Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1901-03-09
LOCAL NEWSPAPERS.
THEIR TRUE POSITION IN THE CON-
MUNlTY.
Complex Services which They
should Perform Their Value
Public Institutions-Jscfu ms Pro-
mOters of Business,


should Perform Their Value nS
Public Institutions-Useful ms Pro-
mOters of Business.
The rightly conducted local newspa-
Yer contributes more to the we'll being
If its community than any other pri-
vatc enterprise and Is second in impor-
tancc to the people to no public lnsti-
tuition unless it he the public school,
writes l.. L. Harrison in Newspaper
dom.
Much Of a trivial nature may appear
in the local paper, but the fact remains
that the local news, in the broadest
sense, Is the solvent which blends the
varying elements of local life into an
organic whole. To the vast majority
of people local doings are more impor-
tant than the doings of the state and
nation. Next to the family, the most
important unit is the local community
The local newspaper that records all
Of the local happenings, tendencies and
developments that are of interest to
the people has performed very impor-
tant service. If, in addition to this,
ilit tulltI tDliStl utS anu tOIllIlltulS vi
the more important matters in way
to reflect the best sentiments of the
people, he contributes a factor to local
life the value Of which cannot be over
estimated.
The editor still further places the
town under obligations to him If, from
study of the life and doings of other
rnnnn1nnitinS ha t. nl,1n 70
gestions for the local welfare.
The local paper should reflect local
sentiments. The reader is more inter
ested to know what many think about
local questions than to know what one
editor thinks. Local opinions are in
teresting local news. The editor who
has the ability and is in touch with the
community so as to conduct a paper
on these lines has n hold upon the pco-
pie which not only gives him an honor
able and dignificd position, but should,
with good business management, make
him an adequate income and a valua-
bic property.
Almost as important to the commune
ty and more important to the treasury
is the management of that part of the
paper which is paid for by the author
namely, the advertising. 1t should be
borne in mind that advertising today is
not an optional matter, but the only
means by which goods can be diStrb-
uted to the best advantage of buyers
and the greatest profit to the merchant.
1t IS an improved merchandising ma
chine that enables the buyer to got
what he wants at least trouble and cX-
pensc and the dealer to do much lar
ger business with a given plant to his
advantage and profit.
While the space occupied by the ad
vertiser is paid for by the merchant it
is the privilege and duty of the editor
to make the matter as interesting and
valuable as possible to the reader. A
useful suggestion in the advertising
columns adds as much to the attract
iveness of the paper to the reader as
though 1t appeared in the news col
umnS.
1t can almost be laid down as Il rule
that the more fresh, interesting and
helpful the advertising columns are
made to the reader the more benefit the
advertiser will derive from the paper
and the more he will pay for the use of
the paper.
Success in conducting a local paper
depends, first, upon the right concep-
ton of the highest utility of the paper.
With this view of the office of the local
paper there will be no seeking Of tenn
porary sensations, no deceiving head
ings, for the newspaper man will real
lie that the value of his paper to read
er and advertiser alike rests on conf.
dence.
There will be no begging of advertis-
ing "to help the paper" for the atti-
tude of soliciting advertising for the
profit of the advertiser will be recog-
nized as the more effective as well as
the more dignitied.
In short, a conception of the true po-
sition of the local newspaper will place
Its conductor in the social position he
should occupy and his bank balance on
footing of independence.