The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-06-02
NEWSPAPER DIRECTORY.
GEO. P. ROWELL & CO.'S.
Newspaper Directory!
Am Editorial from the Washinxton
Stars ID. c.. of May IS, 1876.

Am EDITORIAL from the Washinxton
Stars ID. c., of May IS, 1876.
We observe that some of the newspapers Of
the country, which are in the habit Of claiming
a good deal larger circulation than they ac-
tualiy possess, are finding fault with the ng-
ures given in some instances in "Rowelrs
Newspaper Directory" for the current year.
recently published, and some of them 20 so fan
as to intimate that this alleged want of cor
RICHNESS is the result OF unworthy motives On
the part of the publishers Of that work. Now.
we are in no wise called upon to defend Messrs.
Rowell q Co., who are abundantly able to taxa
care Of themselves, and ALSO we may add, gen.
orally ready and willing to give good reason
for what they do. 1t is only just, however, to
the advertisers of the country, who have q
right to know whether they are getting, or ara
likely to get, what they pay for when they in
sert an advertisement in given newspaper.
that is, the promised publicity for their an.
nouncements-thst we should say that there
are the beat reasons for believing that, as
rule, the circulation which these gentlemen
set down to the various periodicals Of the coun.
try is substantially correct, or at least not usu,
ally understated. And 1t will be found, too.
In majority OF eases. If not in every instance.
at where such circulation is not correctly
stated, the fault lies with the publishers Of tho
papers themselves, rather than with the com.
piler of the offending Directory" The pub.
fishers Of the latter work have their own rep.
utation for honesty and fair dealing, as wei
as the interest Of their patrons, at stake In tho
ISSUE II they were aetuated by no higher mo.
tive. that Of self-interest alone would demand
that the information they collect and publish
should be correct and reliable Without thu
good will of both newspaper publishers and
advertisers their business would dry up com.
pletely in less than six months time; and that
good will they can not have if they willfully
pervert the truth or allow their preiudices "a
control the conduct Of their business.
Assuming that this much will be conceded
by any fair minded business man, 1t only re.
mains to ascertain what means the publis
of the Directory" in question have for learn.
ing tho truth in regard to newspaper circula-
lions, and to what extent these means are EN-.
ployed. To begin with, their long and init,
mate connections with, and their general
knowledge OF. the publishing business Of thu
country. enable them to form pretty accu-
rate estimate Of the circulation Of nearly every
paper. and to tell with an exactness that ID
both surprising and discouraging to the con.
scienceless boosters the difference between the
circulation they claim and that which they ac-
tually possess. But they do not rely alone On
the information obtained in the usual course
of business. They give to every newspaper
the privilege of telling its own story. They
send annually to the publisher OF every peri.
odical in the country ablank form, upon which
sn tNaIt IL HN,. L.
showing as to the circulation Of his paper foR
publication in the "Di eeiory 1.-THE only con-
dItion OF such exhibit being that where the
figures SO given are doubted they will be veri-
fied by the affidavit of the publisher sending
them. and also fortified, where required, By
the production Of c0rroborative evidence estab.
fishing the truth OF the affidavit. And 1t id
just here that the journalistic shoe pincheA
Many publishers who are swift to claim fabu'
lous figures for the circulation Of their mush-
room sheets are slow to swear to them when
called upon to do SO. although few are found
who are ready to make the required affidavit
even though they are enabled afterward to fur
nish the necessary supplementary proof. Every
newspaper in the country Is requested to sup.
ply its own figures, and these figures are pub
lished IN the "Directory" as given, unless ito
compilers have reasons for believing, as they
very often have, that they are not correct; btt
even In such cases the newspaper publis her
has the remedy in his own hands, If he chooses
to avail himself Of it, and can do SO without
committing PERJURY, or is not AFRAID Of being
found out in case lie commits 1t. 1t follOWA
therefore. that wherever newspaper cons
plains that its circulation is understated, its
publisher has either failed to furnish the in-
formation asked for. or has been unable to SUBJ
81 antiate his windy stat ment when called
upon 10 DO 80. That Is all there is Of 1t; and
mean insinuations as to unworthy motives on
the naIt. GO .ha publishers o. tho +" Directory"
will not otter the facts, nor be likely to mis-
lead the public in the premises.
Unquestionably Messrs. Rowell & Co. have
right to publish q "Newspaper Directory" ol
the country il they ch5o to do 50. 1t is alika
their duty and their intei est, as it should ba
their ambition, to make 1t as complete and cor
rect in every particular as IT is possible to,
make it; and, so far as we can judge, they take
every practicable step to this emu. Where Q
newspaper objects to stating its circulation al
all, THAT fact is stated in the Directory; whera
one furnishes its own figures, and is willing
to substantiate them, THEY are used In itf
where one furnishes hgures that are manifest.
ly false, or does not furnish any at all, tho
compiler relies upon such other means as he
NAV have for getting at the truth OF tho mat
ter, and makes his publication accordingly.
10 this course no fair-dealine newspaper, no
one that Is willing to give a dollars worth for
every dollar it receives, is likely TO object. t.
will he found, on the other hand. that thosa'
who set up a howl about it are generally those
that obtain precarious existence by unitinRl
q sort OF unindic.able black ailing busines1
pletenses-that is, by getting Advertising pat-
ronage on claim OF circulai ion which they do
not possess, and which. in the very nature OF
things, they never can obtain. To the alter,
nate tni eats and cajolings Of these soldiers Of
fortune business men will in the end always
find it to their interest to present denant 'front.'
and turn q Geaf ear. 10 their credit be it sad
they generally do both, and as q rule spend
their money f0r advertising where there Is q
probability OF getting certain and large re.
turn for their Investments In that way. Thas
Messrs. Rowcll II Co. are aiding the business
community in this laudable purpose seems "a
be what Is the matter with q good many Of our
contemporaries at the present time. s'Hencs
these tears" so to speak.
The object Of the AMERICAN NEWSPAPERS
DIRECTORY is not very different from that os
the well Known mercantile agencies which ex-
list IN all our leading cities The latter keen
their subscribers informed OF the character.
habits, reputation, business ability and hnan-
cial strength OF persons with whom they are
likely to have business transactions, enabling
them thereby to go regulate those transactions
as to secure probable profitable dealings, or ia
avoid such as will be likely to result In ultis
mate annoyance or loss.
The DIRECTORY conveys the best obtainabls
Information concerning Lhe character and
value Of new spapers. It's patrons arr the men
who spend their money in advertising "a largs
and important class, ami 1t is from them tila1
the publishers of the DIRECTORY In their ca.
pacity OF Advertising Agents, derive theie