The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-01-31
THE NEWSPAPER PRESS.


ItS Circulation md Its IntUrrst-
Ing FIEurrr.
Gilbcr: G. nubbNrd's paper on "Thc
Daily Newspaper Press" read before
the American Social Science Convention,
WAS n long and interesting account OF
tho growth Of tho newspaper, its in
llucnce with tho public. and its pros
poets for tho future. Referring to tho
increase in differentiation Of newspapers,
he said d:
4 century ago tho average circu!.l-
ton was less than one newspaper or
periodical in year for each person ;
now ono III every four days. This in
crease has taken plnce almost entirely
within the last thirty years. In 1910,
l96, 100000 newspapers mud periodicals
Sern issued in 1870 eight times as
many, or $500, 900, O0O-a number sufli.
ricnt to furnish 4 daily to every four
families, anda weekly to each family in
our land. III the Eastern States the
number OF newspapers has remained
nearly the same since 1910, but has
greatly Increased in the Western, while
the average circulation of newspapers
and periodicals for the whole country
has incrcasedirom 1900 to $500 in 1870,
the circulation of the iailies averaging
1890. In 1910, eighteen dailies were
published in New York, with I'LL aggre.
gate circulation Of about 10000. Since
then one hundred and thirteen new
dailics have been started with fair pros
poets OF success; but, after struggling
for while, most Of them have suspend
cd, leaving the sa!ne number of dailics
i'll the English language rs in 1910. The
total daily circulation of the English
papers is about 10000, varying from
1000 to 100000. In the other Eastern
States tho history Of tho press is SUBJ
stantlal'y tho same. It is very difficult
to obtain reliable estimates of the circu-
lation Of newspapers. The paper OF the
largest circulation is not necessarily
either tho best, the most influential, or
the most profitable. III New York the
San and the NeTS both claim tho largest
circulation, but the Herald is believed
to be the most profitable. The price of
all papers was raised during the war,
but the demand for news was 80 great
that tho increased cost only temporarily
checked tho increase OF tho circulation.
It reached its maximum Mt the close OF
the war, was Temporarily increased dur
ing tho Franco-Prussian war, then de-
creased, and is now scarcely two-thirds
rs large rs it was. During the last
eighteen months especially, M unusual
" large number of papers have been re-.
duced in size and price, or havo sus.
pended publication. This has resulted
from lack OF exciting news, followed by
depression in business, Il limited number
of advertisements, and the general de-
sire to economic. The decreased receipts
OF tho expensive papers incline them to
economics, but their reputation and cir
culation can DO sustained only by in
creased effort and By adaptation to es.
pecial interests and classes. of readers.
The following statOment gives the popu.
lation Of several of our cities in 1870,
and the present circulation Of papers
published III English and though the
population is larger Mt the present time,
the circulation has decreased, and the
liapropOrtion is more unfavorable to
tho Western cities than In 1870,