The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-10-22
NEWSPAPERS AND THEIR COST.

NEWSPAPERS AND THEIR COST.
The question of reducing the selling price
Of daily papers is one of interest to the read
Usher. There are cheap papers and cheap
papers. One is desirable at fair business
price, the other dear as a gift or is at
best worthless. 1t means much in America
to publish good newspaper, one that will
command patronage. daily paper that
keeps up with the times in 1888 can do so
only at very large running expense, the
amount of which is little understood by
those not acquainted with the details
and extent of the business American
newspaper enterprise has progressed until
now an enormous outlay is imperative. The
makeup of an average issue represents the
work of thousand men. The white paper
that it is printed on-and this is one of the
minor items-costs tens of thousands of dol
lars annually. Expressage and postage cost
other thousands. The press work and type
setting require the expenditure of tens of
thousands. These are but the mechanical
parts of the work, and there remain the still
more expensive necessities of an army Of re-
porters in all parts of the world; another
army to transmit the news after it
is collected. Then there are the editors of
the various departments, the correspondents
special and general. the Geographic tolls, and
almost innumerable other items OF expense
of which the pablo has no idea. The aggre-
gate is of magnitude, requiring the best
financial management to keep the business
running and to make the investment pay.
There are other and more important feat
ures, however than those above enumer-
ated. There is something in journalism
aside from mere bulk or the col
lection of news, good, bad and in
different, from all parts of the
globe. The editor who best succeeds in sup
plying the public with wholesome news;
who keeps his readers posted in all that is
desirable in politics, religion, commerce, and
news in general is guaranteed success so far
as public appreciation goes, and it is really
sells at three or at five cents per copy. There
are papers in Paris with enormous circula-
tions that are sold at sou each, but they
are dear at that price, and would
die of starvation in America, lie Petit Jour
nal of that city claims a daily circulation
of some $50 900 copies. paper of the same
character would not be able to dispose of
the hundredth part of that number in
America. Not that it is vicious or vulgar,
but that its news could be easily printed on
the space OF a postal card. The expense of
getting up such paper is next to nothing,
and it can easily afford to sell at one cent.
With but two or three brief paragraphs of
telegraphc news and the remainder of the
space filled with cheap editorials and still
cheaper stories, printed in large type, the
Little Journal of Paris is dear at the price
asked and of no value whatever to anyone
who wishes to keep advised of current events.
The same features are noticeable in Ameri-
very little value comparatively, and it mat
tiers little what their price may be; they
have but a limited circulation. American
readers demand the news, collected in care
full manner and bearing the impress of truth.
To this must be added editorial opinions,
honest wholesome and engaging, These
cost heavily. Dereliction in the collection or
news, either through delay or untrustworthi-
ILL ALL
tionable editorials will not be long tolerated.
| In America the newspaper that is negligent,
slow or unreliable, is not wanted at any
price The managers of such paper may,
| by dint OF hard work, keep it going but it
never pays and generally dies after an inef-
fectual struggle for an unmerited existence.
| So much from the view of a patron of
newspapers. The publisher of a newspaper
has double problem to determine: What
the paper costs and what is the most profit
able price at which it can be sold. The paper
that sells at five cents cannot afford to in
crease the price to ten cents, for obvious rea-
sons AS a business investment it is more
profitable to sell 900 copies at profit of
two cents each than 90, 600 at profit of ten
cents each The increased circulation in the
former instance increases its value as an ad-
vertising medium more than fve-fold.
There is a limit at which a paper
can be most proftably sold.
Somewhere between absolutely giving
it away and asking too much is a mean
where business is fairly profitable. This has
descended from time to time, and now an
other reduction is being discussed. The same
thing, in effect has taken place year after