The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-07-06
THE FUTURE NEWSPAPER.

In the August number of the Forum, MIR
NOAH Brooks. the veteran journalist, dis
cusses the newspaper of the ftiture. He
says the newspaper is in stage of transi
ton, and ventures the prediction that the
journal of the future will be something
quite unlike that of to day. His idea is
that dignity and accuracy will take the
place of partisanship and sensationalism ::
that the newspaper will confine itself to
printing the news, what he terms its legiti-
mate function, and that 1t will cease to be
the vehicle OF advertisers and the organ of
parties. He also says that the advertising
sheet will have separate development.
But let US quote something from him.
The newspaper OF the future will rid itself of
the smartness and fiippancy with which the
newspaper OF the present is too often dsfigured
Its writer's will be selected for their learning
careful literary training and fairness of judg-
ment. Verbosity is one of the most dreaded
terrors of the average newspaper reader. He
likely to think that an erudite, thoroughly in
formed writer must needs be dull and prosv.
Let us admit that we cannot possibly endure
long, dull editorial articles and that we will not
nave colorleSs dry statement of facts in the
news columns of the journal of our choice But
IL Is asking too much of human nature-news.
paper human nature-that the paper shall be
crisp and bright without malice, learned and in
telllgent without dullness? No sensible person
expects that political parties are to be dis
banded or hooted out of existence The parties
ana the newspapers will remain for many a cen
fury to come. But men will learn that it paws
TO be fair and honest in politics as in diplomacy
and in many another field of human activity in
which lying was once thought to be part of the
equipment. Then readers, tired of the fruitless
hunt for truth and fairness in the columns of
political newspaper, would be gratified with an
answer to their demand for change to some
thing better. Who will be the pioneer in the
rev geld?
Just what Mr.. BROOKS sees in the way
OF indications of the tendency or drift of
the public mind or of the newspapers. he
does not explain, and it is feared that with
out an explanation neither the public nor
the publishers will agree with him in his
prediction. The newspapers of to-day are
Just where the newspapers ofall times have
been; that is to say they are what the public
which supports them, and the people who
read them have made them and want. The
proprietor and editors of the New York
World do not issue those immense sheets of
twelve, twenty, thirty and more pages of
reading matter and advertisements for the
purpose of offending the American commu-
nifty, but because the American community
wants those frightful bundles of paper and
pays for them. TIE HERALD does not send
out 10 and a page editions for the purpose
OF recklessly spending the money of the
nnhllClprS nf
sonethlng That Is not wanted; the people
ask Tor these papers, pay for them and
would not be satisfied if they did not get
them. 1t is the same with respect to the
character and quality of the matter-there
is catering TO the taste 1t may be and
probably is true that the newspaper en-
courages TIE demand and stimulates the
taste, but the leading is all the time along
lines which the people are disposed to fol
low.
Why the newspaper of the future should
not be ike the newspaper of to day, only
bigger, we fail to understand. The news
paper of today has simply grown
and developed; it has not changed
In its nature; it has always been partisan.
has always published the news. ALWAYS
been more or less disposed to make the
most OF the news and always beena vehicle
for advertisements which are in themselves
In the nature of news. To predict that there
will be departure from the lines within
which the newspaper has been developed.
IS to say that the people will also undergo
radical change il. their habits and very
natures, and become unlike what they are
to day and have been.
We imagine Mr.. BROOKS has indicated a
transformation which he would like to see
take place rather than one which is prob
able.