For 2007, Us Weekly has been promising advertisers a rate base of 1,850,000. And the going rate on a 4-page full-color ad in the Wenner tabloid? A cool $155,960, according to internal documents we've reviewed. Next year, that price jumps to $168,180, with 50,000 readers added to the guaranteed circ. (Want the back cover? Add 30 percent.)

But as any junior account manager knows, advertisers rarely, if ever, pay full price. Even from the get-go.

Then what happens when the magazine doesn't manage to sell out its ad inventory and needs to close the issue so the printer has it on time? A fire sale, takes place, with deep discounts made available to move ad pages.

In one instance, we saw a full-pager go for $22,500 and a half-page vertical made available for $14,000 — 85 percent off the standard rate.

Which begs the question: Why pay full-price and have your ad in on time when you can wait to the last minute and pay a sharply reduced rate?

After the jump, Us Weekly's standard rate card.

2007:

Full Page, Four Color $155,960

2/3 Page, Four Color $124,770

1/2 Page, Four Color $93,580

1/3 Page, Four Color $62,390

Full Page, Two Color $148,168

Full Page, B & W $140,364

Cover Four 30% Premium

Cover Two 10% Premium

2008:

Full Page, Four Color $168,180

2/3 Page, Four Color $134,544

1/2 Page, Four Color $100,908

1/3 Page, Four Color $67,272

Full Page, Two Color $159,770

Full Page, B & W $151,365

Cover Four 30% Premium

Cover Two 10% Premium