Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-21
WHAT IS NEWSPAPER "CIRCULA-
TION:.'
The Washington "EveninE Stars
View of the Subject.

u
View of the Subject.
From Printers Ink, August A. 1897.
Editor of Printers Ink:
1t is always regarded as presumptuous
when learner differs from teacher; but
The Evening Star must dissent from the
opinion of Printers Ink when the Little
Schoolnaster' says, in its issue of July
81, that Tie Star attempts too much" and
does wrong in deducring from its circu-
lation statements all copies of the paper
returned to or left in the office unsold.
This course The Star thinks is the only
honest and proper one for a newspaper to
pursue. 1t maintains that the measure of
value 20 an advertiser is the publicity his
announcement receiVeS-that is, the num-
Der of papers actually sold and circulated,
not the number of copies merely printed.
The present price Of printing paper is so
lew that an unscrupuiouS publisher can
well afford to print twice as many papers
as he circulates, in order to make good
showing; and that many of them do this
is concusively shown by the wagon loads
of returned or uncirculated papers that any
observing person can see carted back to
printing offices, and from printing offices
10 the railway, en- route for the paper mill.
This practice can easily be made profitable
to the swindling publisher, because the
profits on single large advertising con-
tract obtained by these fraudulent meth
DDS will much more than pay for the white
paper required to make the showing, to
say nothing of future business hoped for
and the permanent higher circulation rat
ing he is thus able to get in newspaper
directories, etc.
The Star holds that the number Of copies
printed is no evidence " natever-not even a
reliable indication-of the circulation of q
newspaper, and ii is amazed that the Lit
tie Schoolmaster' or any reasoning being
should seriously argue that it is The Star
believes and acts on the theory that an adj
vertiser is entitled to know the exact num-
Der of copies of a paper that presumably
reaches the eye of a reader-a probable
customer 1t, therefore, furnishes this pre-
else Information i'll every Jne of its state
ments. And, believing that quality as we'll
extent of circulation enters into the
value of publicity desired by an adver-
tiser, it goes still further, and is ready and
glad to show to its advertising patrons ex-
actly where every copy thus accounted for
goes that is. how many papers are regu-
larry delivered at the doors of permanent
subscribers; how many sold over the coun-
ter: how many sold, to street newsboys;
how many supplied to hotels and news
agents; how many seat by express and by
nail, etc
The Star doesn't claim or intiE ate that
all publishers who are unwilling to Co the
same thing are dishonest; but it believes
that person who pays for anything is en-
titled to know exactly what he Is getting.
1t is, therefore, willing to give to its GUS
toners just as specific value for their
when he is required to weigh out pound
of groceries or measure off yard of stuff
for his customers. This has been the theory
and practice of The Star since it came into
the hands of its present management-now
nearly a third oil a century ago-and this
will be it's policy while 1t remains in their
hands, whatever other papers may do or
not do.
Not only is this policy right in itself. but
The Star has found II in the highest degree
profitable, in obtaining and holding the
patronage and confidence of a wide circle
of customers. Can any one doubt that q
strict adherence to the same course by the
newspapers of the country would at once
place their business On higher moral
plane and make 1t more remunerative in
| the end?
kTHE EVENING STAR NEWSPAPER CO.,
Per s. II. K.
Washington, July o. 1897.
Mr.. Kaufman, president Of The WASH
| irgton Evening Star Newspaper Company,
| is, as a rule, one of the most accurate of
men, but in this matter of circulation he Is
| wrong. What an advertiser wants to know
| is how many copies Of the paper will be put
| out today or tomorrow morning, or next
| week. or for year to come. But as this
caInot be ascertained in adv lnce he likes
! to know how many were put out yester-
! day or last week, or OF each issue for q
| month or a year, for he believes with Pat
| rick Henry. who knew mo way of judging
of the future but by the past" and COIN
| cides with Montague who believed that