Getting Started with PairList: Announcement-Only List

We are deprecating PairList. While existing lists will still work, users may no longer create new lists.

Assess Your List Type

So you’ve created a PairList. Now what? Well, you need to decide whether you want it to be a one way, announcement-only mailing list or a discussion mailing list. An announcement-only mailing list is ideal for things like newsletters or updates, while discussion mailing lists are designed to facilitate discussion between all subscribing members.

If you think a discussion PairList would better suit your needs, check out our Getting Started with PairList: Discussion List article.

If announcement-only list still works best for you, continue reading this article.

Set Up Your Announcement-Only List

By default, new PairList mailing lists are configured as announcement-only lists. Only authorized users can send out mail to these lists.

Step 1: Enter the PairList Admin Interface

You can manage your Pairlist mailing lists via our Account Control Center (ACC) by following the instructions below:

1. Log in to the Account Control Center (ACC)
2. Select Add Ons
3. Select PairList
4. Click on the name of the list that you wish to configure
5. A new tab will be opened. Scroll to the bottom of this page and click the administrative interface link
6. Enter your PairList administrative password, and click Let me in...

This is where you can manage your mailing list and make the changes needed to configure your PairList.

Step 2: Configure the Announcement-Only Settings

1. Once you’ve reached the admin interface, click Privacy Options
2. Click Sender filters
3. Scroll down Privacy Options and find By default, should new list member postings be moderated?
4. Change the value to Yes
5. Click Submit Your Changes at the bottom of the page

Step 3: Set Up Email Moderation

An announcement-only mailing list should not allow subscribers to post to the rest of the list, unless the administrator approves it. Set up email moderation so that when subscribers try to email the mailing list, their email will be held for your moderation. You can then choose whether you want to approve or reject the post.

1. While still in the PairList admin interface, go up to the top list of links and click Membership Management
2. In the Additional Member Tasks section, under Set everyone's moderation bit, including those members not currently visible, select On
3. Click Set

Even if moderation appears to be set to "On", you must click the Set button to implement it.

You will be able to tell if moderation has been turned on for a specific email address by going to the Membership List section and checking the mod column. If the email address has been marked with a checkmark in the mod column, then moderation has been turned on for that email address.

Step 4: Remove the List-Post: header

The List-Post: header is used for discussion lists to show subscribers where they should direct their emails to the group. To remove the List-Post: header from being included in posts, go to the General Options page and follow these instructions:

1. Scroll to the bottom of the page to the Should postings include the List-Post: header? option
2. Select No
3. At the bottom of the page, click Submit Your Changes

Step 5: Set Up Authorized Senders

Now your mailing list is set up as announcement-only! You only have one more step to go until you’re ready to post.

The mailing list keeps a list of authorized senders. If an email address is on the list, their posts to the mailing list will be automatically accepted and distributed. If the email is not on the authorized senders' list, the post will automatically be denied. No authorized senders are set by default, so you’ll need to enter the email(s) that you want to use to post to your mailing list. See our article, Setting Up PairList Authorized Senders, for more instructions.