removed their big green box -- and RETURNED their line-up of free-publication boxes ("clutter," I believe they have called such a thing). Our big-ass red box is proudly displayed there now. And at the Shell on 471 -- our first MIPA box, which TDN moved around to the back twice and hauled to the empty downtown twice and we put it back -- they have now moved their big-ass green box, which is empty, around to the side where they used to drug our box. I'm assuming it's waiting for the flat-bed pickup to come get it. What I don't get is why they don't just make non-exclusive agreements like we are and just co-exist, side by side, with other publications? Isn't the point to, er, clean up the clutter!?! Or, do they plan to now return all the Gannett clutter of boxes to the businesses that cancel their exclusive contracts? Sigh. Also, one of the Ledger-box pubs was in the JFP slot in our MIPA box. We put them in the green box, so if anyone is looking for them, that's where they are. We took photos. Will post shortly.

Author

ladd

Date

2006-08-23T15:44:03-06:00

ID

170900

Comment

Party on Wayne! Good jobs guys!

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-08-23T16:22:18-06:00

ID

170901

Comment

It's nice to see the burbs supporting the JFP on the above list. See...we have cool people who live in the burbs as well.

Author

JamesInNashville

Date

2006-08-23T16:36:22-06:00

ID

170902

Comment

damn, no one got the joke.

Author

Kingfish

Date

2006-08-23T20:43:11-06:00

ID

170903

Comment

I haven't been to dragon palace in, like, decades. Wonder how they are now?

Author

Ironghost

Date

2006-08-23T21:09:38-06:00

ID

170904

Comment

YAAAAAAAAAAY! Do you think you could get the manager at the Qwik Stop on McDowell and Oak Forest to let you put a box there? I went there least week to get a copy of the JFP, but the rack was gone adna TDN box was in its place. I had a talk with him about the TDN scheme, so I think he'll listen. :-)

Author

L.W.

Date

2006-08-23T21:27:10-06:00

ID

170905

Comment

You do, indeed, Jim. In fact, we have met wonderful people while weathering this Clarion-Ledger assault on our ability to do business. In fact, we're discovered businesses that only signed up because they thought it meant they would *get* the JFP. Ahem. It's really shown us how popular we are throughout the metro, and that's heartwarming. Thank you, all. This is only going to get better. Hang on.

Author

ladd

Date

2006-08-24T11:07:16-06:00

ID

170906

Comment

Wooo hooo!! Score one for the JFP. I knew you guys would come out on top of this one.

Author

kp

Date

2006-08-24T13:55:28-06:00

ID

170907

Comment

How 'bout Mac's Gas, eh?!? It's a great day for independent media. Please, please stop into a Mac's Gas station this weekend and thank them for cancelling their exclusive TDN contract and allowing independent media that their customers want back into their stores. P.S. It's fun to note that the JFP was not in most of the gas stations above that have become new distribution spots for us. We are thrilled to offer our paper to even more people in the metro as a result of our new alliance with other local media.

Author

ladd

Date

2006-08-25T15:23:20-06:00

ID

170908

Comment

BTW, keep your eye on this list next week as well. ;-)

Author

ladd

Date

2006-08-25T15:23:51-06:00

ID

170909

Comment

All, just a reminder that you all have homework this weekend. Print out the above list of businesses and visit as many as you can to thank them for supporting local media. Seriously, these businesses are risking the ire of the Ledger corporate crowd by rejecting TDN exclusivity in favor of giving their customers more choices. We really need to pay them back well for it. And it's not easy being willing to be among the first to step out and stand up to Goliath. Bless em!

Author

ladd

Date

2006-08-25T16:10:17-06:00

ID

170910

Comment

**It's fun to note that the JFP was not in most of the gas stations above that have become new distribution spots for us. We are thrilled to offer our paper to even more people in the metro as a result of our new alliance with other local media.** <-- ladd I guess it's safe to assume that Goliath had no possible idea of the positive 'rebound effect' their malicious acts would have. If they read this blog--and I'm sure they will--they'll probably kick their own a$$e$ as they realize the irony: they tried to stifle competition and your voice; instead, your voice is getting louder and your readership larger! The Lord works in mysterious ways... Congrats!! I'm stopping by Mac's on Hwy 18 when I leave the office and I'll be sure to thank them!

Author

Kacy

Date

2006-08-25T17:43:40-06:00

ID

170911

Comment

Thank you, Kacy. I think it is safe to say that Goliath had. no. idea. what kind of community response they were facing. I think they must have thought we were all too stupid to know what they were doing. Remember: The Clarion-Ledger put these businesses in tough positions by trying to force them to choose between their corporate publications and the locally owned publications that drive them so much business. We have made many new friends who run gun stations and convenience stores through all this; we so appreciate them and how hard they work. They want to give their customers choices, and we want to give them choices. It seems that The Clarion-Ledger is the only one in this equation that isn't such a big fan of choices. Interesting choice, I must say.

Author

ladd

Date

2006-08-25T17:55:33-06:00

ID

170912

Comment

"Gun stations"? That other thread is really getting to you, huh...

Author

Rico

Date

2006-08-25T18:11:25-06:00

ID

170913

Comment

Oops. I think it was more about Kingfish's joke above. ;-D That typo is dedicated to my good friend and Jackson's most famous gun nut, Cliff Cargill. OK, second most famous gun nut. Hardy har har.

Author

ladd

Date

2006-08-25T18:52:19-06:00

ID

170914

Comment

Ladd: "Oops. I think it was more about Kingfish's joke above. ;-D That typo is dedicated to my good friend and Jackson's most famous gun nut, Cliff Cargill. OK, second most famous gun nut. Hardy har har. Posted by: ladd on Aug 25, 06 | 6:52 pm" Looked like a Freudian slip of a gun nut larvae who wants to learn self defense with handguns real bad...HARDY HAR-HAR-HAR!!!

Author

Cliff Cargill

Date

2006-08-25T19:27:02-06:00

ID

170915

Comment

I will participate in the homework assignment. This is great news!

Author

justjess

Date

2006-08-28T10:42:29-06:00

ID

170916

Comment

BIG news on this front today. Watch this space for an announcement later day. Hint: Y'all are going to have a bunch more places to go thank for supporting locally owned media. ;-D

Author

ladd

Date

2006-09-05T10:43:00-06:00

ID

170917

Comment

A quick funny story: I can see the Conoco/Superstop at Lakeland/Old Canton out my office window. This one is a symbol for me, and the manager there, Shelly (a lovely woman; go say "hey" to her) loves the paper and calls us when they run out. Needless to say, there is much excitement about the MIPA box showing up at that one. I happened to look out just as they were unloading, and Darren ran over to take a picture. Our whole staff was standing at the window, looking out, cheering, as he put it into place. Call it a David moment. ;-) Seriously, the community support for local media has been breathtaking. Thank you all so, so much. Oh, and pick up Metro Christian Living this month. Marilyn has a lovely interview with Judge Graves as her cover story. Long live MIPA and LOCAL media!

Author

ladd

Date

2006-09-05T18:42:51-06:00

ID

170918

Comment

Oh, and I guess it goes without saying that the JFP was not in all the Super Stops before. So this is another net gain for our distribution list.

Author

ladd

Date

2006-09-05T18:43:44-06:00

ID

170919

Comment

This is great news. I hope the alt's and other local papers in other towns take notice and follow your groups lead. Same it has to come to this, being a free country and all; but, the hard work is showing.

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-09-05T19:20:56-06:00

ID

170920

Comment

Thanks, Pike. Newhouse's scheme certainly made for an interesting summer, but this is a hard-working bunch of publication owners. I admire every single one of them, and am thrilled to have made so many new friends, and gotten so many distribution points, out of this. It's called working damn hard to make local lemonade out of corporate lemons! ;-) We also hear that Newhouse is again telling his employees to go into businesses and ask them to sign up for/keep TDN boxes. I don't get this, though. It's where his "exclusive" thing is a big ole problem for him. What are the Ledge folks supposed to say, "Please keep TDN and don't allow other publications unless they pay my boss man"!?! Because, his very basic problem is that HE is the only one trying to block publications here; not us. It makes me wonder: Did he really think we were only going to docilely go along with this effort to control distribution like obedient little proles? He doesn't know the Mississippi I know very well, I tell you that. We a stubborn bunch, especially when you try to knock us out of the game. And our readers are something else. I need to write about the reader whom we've never met who singlehandedly made Brookshire's his project after hearing they were on the TDN list. Note they're no longer on TDN's list; of course, Marilyn at Metro Christian Living gets mega-credit there, as do the very good managers in their stores. But hearing that reader describe all his visits to Brookshire's with his wife chiming in in the background is the stuff warm hearts are made of. Mississippians don't like to be bullied, that's all there is to it. ;-D

Author

ladd

Date

2006-09-05T19:33:54-06:00

ID

170921

Comment

I sure am glad the pubs are back. I need a good ale and have hated being stone cold sober. NOthing like stopping off a pub for a quick brew where you know everyone. Nice to see some things change for better in Jackson.

Author

Kingfish

Date

2006-09-05T20:49:41-06:00

ID

170922

Comment

Update: The Clarion-Ledger acted quickly on its vow not to "co-exist" with local publications. This morning, the big-ass green TDN box is gone from the Conoco/Super Stop at Lakeland and Old Canton. No sign of re-cluttering by The Clarion-Ledger, yet, as that they did at Polk's drugstores. We'll keep you posted. Guess it's their way or the highway!

Author

ladd

Date

2006-09-06T13:26:28-06:00

ID

170923

Comment

What babies! 'I'm taking my toys and going home!' Let em keep their toys. They're inferior, anyway. :D

Author

Lady Havoc

Date

2006-09-06T14:11:26-06:00

ID

170924

Comment

Yep, they want the whole playground to themselves, it seems.

Author

ladd

Date

2006-09-06T16:50:06-06:00

ID

170925

Comment

Well good for SuperStop! It won't change my business practices by making sure I give them "lots of business" because the Meridian-based owners are fanatical Christians that make their managers read daily devotionals via company email and attend "christian motivational events" - BUT I appreciate them allowing a free market in publications.

Author

Jo-D

Date

2006-09-06T18:08:47-06:00

ID

170926

Comment

Well, the belief in free enterprise is not limited by one's religious beliefs. And shouldn't be, of course. We are very grateful to SuperStop for inviting us back in, as well as Mac's Gas and the others. As Todd always says, "Do the right thing and wait." It's paying off.

Author

ladd

Date

2006-09-06T18:19:31-06:00

ID

170927

Comment

I can't find where I posted it yesterday - or the day before - so I'll just post it again here and let the mods decide which one they want to get rid of.... Wal-Mart is now a part of the big green box show. I was in my local wally world here in Clinton and there it was, at the entrance just as you pass the greeter. Surely Wal-Mart has enough common sense - and lawyers - to know they won't make any money off of these green monsters.. but then again, they do sell the Sunday edition of the CL for 99 cents....

Author

Jo-D

Date

2006-09-06T18:22:11-06:00

ID

170928

Comment

Yeah, we heard about that. That's no big deal to us; the JFP has never tried to be in Wal-Mart, and don't want to be.

Author

ladd

Date

2006-09-06T18:25:16-06:00

ID

170929

Comment

Right Donna, to each business its own.. and as I said, I appreciate their support of free enterprise. I just choose to limit where I shop based on businesses actions.

Author

Jo-D

Date

2006-09-06T18:26:25-06:00

ID

170930

Comment

I moved to the Jackson area (Flowood) within the past month, and as a welcoming present we were given a free 2-week trial of the Clarion Ledger. Just 30 minutes ago we were called by the CL and asked if we would like to buy a year's subscription, yada yada yada. I told them I support the JFP and and won't buy their paper b/c of that whole deal. In other news, Trent Lott still sucks.

Author

Jesse Johnson

Date

2006-09-16T12:00:37-06:00

ID

170931

Comment

Thanks, Jesse, you rock! I promise you that every voice counts in this - and, particularly, every statement that hits subscriptions for the C-L. Plus, you can be secure in the fact that you aint missin' much. :-) And all I can say about the net effect of the "TDN" scheme so far is that the JFP is flying out of the warehouse faster than ever. Donna and I had to "steal" papers this morning from a few existing locations in order to have enough for our newest rack at the new McDade's in Westland Plaza! :-) (Usually we pull a bundle for emergencies, but I didn't get to the warehouse in time this week to beat our drivers to it!) Oh, and props to Alumni House in Ridgeland as another new spot this week...and to UMC's main campus and MC Law School, which were both added as new official campus spots. Jesse...welcome to the Metro, and thanks again!

Author

iTodd

Date

2006-09-16T15:23:01-06:00

ID

170932

Comment

Yes, thank you, Jesse! Our dedicated readers have definitely helped us weather this thing. Also, all, please note that I have added all the addresses above of the Conoco Superstops that dropped their exclusive TDN contract and invited MIPA puts back in. Please give them business and thank them for supporting local publications and free enterprise in Jackson. Also, in our edition this week, we have a half-page ad on page 15 listing all the Mac's Gas and Conoco locations that dropped their exclusive TDN contract. We cannot salute them enough. Nor, all of you. Salut!

Author

ladd

Date

2006-09-17T19:12:06-06:00