The Republican journal., 1902-01-09
Editor ana
JOURNALISTIC CHANGES.

l
Reviewing in the current issue OF the
New England Farmer the history OF
that publication for the past elghIy
wears, George M. Whitaker the present
editor and publisher, makes some inter
esting comments on the changes which
have taken place in journalism IN gen
eral and agricultural journalism IN
particular since 1922. Much OF what
he SAWS finds confederation in the his
tory of The Republican Journal, which
dates back to 1929. For example: I'm
1922 the subscription price OF news
papers was much above the coSl. III
1909 periodicals are sold at much less
than cost; the loss on subscribers anu
the profit to the publisher comes from
advprtising." The plant required 1or |
The Republican Journal in 1929 couio
be duplicated today for $685. the present
nlapteould not be replaced for less than
IS. 900. The paper then was only one
half it's present size, and was produced
AT one fourth the cost of the paper to7
day 1t was printed on hand press
while now a cylinder press, folder, en-
one and boiler are required One per-
SON dii the work of the office, where
IA -ee are now employed. The subsclp-
rjAa price was the same then as now.
local news there was none, ana HUE
Of a5y kind. In looking the other day
al pf q
tate as 1872 we were surprised to ina
that the average space devoted to local
and county news was less than TWO
..oIunps In one issue there was but
ll.re-fourths of q column; a little more
shan half made up of Belfast items ana
-ne leInalndel Of county matters. NO"
,ye frequently lave from two to four
columns of county news and from tWelNe
go fifteen columns of local matter. The
lost of collecting and printing the local
rlens NOW exceeds the whole cost OF
printing the paper in its early days.
Tie change in journalistic methods
Nv which the subscriber gets his paper
At less than the cost Of production
and a vastly better paper, has brought
about some changes which Mr. Whltta
ker thinks less desirable to the public
and in which we heartily agree Will
hjm. He says: The necessity OF get
TING advertising has led to concedln
suecial positions, unartistic type, AM
repulsive illustrations. Hence tn
average daiy-in degree the weekly
# not actually repulsive, typograpl
really. is at least constant example
11d taste" This is none too strong
v,.ru. some OF 11+
iaAy papers are typographical craz
4"II''' an ofense to the eye and
nuisance to The reader. For examine
nan column of display heading vii
De followed by a half a dozen lines q
reading NATTER and then you are re
TeFred to the 'steenth page. The illny
EIatlons are often meaningless h,u,s =,
ol''eHes' But we have faith that thi
Aiha OF journalism has not come +,
stay ana that sooner or later there. vii
oe return to saner methods and more
attractive Typography.
00"hol says tlldI the spirit of
Gusts and combinations has iniured
me advertising business of the aorcul
oUiaI press, and that it has also suffered
SFoh Vie present fad for ADVERTISING in
me magazines and daily PAPERS to the
exclusion OF such papers as the New
h"giand Farmer-referring here mainly
70 'he announcements of seedsmen and
fiipIeihent dealers. The same amount
u money expended in the agricultural
ahu local newspapers would. we arc
sure orlng better results. In conclusion
NJ Whitaker says:
The outlook for New England aori
cu'tAre was never brighter than at
present, The craze to 90 west has deS
'uI, C1e virgin fertility of the west has
',een depleted, modern educational in
auences nave made the farmer more
.nNellgent, more profitable methods
bf employed, farm life is more Meas
~ ana comfortable, New Fnrland
owns and cities furnish larger and
oetter markets than ever befora All
f 1nas undoubtedly Will have a beneficial
. ,n renee e on the agricultural papers
Ihe management of the New England
FARMER Is highly gratified that # en-
serS upon It's eighty first volume with
a. many readers as it ever had and
DlaV us standing as a reliable. progress
SiFe, enterprising paper was never hef
Ter. ~ hoNel peI-