The Nation magazine has published a new open letter to James C. Miller III Chairman, Postal Board of Governors. At issue is a new proposed rate increase which will place disproportionate cost on small publications which easing the burden faced by larger magazines. According to the article, smaller magazines will face mailing cost increases of 20% to 30% while bigger magazines will see small increases, and occaisonally decreases.

The rate increase comes at a particularly bad time for independent magazines, as large distributors like Independent Press Association have all but folded. Without a distributor, Punk Planet and other indie 'zines have been forced to rely on subscriptions rather than newsstands, but this increase could also make subscriptions unfeasible or at least much more expensive.

The letter was co-signed by a number of independent journals, including National Review, The American Spectator and Mother Jones. The letter notes:

In accepting the Time Warner rate plan, the PRC and the governors have allowed the cost-based proposal of one of the country's largest mailers to prevail over public and small business concerns. Small magazines that have historically contributed to the diversity of voices and opinions and have an outsized effect on our public discourse are now potentially silenced so that the likes of Time Warner can mail People more cheaply.

You can read the entire letter here.