Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-10-13
TIE EVOLUTION OF THE REPORTER
FOR TIE MODERN PRESS.

The reporter for the press, as he is known
TO the men of this day, is product of the
times, and the result of an evolution
which is just beginning to be understood.
1t is now realized by journalists that the
difficult positions to fill on a great
paper properly conducted are those on the
reportorial staff. In England local news re.
porting has been practically unknown
until very recently. Publishers there have
been slow TO comprehend the fact that
a section of the paper which requires
energy, watchfulness and hard work,
is that committed to the local department.
More than this, they are just awakening
to the fact that it requires special grade
of ability, 1t is fact that local news
until within the year has been subordinated
in England to every other department of
journalism. The great papers have trusted
to the coming in of news without the effort
being made to gather it. On the other
hand, in American journalism news is
matter of first Importance of search and
persistent and never-ending chasing. In
France the reporter, even at this day, is
known not so much by the news he gath
ers as by the display of his personality.
A witty writer has taken off" the
French reporter of the period He is
sent to ascertain the details of a railway
disaster for the Figaro. The accident took
place on Saturday evening. The paper
announced on Sunday that it was rumored
there had been smash up }" on the line
twenty miles from Paris. The reporter
left Sunday night Monday mornings
Figaro contained these words. 81 have
arrived. 1t is said twenty were killed by
the collision. 1 have taken rooms at the
Hotel de L7nard, and shall tomorrow as
certain all the facts. Barnay" Tues
days Figaro contained twelve dispatches,
all vague and speculative, signed "Ber-
nay" and the last informed the public
that 81 Bernay" would return to Paris and
write up the details for Wednesdays
ISSUE But both in England and France
reporting has, within the year, received
new revelation, and the American
paper is now taken as the model. One
French journal goes as far as to announce
that its local columns will hereafter be
conducted after the American style" In
Germany a change for the better took
place somewhat earlier, but in neither
country ia there as yet any near approach
20 our system. Here we have been taking
advanced steps also. A few years ago the
reporter was thought possible of evolution
from most any timber, and youths who
could find nothing else under the sun to do
conceived the idea that they could I" re-
port" Publishers led them into this error
byemploying s1ch as came tohand. without
reference to natural qualifications, and dis
charging them quite as rapidly as they
we're taken on, by which process there was
at last brought to the comprehension OF
fresh youths that the reporters tasks are
by no means of the kind that any man
may put his hand to. A San Francisco
journalist tells the story that remarkable
bright young gentleman, whom he took on
as the reporter in difficult department,
sitter the third day informed the city
editor that he thought he could stake
IN the whole business IN three weeks