The message is read from the specified input file, or standard input if no input is named.

When sent over UUCP, Usenet articles are typically joined in a single batch to reduce the UUCP overhead. Batches can also be compressed, to reduce the communication time. If a message does not start with a number sign (``#'') and an exclamation point, then the entire input is taken as a single news article. If it does start with with those two characters, then the first line is read and interpreted as a batch command.

If the command is ``#! rnews nnn'' where nnn is a number, then the next nnn bytes (starting with the next line) are read as a news article.

If the command is ``#! cunbatch'' then the rest of input is fed to the compress(1) program with the ``-d'' flag to uncompress it, and the output of this pipe is read as rnews's input. This is for historical compatibility --- there is no program named cunbatch. A compressed batch will start with a ``#! cunbatch'' line, then contain a series of articles separated by ``#! rnews nnn'' lines. If <DO_RNEWSPROGS in include/config.h> is defined and the command is any other word, then rnews will try to execute a program with that name in the directory <pathbin in inn.conf>/bin/rnews.libexec.

The batch will be fed into the program's standard input, and the standard output will be read back as input into rnews. If <DO_RNEWS_SAVE_BAD in include/config.h> is defined and rnews detects any problems with an article such as a missing header, or an unintelligible reply from the server, it will save a copy of the article in the <pathincoming in inn.conf>/bad directory.