The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-03-05
LETTERS ON 30 URNALTsM.
Expenses and Profits Of the Newspaper.
Their Prices In various Countries.

Of the Londcn Times have come to light, and
seem to be reasonably correct.
The Times was started under the name OF The
Daily UniUersdi Register In 1875, and assumed Its
present title only with the beginning Of 1853.
Mr.. John Walter. grandfather Of the now prin-
cipal PROPRIETOR. Mr.. John Walter, M. p, was its
founder and sole owner. IL remained for fifty
years a single sheet Of four pages, gradually In
creasing In size, and only became eight pages
after 1890. From that time II was again gradually
enlarged. both In the size OF the sheet and by
means Of supple nents. until IL attained the
present well-gnown shape Of two sheets, con-
taininR sixteen pages in all, to which, under the
pressure Of advertisements, an extra sheet IL
occasionally added.
The main source OF the revenues OF the Times
Ia Of course in its advertisements, which have
at times reached as high a figure as 1900 adver-
tisements in one day. One copy, for Instance,
that OF May y, 1870, which can be seen on any
file Of the paper, contains no less than 75 COL
umns, OF twelve and n half pages Of advertise
ments. The average charge OF the Times for
advertising being 500 per column, the Income
from that source alone on that day reached the
sum OF $1,000. For certain advertisements, how
ever, like those Of the public companies, the
1imo charges as high as $50 per column: and
during the railway mania the announcements
doubled the usual advertising income Of the
paper.
The present manager. OF the Times observ.
much greater secrecy with reference TO the com
ditlon OF their affairs. than their nrodacesaor.
did. II looks as II they were afraid to let AZ be
known how vast an amount Of money they are
yearly making. On June 81, 1861, the Times
issuing triple sheet OF twenty. four pages, en-
tered into explanations with its readers con
corning the growth OF its advertising patronage
and pointed out the fact that while flfty years
previously It had on the same day OF the year
but 100 advertisements, Il had now I.22a Of
them In one issue No ordinations n,
the sort can now be met with in tho
columns Of the Times. Mr.. Walter md Dr M.
lane are as silent az sphinxes with referenc. 20
anything which concerns the management of
their paper, whether IL touches the nacuniarv
literary, or any other department Of the great
institution stu, facts will come out, and pub
TIC statements nave been made without refuta-
uon' that reckoning at the lowest rate and In
rounu NUMBERS the advertisements OF the Times
must AT the present time bring an average In
come OF t25,UO week, or $1,30O,0O0 year. As
Stunning that in consequence OF the extreme lib
crafty with which the Times pays every body
VINO works Tor It, OF the lavishDess with which
u SPENDS money In obtaining early and trust
worthy 'hiormation' and OF the excellent quality
OF the paper on which II Is printed, the
money received from the circulation Of the pa
per does not cover Its expenses vet Of this
sl'@ooco there must still remain an enormous
net proht.
IL should be remarked here that while steadily
raising the nigh standard Of the Times, its pro-
pr'etors nave not neglected any opportunity to
increase It's value as paving properly. With
'"o noo""on Oh the stamp they made corre-
spending reduction in the price OF their paper;
ou' "nen the tax on advertisements was taken
on instead OF iessenins, they steadily raised
'neir advertising rates. For certain kinds OF
auVei''semehts' IKE VI Births Marriages, and
Do'."'' io' Instance no enarae was made at
"'' io'"eri'' "nne they are now charged for at
Tue ra.o Oh nearly WV column, and bring
'o"e'"i"k IKE s9'oo year 10 the proprie
'o' oi tue paper.
The expenditures OF great newspaper are
stu more difficult to ascertain than the receipts
The general belief Of people well acquainted
with tho business department OF the Times is
that Its average daily expenses exceed, though
not much, the sum Of $4,000, and that they ap-
preached 5000 before the abolition OF the duty
" pepe'' "".on was removed ten OF twelve
80 "so' ""u 70 INSTINCT from the stamp tax
-"' on '"o printed newspaper and was
'aAen on many years before. III this bel correct
s'"'e"e"'' 'ne I"n.s must oa'Iy spend s2'oOo FOR
P1pe'' aoou' ei'VNVi"I composition stereotvpins
""u p''"',ns aoou' Si'ooo ior the contributions
a'u '"e eutor'a "olk' ana Si'op Tor telegraph
n"u 0'"e' '"o'uen'n expenses AT all
eVen's' sucn Is tue usual proportion between the
s',0u' " a'enes VI expenditure OF "A newspaper
Vi large e'rcu'atoh' TIE paper on which II Is
p,'n'eu naAes ABOUT '"o-niths OF the whole
eo"uuie' 'ne 'sha'nueI oelhg equally de-
'o'u oe'"esh '"' 'n'ee o'ner branches OF tx
esrea. Cost Oh "n'e papers tue chiefreas
WY no "n'' newspaper se'hhs al low price
""9 20. oee" ao'e 70 prosper without the sup
poi' " auNe'''se"iepts' some OF tue cheap and
so'I,o, "e"sp"pers, INC tue Dd"D 1''eVdph or
.ao .u"B 'o"s' ~ou'o actually lose money with
VIC increase Vi Tue" c,reulatioh were IL not Tor
'"I.oae0 Va '"o au'o'"s'hR patronage ana
W. "'tn.' p''oe' 'o' advertising "h'ch they oo-
-.'. 80 ."e,."s'nt 0"euia''on' iho actual
y. p'o.'',"s 30 'a'se printed sheet' with
."o u.s. y, n'e'a' 'aoo' OF any Incidental
pe' ioa."es 'e'' hea'n - cents OF y OF
,,o - ""a. 'ne puo"snerS receive
.t !" "'''' 'SND'''"F 'ne "e"Sueaieis eouimls-