Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-04-11
THE NEWSPAPER AND THE
pIIRT IL

consider more clearly than is the custom
The following extracts deal with phase
of newspaper experience which are so ia
miliar that Mr.. Warmers admirabl
statement OF them ought to be given the
widest circulation.
RELATIVE RIGHTS OF THE NEWSPAPER
AND ITS PATRONS.
The recognition of the fact that th,
newspaper is private and purely bust
ness enterprise will help to define the
mutual relations of the editor and th,
public. His claim upon the public i
exactly that of any manufacturer or deal
or. 1t is that Of the man who makes
cloth, or the grocer who opens a shop
neither has right to complain if the
public does not buy of him. lfthe buy
er does not like cloth half shoddy, OF
coffee half chiccory, he will go elsewhere.
lf the subscriber does not like one news
paper he takes another, or none. The
appeal for newspaper support on the
ground that such journal ought to be
sustained by an enlightened community,
or on any ground than that it is good
article that people want,-or would want
il they knew its value,-is purely child
i.h in this age of the world. If any per
son wants to start periodical devoted
to decorated teapots, with the noble
view of inducing the people to live up to
his idea of teapot, very good; but he
has no right to complain il he fails.
On the other hand, the public has no
rights in the newspaper except what Il,
pays for even the "old subscriber has
none, excep, to drop the paper if it cea-
ses to please him. The noli)n that the
subscriber has right TO interfere in the
conduct of the paper, or the reader to di-
rect It's opinions, is based on a miscon-
cep,ion Of what the newspaper is. The
claim of the public to have its communi-
cations printed in the paper is equally
baseless. Whether they shall be printed
or not rests in the discretion OF the editor,
having reference to hi. own private in
terest, and to his apprehension of the
public good Nor is he bound to give
any reason for his refusal. 1t l.
purely in his discretion whether he vii!
admit a reply TO anything that has ap-
peared in his columns. No one has a
righ, to demand it. Courtesy and policy
may grant it but the right TO it does no'
exist. If any one is injured, he may
seek hi, remedy at law; and should
like to see the law of libel such and SO
administered that any person injured by
II libel in the newspaper, as well as b,
.lander out of Il, could be sure ofpromp,
redress. While the subscriber acquires no
nigh, TO dictate to the newspaper, we can
ina CINE an extreme case when he should
have his money back which had been
paid in advance, if the newspaper tot.
ally changed its character. If he had
contracted with dealer to supply him
with hard coal during the winter he
might have a remedy if the dealer de
livered only charcoal in the coolest
weather and so if he paid for Romon
Catholic journal which suddenly became
an organ of the spiri,ists. The advertiser
acquires no more rights in the newspap-
.r than the subscriber. He is entitled
to use the space for which he pays by
the insertion OF such material as is ap-
proved by the editor. He gain, no in.
terest in any other part ofthe paper, and
has no more claim to any space in the
editorial columns, than any other one Of
the public. To give him such space
would be unbusness like, and the eI.
tension of preference which would be
unjus, to the rest of the public. Moth
ing more quickly destroys the character
of journal, begets distrus, of it, and so
reduces its value, than the well-iounded
suspicion that its editorial columns are the
property Of advertisers. Even q relig-
ious journal will, after = while, be in
ju,el BY this.
Yet it must be confessed that here is
one of the greatest difficulties Of modern
journalism. The newspaper must be
cheap. 1t is, considering the immense
cost TO produce it, the cheapest produc,
ever offered to man. Most newspapers
cost more than they sell for, they could
not live by subscriptions for any profit
they certainly depend upon advertise
ments. The advertisements depend up
on the circulation the circulation is like.
ly to dwindle if too much space is occu
pied by advertisements, or if it is eviden,
that the paper belongs to its favored ad.
vertisers. The counting room desires tC
conciliate the advertisers the editor look.
to making paper satisfactory to his read.
ers. Between this see-saw of the neces
sary subscriber and the necessary adver.
tiser, a good many newspapers 90 down
This difficulty would be measurably re.
moved by the admission of the truth tina!
the newspaper is strictly business en-
terprise, depending for success upon {
qud pro quo between all parties connect
ed with it, and upon integrity in it
management.
THE NEWSPAPER As A CHARITABLE IN
sTITUTIoN.
Akin to the false notion that the news
paper is sort of open channel that tn
public may use as it chooses. is the con
ception of it as a charitable institution
The newspaper which is the property O
a private person as much as drug-sho
is. is expected to perform for nothing ser
vices which would be asked of no othe
private person. There is scarcely char
liable enterprise to which it is not aske'
! to contribute of its space, which is mon