The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-01
QUALITY In NEWSPAPERS
ITS ADVERTISING VALUE AS COM
PARED WITH MERE QUANTITY.
Some Facts Clearly Expressed by n
Man of Experience that Are APP
pIicabIe to the Journals Case.

/ take IL that the question we are cons1d-
ering is the comparative value of quality
and quantity in newspaper circulation as
relating to newspaper advertising. The ad-
vertising man, as a rule, is a pretty shrewd
individual, and If he has had experience is
generally able to judge correctly those me-
diums which produce the best results. As it
is very difficult to trace direct results
from advertising in any particular paper,
il is of the utmost Importance that adver-
Users should be able to know what papers
reach the class of readers who are most
apt to become interest in the announce
ments which they make.
1 would not make light of papers having
large circulations. but quantity alone
counts for very little. There are merchants
who seek TO get into the homes by having
inserted into reputable newspapers their
advertisements printed on separate sheets,
and, while large numbers of these inserts
are thus circulated, 1t is doubtful whether
that kind of circulation is of much value.
The advertiser is seeking the individual
buyer, not merely the individual reader;
but the man who, reading the paper, has
the means to become purchaser, If per-
suaded that he desires the article offered
for sale. Five thousand Indians on the
Western plains might read advertise
ment of the Steinway piano and not one
would be sold a result of that publicity
Ten thousand factory girls might be i'm
pressed with the attractive announcement
of Brother Daniels's Chicago limited train,
yet not a single ticket would be purchased
by them. Lord Timothy Dexter took
cargo Of warming pans TO the West Indies
He could not sell them. He had taken them
to the wrong place He did, however,
move the covers and sold them sugar
| scoops. 1t is of the utmost Importance to
reach the people who can buy. In most
cases the papers having the largest circu-
lation are those which sell for the lowest
| price. 1t is but fair to assume that the
| people who buy paper because it is cheap,
in the majority of instances are those who
| are limited in their means. They are people
| who must have the necessities of life and
] not the Injuries. The bulk of advertising is
| for the sale of luxurieS and not necessities.
MUST SUIT ALL CLASSES.
Newspapers are made for the public.
They must cater to the requirements of
every reader. If they do not, they are with
out readers. The editors and publishers
who can best understand the public wants
and meet them are conductors of the most
successful journals; but no one newspaper
|
community any more than one religion
would suit all classes of people or one po-
litical party enroll all voters under its ban
ner. Different classes of individuals require
| different kinds Of newspapers. AS the ex-
| pert fisherman knows the kind of bait to
use for the particular kind of fish he is
angling for, the publisher must know
! the kind and quality of paper to make for
| the constituency he is seeking. 1t is natural
/ that every publisher should desire large
/ u ifrrn I'LL l..rN l.
| lety for numbers he may find that he is
| gaining in readers among one class of peo-
pie and losing readers from another. He
may add TO his circulation in quantity but
| lose in quality. He may catch more Jelly
| fish but not so many trout.
| Undue stress has been placed on the value
| OF large circulation; even some of our good
| friends among the advertising agents have
| sought to reduce advertising to an exact
| science and TO fix rates for advertising on
| the basis of so much per line per thousand
| paper advertising you do cordwood. You
| cannot fix rates that could be made appli-
| cable to all papers, because conditions are
| so different. An influential paper of 5000 cir
| culation in a small town might be of more
value to an advertiser than a paper of ten
| times that circulation in large city The
| quality of the paper and the character and
| standing of the people who read it are fac
tors, in my judgment. of far more impor-
| lance than the question of how many pa
| pers printed.
1t is not much the number of papers
| which go out of the presSroom which
| should be carefully examined, as the fact
where those papers go to and who are the
| people who read them. Are papers hastily
| read and thrown away? Are they purchas ed
| TO help pass away a few moments ride on
a car, or are they delivered in the homes to
| be carefully read by each member of the
| family? Are they read as we would read a
| handful are they read for information
| and instruction, to become the source of
| our knowledge of contempOraneous life?
| The higher the mere literary quality of
| newspaper, the smaller will be its circula-
| ton. The masses OF the people do not re-
quire such a paper nor could they appreci-
ate it. 1t is not necessary, however, for a
| newspaper to become pedantic or scholarly
to have high grade of excellence, but it
| is possible for paper to be ably edited to
| be alert and enterprising. to carry all the
| news, to use such Illustrations as will make
| clearer the text, TO be up to date in every
| particular, and yet maintain that high de-
| gree of quality that will bring TO it such
| large number of readers that advertisers
| will generously use its columns and the
| revenues of the paper will be such that the
best talent and the finest mechanism can be
| employed in the production Of il. Yet such
! a paper must, necessarily, be limited in
| circulation To meet the requirements of it's
readers, ii must carry all the news of the
world and OF the country and in addition
! large amount of local news, society events
obituary notices, sports, movements of
| trade, politics, religion and hundred other
subjects In which their readers are person
ally interested. If time was eliminated in
| delivery of such a New York paper to Chi
| cago. it would not sell in that city because
the local news that would be of so great
| value here would be of no value there.
WHERE THE VALUE is.
The paper of quantity can publish an edi-
ton at o'clock in the morning at New
| York and sell in large numbers in the after
| noon in Boston. The paper of quality could
not. The paper which makes any pretense
whatever to its quality is very much re-
| stricted. 1t cannot print Objectionable ad-
! vertisements. If it did, it would be debarred
from the best homes. 1t cannot print ad-
| vertsements of fake concerns, because its
readers expect it's business ethics to be on
as high a plane as its editorial professions
| Ii cannot insult the intelligence of its read
| ers by the use OF poster type or abomina-
| tons in the way of pictures or colors. 1t
cannot make statements rejecting on the
| character OF individuals without careful in
| Vestigation. 1t cannot lie. 1t cannot be dis
| honest. Ii cannot print papers at IL o clock
| and call them evening edition. Ii cannot
| be a braggart and appropriate the best por-
tlon OF the paper in exploiting itself and
its own achievements. The paper of quality
Is prevented from adopting these and other
practices OF so-called modern Journalism.
| 1t must be conservative 10 a degree
| 1t must be fair and honest ia its reports
| and il must give all the news, leaving to
its readers 10 judge the proper amount of
| emphasis 10 give to each item.
n an 4 he Inc fo<e