>>I've been wondering the same. If we assume past, current, and future subscribers are being bombarded, the mailing costs plus equipment plus people plus NYC office space must add up to a sizeable figure at some point.
>>
>>>I received 4 renewal notices this last week, not to mention all the notices before that. It may be cheaper just to mail out the magazine at that rate.
>>>
>
>Don't know if it's the same in the US, but up here bulk mailers get a greatly discounted rate if they send out more than, say, 5,000 pieces in a mailing. I imagine mass printings have similar discounts.
>
>So, it may actually cost less money to bombard 5,500 people, even if 2,000 of them are "dead", than to cull the list and send just to the "active" 3,500.

Same 'down' here, Al, but the mailing costs are just one of the costs - I think the least significant of the above I suggested. A lot of resources are being expended in any case to what seems to me to be an exercise in futility ;-)