The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-02-27
THE PRESS AND PUBLIC.

THE PRESS DEPARTMENT of the
L American Civic association has is
sued some suggestions for its MEM
Lers which are 50 pertinent that they
ought 10 be read by every body who is
il any way connec1ed with improve
11ents in public ssr 5ice or with or
carnations OF a public nature. Evil
IDENTIFY the man who prepared the sUg-
Scstions has been IN the business and
knows Inat newspapers are always glad
10 have news or information of general
interest. but that 1T is not always pos
sible 10 give as much space to special
matter as the authors think it is
v orth. Here is what the circular says:
ITO help the town is a fundamental
of the newspaper creed. 1t may thus
be assumed. at the beginning and all
the time, that the local newspapers
viii be interested in helping along any
live movement for civic betterment.
Dineren noes of Judgment among editors
as to ways and means of accomplish
ing results. however. must be allowed
for. since they are quite as human as
the members OF organizations for i'm
provement purposes. Therefore the
attitude of the civic organization,
whatever it's name, toward the press.
should not be that of crowding special
theories down the threats of editors,
securing puffs of persons leading the
movement. or demanding that papers
shall virtually become official organs
OF the movement.
Let the facts regarding what it is
proposed to do or what is actually be
ing done speak for themselves, but take
some pains. either through the secre-
tury or a press committee. to give the
newspaper men careful statements of
fScts. Erroneous reports and misrep-
reservations arise in the great major
ity of cases from failure to take pains
o. even a little time TO state facts, on
the assumption that the newspaper
1uan ought to know them by some kind
OF a mysterious instinct.
IF a press committee is appointed, it
is wen to have each one of its MEM
hers solely responsible for the work of
the committee for some stated period
y new committee can be named at suf-
ficient intervals to divide the work;
but there is advantage in continuing
a good committee indefinitely. only
one member should deal with any pa
per duriH given period. though
where there are several papers an
equal number of committeeman may
lie kept busy.
What newspapers usually like to-
have: y concise statement of the pur-
statements regarding plans adopted
and. special projects to be undertaken.
Accurate lists of officers and commit
tees for reference. Brief, pointed.
signed letters (written on one side of
the sheet only regarding projected To-
cal improvements. Accounts of actual
achievements in other places along the
line of local projects. either in print or
written out Photographs. especially
showing before and after improve
ments. when the paper has facilities
for printing illustrations.
Don't expect papers to give large
sr.ace to promoting your organization
unless you are really doing something
besides talking about civic improve
ment
Don't stop giving information
about your work to the press because
at times the editor has not been able
t. use it all Yours is not the only
OF ganization concerning which pub
lefty is important
Don't seek to use papers for per-
s0nal publicity unless You are prepared
Il pay the advertising rates.
Don't feel hurt if papers do not use
your story word for word. even when
YOU take pains to write it out; they
do not wish to duplicate what others
may use verbatim, and they have a
right to style of their own
I'm preparing articles for publica-
ton:
% Always make the first paragraph
tell what the local effort is in cOnnec-
ton with the subject of the article.
In the second paragraph state clearly
the application of the facts which the
article contains to the local situation.
Then tell your story with the utmost
brevity. 1t is highly important to
summarize your facts in the first two
paragraphs. This helps to get the IA
NOEaDle aAlGAiliOil OA the SuilOI ana y
appreciated by the general reader.
CD Nowadays nearly all daily papers
have special Saturday afternoon or
sunday morning issue. These special
issues are largely made up of feature
articles. Any civic improvement arti-
cies except timely news items should
be offered for these special editions
wherever they are issued. 1t is for
such numbers that photographs may
be offered with assurance of their use.
"(3) Typewriter copy should be
furnished whenever possible: other
wise be sure your manuscript is legibly
written. Make it brief and to the
point. and cut out every word not es-
sential to the sense of the story. Edi-
tors have constant trouble tn ind