>>>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 ;-)

It's worse than that. It's an exercise in negativity.