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Denver Post Subscribers Beware: Sunday Bronco Magazine Will Cost You

DENVER (CBS4) - When the Sunday Denver Post lands on your doorstep this weekend, you may think that the 76 page Denver Broncos kickoff edition magazine that comes with the paper is free as part of your subscription. It's not.

The newspaper has been promoting the "Keepsake Edition" in prominent ads in the Post this week, but in small print at the bottom of the ads is the following note:

All home delivery subscriptions will include the Denver Broncos NFL Kickoff Edition, which will be charged to the subscriber's account at $3.00. To opt out of the Denver Broncos NFL Kickoff Edition, please contact customer service at 303-832-3232. Receiving the section will cause your selected Billing Term to be shorter.

special-edition-image
(credit: CBS)

What that means is that you'll never actually see a bill for $3. Instead, the Post will just end your subscription earlier than planned, unless you actively call the newspaper and tell them you don't want the special edition and the equivalent $3 charge.

For example, if you have a 52 week subscription, the $3 charge could mean you end up with a 51 week term instead.

"It's pretty close to sleazy, unethical and a questionable business practice," said Marvin Gatch, who tells CBS4 he has subscribed to the Post for roughly 40 years. He said at first he thought it was "cool" that he would be receiving the Broncos special edition until he read the fine print at the bottom of the ad and realized he was going to be charged for it.

"I didn't think we were doing things like this that many years later," said Gatch, of the "opt out" system that forces the subscriber to take action and call the Post to avoid being charged for something they may not want.

"It's not something I would want to do if I was a business owner."

Bill Reynolds, Vice President of Circulation for the Denver Post told CBS4 he believed the newspaper was being "straightforward" with subscribers.

"This is upfront to our customers," said Reynolds. "There might be a handful of people upset."

He said each day's paper includes a note on page 2A warning subscribers of these additional charges.

However the note on page 2A is in extremely fine print that seems easy for readers to overlook:

In addition, all home delivery subscriptions will include a special Bronco's Season Kickoff Edition published on Saturday, September 13, 2015; charged at the normal Sunday rate plus $3.00 each.

terms-conditions
(credit: CBS)

The extremely fine print also informs subscribers that they will face a similar $3.00 charge for the Thanksgiving newspaper delivered Thursday November 26, 2015.

Reynolds said subscribers have until Saturday to "opt out" of receiving the special Broncos edition.

"We don't want any of our customers upset," said Reynolds.

A customer service representative at the Denver Post wrote that "We had to begin charging for Special Editions about 4 years ago with the Thanksgiving paper. In the past the Denver Post could absorb the costs of Special Editions by selling advertising. This is no longer the case."

"If they need an extra six bucks a year," asked Gatch, "Why not just increase my subscription by 15 cents a week?"

CBS4 Investigator Brian Maass has been with the station more than 30 years uncovering waste, fraud and corruption. Follow him on Twitter @Briancbs4.

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