ComplaintsforThe News & Observer Publishing Company

• Initial Complaint

  12/21/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I had been a long time subscriber to the News and Observer. I had decided to not renew my subscription this past July, 2021. The News and Observer emailed me in July advising my subscription would be terminated if I didn't renew it immediately, I didn't renew it because I no longer wanted it, I let it terminate. I received an email from the News and Observer confirming "Your subscription to The News & Observer expired on Jul 25 2021." Subsequently the News and Observer would call me over and over again first trying to get me to renew and then telling me I owed them money for the subscription that I didn't renew, each time I advised their representative my subscription ended July 25 intentionally, I don't want the paper, cancel my account and ensure my balance shows zero dollars due. Now on December 19, 2021 I get a letter from a collection agency, ****************, demanding I pay $143.52 to them for the News and Observer. News and Observer account number ******** My balance should be set to zero, the account closed, and any negative credit report impact reversed/corrected.

  Business response

  01/11/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2022/01/10) */ We do apologize for the billing issue you experienced with your newspaper subscription. It's important that we hear from our customers when they are not satisfied with services and we have addressed this issue. Our records show all balances have been cleared for The News and Observer *********. We do apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused and will be glad to help you in the future should you have other questions or concerns. Thanks, The News and Observer Consumer Response /* (3000, 9, 2022/01/10) */ Resolved - Resolved to my satisfaction. Thanks BBB!

• Initial Complaint

  12/12/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Hello, I have had the following experience with the Raleigh News & Observer subscriptions and delivery service. I initiated a 13-week subscription on April 26, 2021 to the News & Observer. At the conclusion of 13 weeks, I no longer received delivery of the paper and was told my subscription had expired on July 25th, 2021. However I continued being charged for the paper. Upon calling the newspaper customer service, they eventually waived the charges for the paper I never received in exchange for a 1-year subscription to the digital and Sunday home delivery, which started in September, 2021. Since, I paid for the 1-year subscription. The paper does not arrive until after 11 AM, and on many Sundays it is never delivered at all. I have lodged complaints via their website for failure to deliver on the following dates: - October 10, 2021 - October 17, 2021 - October 24, 2021 - December 5, 2021 - December 12, 2021 The dates above do not include the dates where the newspaper is delivered late, since this is basically every Sunday since September 2021 until present. The Raleigh News & Observer Customer Service has stated they have notified their distributor after each complaint, but the issue continues to not be resolved. I do not want to continue paying for a service and product due to this poor customer service and poor reliability. Also, the questionable tactic of continuing to charge me when I was notified that my subscription had expired is a very questionable and unfair business tactic.

  Business response

  12/30/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/12/17) */ We are very sorry for the delivery issue. This is not the kind of service you deserve and we will double our efforts to improve customer service. We are committed to providing world-class service and we apologize that we recently fell short of your expectations. We have noted the delivery problem on your account and contacted the distributor and the carrier on the route to address this issue.

• Initial Complaint

  12/07/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  My last newspaper was delivered April 15, 2021 and I have not received another one since that date. I made a payment in January 2021, which was for six months, approximately $174. I called the N&O six times and they always said my paper would be delivered, but it never was. My subscription would have ended in June 2021, but they kept on saying that they would extend it 4 weeks for free because I wasn't getting my paper. That would have extended it until August 29th. They claimed they kept delivering the paper after that, but I still never got my paper. Then, they started sending notices of amount due $42.45. Keep in mind, they also kept calling me, asking me why I canceled my subscription! I wasn't receiving my paper in the first place! On December 4, 2021, I go to my mailbox and there's a notice from a collections agency for $42.45. My account number is ********.

  Business response

  12/19/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/12/19) */ We do apologize for the billing issue you experienced with your newspaper subscription. It's important that we hear from our customers when they are not satisfied with services and we have addressed this issue. Our records show all balances have been cleared for The News and Observer**********. We do apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused and will be glad to help you in the future should you have other questions or concerns. Consumer Response /* (2000, 12, 2022/01/04) */ Sorry for responding after the date, but this was for my father and he has just found out that his account has been cleared! Thank so much.

• Initial Complaint

  11/29/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We have been a long time subscriber of News and Observer. We were subscribing mainly to support journalism When our subscription expired in August 2021, they renewed it for $585.59. We had not given any authorization to renew the subscription automatically and this amount was outrageous. So we stopped payment from our credit card and we called News and Observer and cancelled the subscription They said they were cancelling the subscription and they stopped delivery for many weeks. We then started the subscription again online for a much lower fee and we have started the news paper again. But News and Observer has turned us in to collections and we received a letter requesting payment for $585.59 We would like News and Observer to call the collection agency and cancel their claim so we don not have to spend

  Business response

  12/30/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2021/12/19) */ We do apologize for the billing issue you experienced with your newspaper subscription. It's important that we hear from our customers when they are not satisfied with services and we have addressed this issue. Our records show all balances have been cleared for The News and Observer *********. We do apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused and will be glad to help you in the future should you have other questions or concerns. Thanks, The News and Observer

• Initial Complaint

  11/01/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On October 29, 2021 I received a notice from a collection agency informing me that I am in arrears to THE News and Observer for the amount of $305.79. I was a loyal paying customer since January 2013 when I first moved to our current home. The renewal price in the March 2021 bill for an 8 weeks subscription had increased to $149.29 from the previous years cost of $118.40. an increase of 26%. I am a retiree on a fixed income who can no longer afford services that increase by such drastic amounts. I paid for one more 8 week subscription on 4/19/2021. at the end of those 8 weeks I did not renew the subscription by mailing in a check. I was shocked by the collection notice sine The News and Observer never sent me a bill for that amount! How was I to know I owed them money since no bill was ever forwarded to me in that amount? During my call to the billing department, I was told that there is a disclaimer on the bill. The so called disclaimer is not identified as such! Rather it states "For your convenience, your subscription will automatically renew after the initial term at the current rate unless you tell us to cancel." Indeed, that statement is not for my convenience but a dishonest business practice of providing an unwanted service then overcharging for it! In view of the fact that my last payment to the N&O was for $149.29 for 8 weeks of service, how was the outrageous charge of $305.79 determined? As a loyal paying customer of over 8 years, I at least deserved a written notice from The N & O that I owed them the amount of $305.79 before a collection agency became involved, which will adversely affect my excellent credit rating.

  Business response

  11/10/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/11/08) */ Dear ************, We do apologize for the billing issue you experienced with your newspaper subscription. It's important that we hear from our customers when they are not satisfied with services and we have addressed this issue. Our records show all balances have been cleared for The News and Observer and *************. Thanks, The News and Observer We do apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused and will be glad to help you in the future should you have other questions or concerns. Consumer Response /* (2000, 7, 2021/11/10) */ Kudos! Another outstanding intersession by the BBB. The N&O has cleared all charges from their records an with the collection agency! A million thanks for your work on my behalf! **********

• Initial Complaint

  11/01/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Thew News&Observer is responsible for the delivery of the******************** MTWTF and Sunday. Since August the people of ****** **** have a new delivery person. Since August I have had horrible service. Getting the paper delivered on Sunday has become a crap shoot. I have missed at least 10 papers. You would think if they miss Sunday they would deliver the paper on Monday. Nope. Calls to their customer service ************. has been a waste time and no effort on their part. I have wrote the editor of the paper and he tried to fix things but that also failed. The delivery person is an independent worker and I was told by customer service and as such the company has no phone number or email address for the person who is responsible for delivery. There also no phone number for the location where the delivery person picks up the papers to be delivered. There also is no person in charge of circulation. I asked customer service to halt delivery TWTF September 7,8,9,10. only to find newspapers all over my driveway. . Finding the morning paper has been become a hunt from bushes, curbs and the street.. I even had the******************** call the N&O. I want a name, contact phone number or email address and a supervisor name and contact information. I also want some type of compensation for the hell I have been put through by the lack of service by the N&O.

  Business response

  11/10/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/11/08) */ We are very sorry for the delivery issue you are experiencing with the ***. This is not the kind of service you deserve and we will double our efforts to improve customer service. We are committed to providing world-class service and we apologize that we recently fell short of your expectations. We have noted the delivery problem on your account and contacted the distributor and the carrier on the route to address this issue. We will get this fixed. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2021/11/09) */ I was told the same thing after calling the company that owns the N&O. Then got 1 paper out of 3 days. And what about all the problems I had August, September and October, I still think I should get some type of compensation. Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2021/11/10) */ I have notified ******************* to extend your subscription by 3 months due to service issues.

• Initial Complaint

  10/29/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I bought a digital subscription to the N&O last year and did not renew this year. I received a collection notice in the mail today for a subscription I did not purchase. I would like to have this removed from the collection agency and my account balance zeroed out.

  Business response

  11/09/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/11/08) */ We do apologize for the billing issue you experienced with your newspaper subscription. It's important that we hear from our customers when they are not satisfied with services and we have addressed this issue. Our records show all balances have been cleared for The News and Observer and *************. We do apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused and will be glad to help you in the future should you have other questions or concerns. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2021/11/09) */ I accept this resolution.

• Initial Complaint

  10/22/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  They have not cancelled my subscription (********) even though I have called and emailed on multiple occasions to cancel my subscription. They still deliver the paper. They call 3-4 times a day. I feel harassed. They say I owe them money yet I cancelled my subscription. I'm at a loss here.

  Business response

  11/02/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2021/10/25) */ We do apologize for the billing issue you experienced with your newspaper subscription. It's important that we hear from our customers when they are not satisfied with services and we have addressed this issue. Our records show #******** is now closed. We do apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused and will be glad to help you in the future should you have other questions or concerns. Thanks, The News and Observer

• Initial Complaint

  10/18/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We began renting this townhouse on July 2, 2021. From the day we moved in, we have been receiving daily delivery of The News & Observer paper. We have not ordered or paid for a subscription and we do NOT want a daily paper. Yet we have been receiving the paper for 3 and 1/2 months now. We notified the previous tenant twice and they replied that they had stopped paper delivery at our address. We also called the N&O and were told that there is no subscription for a paper at this address, which is correct. However a paper continues to show up at the end of our driveway every morning. Because we aren't interested in the paper, it often sits on the driveway until we go out later in the day, causing our neighbors to make the effort to put it by our front door (they are being kind). Please inform the delivery person that there is to stop delivering the paper! Thank you.

  Business response

  11/09/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2021/11/05) */ We apologize for the delay in your request. We have notified the distributor and contractor to cease delivery to this address. Thanks, The N&O Staff Consumer Response /* (3000, 9, 2021/11/08) */ Sadly we are still receiving daily papers at this address. Business Response /* (4000, 11, 2021/11/08) */ Dear ******* *******, Thank you for making us aware this issue still exists. We will contact our partner paper in ********** to make sure this delivery issue is resolved. We apologize for the inconvenience. Thanks, The News and Observer

• Initial Complaint

  10/14/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I subscribed to the New and Observer for one year. After my subscription ran out, they continued to deliver the paper and called me incessantly to renew. I responded that I did not want the paper anymore. They continued to send me the paper. I called them and told them I did not want to receive the paper and to stop calling and harassing me about renewing my subscription. I then received a bill from the News and Observer. I called again and told them I did not order the paper and received this bill. A couple of weeks later I got a bill from a collections agency. I have called three times this week and was told that my account balance is zero and that they have canceled my account. I asked for a confirmation email and was told I would receive one within 48 hours. I have not received this confirmation email. I called again this morning and was told I have to wait 7 to 10 days. Email takes one minute to send. This is very frustrating. I am very disappointed with the News and Observer.

  Business response

  11/02/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2021/10/25) */ Our records show #******** has a zero balance for The News and Observer.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩