The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-10-06
Hints for Jourpalists-Hovv to Manage
Newspaper.

An old and experienced Western newspa-
per man, Joseph Medill, of Chicago, lately
delivered lecture before q convention OF
Indiana editors and publishers, on the true
road to success in journalism. The views
advanced in the following extract are so
sound and practical, and have, withal, so
wide an application, that we copy and COM
mend them to the attention OF our friends
of the Fourth Estate throughout the South:
zone branch of the publishing business re-
mains to be mentioned before closing these
remarks advertising 1 entirely disapprove
of the practice, altogether too common, OF
taking column or half column ads on con-
tracts for year at time, at greatly reduced
rates. These advertisements are mostly quack
medicines, lottery swindles, or humbug patent
rights. Such advertisements are an aoomina-
ton in the sight of readers, particularly the
detestable cuts which accompany them. To
thrust this lying, swindling trash by the COL
umnfnl, cuts and all, into the face Of decent
and respectable people, for year of stretch,
is enough to cause them to discontinue their
paper until the nuisance is abated. For all
such advertisements you should charge single
rates. without discount, and demand advance
payment. In addition to publishing this trash
at shamefully low prices, printers are gene
rally, or frequently, swindled out OF the pay
promised, and confess to certain degree OF
satisfaction that they are cheated; for 1t is
deserved punishment for inserting the stuff at
such prices, on generous confidence, instead
of cash down. The true way is tonmake no
contracts at less than monthly rates, and If
any one insists on keeping an 'ad.' standing
for six or twelve months, charge him monthly
rates, and collect every month. Open a wants
department in your paper; put the price at not
to exceed ten cents line per insertloni en-
courage the people to make known their wants
and transact their business through the COL
umns of YOUR paper; classify these advertise
mcnts under their proper heads, and insert
them In conspicuous part Of your sheet. BY
little tact and considerable perseverance. you
can establish this line Of advertising, and,
once established, twill prove not only profit
able to the paper, but very useful to its patrons
When advertising is dull, fill up with reading
matter and disquisitions on all kinds of local
topics; and be not tempted to save compost
ton by taking in quarter-prlce Quack medl-
cines. The additional reading matter will, in
the long run, help your paper more than
enough to make good the cost of the extra
type-setting and loss of the humbug advertise
ments. Establish q living scale for advertls-
ing, and adhere tenaciously to it. If your
neighbor is so foolish as to cut under you, do
not follow his weak example; for he will hurt
his own business far more than lie can yours
Stand by your rates, and do rs nearly cash
business as 1t is possible. Long credits Is the
bane that destroys so many newspapers. it Is
this slow poison that kills them, or causes
them to drag out q miserable, sickly and unre-
munerative existence. All the expenses at
tending the publishing business are cash. anu
unless you receive cash for your labors, now
can YOU expect to succeed or prosper?