The term “junk mail” is continually used throughout your April 3 coverage of the proposed ban on selling information on licensed drivers to direct marketers.
In its “Household Diary” study released in 1994, the U.S. Postal Service found that 55 percent of recipients read direct mail, another 19 percent look at it, 14 percent discard it and 5 percent set it aside. An impressive 42 percent of consumers who receive direct mail find it useful.
Moreover, in fiscal 1995 direct mail represented more than 39 percent of the Postal Service volume. Should this mail disappear, the cost of equipment and personnel, which couldn’t be discarded overnight, would most probably be met by at least a 1- or 2-cent increase in first-class postage, on top of what can be expected.
As for Secretary of State George Ryan, he would be well advised to consider the economic impact of direct marketing in Illinois before he submits his final proposal. According to the latest edition of The DeLay Letter, Illinois is the fifth largest state in direct sales, generating $54.9 billion annually and entailing 935,157 jobs.
We have no problem with Secretary Ryan’s concern for the privacy of Illinois citizens. But his heavy-handed, broad-brush attack on all advertising mail was uncalled for.
