Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-08-20
DIME SUNDAY PAPERS.
Prediction of Munsey, Who Says Price
Will Soon Be Raised.

Will Soon Be Raised.
Frank A. Munsey, who originated
and made successes out of Il string of
magazines and is besides the publisher
of two successful newspapers, one in
Washington and the other in Boston,
recently returned to the Hotel Ritz, in
Paris, from ten days automobile
trip. In an interview with a Paris
correspondent Of the New York Herald
Mr.. Munsey discussed the competition
between magazines III the United States
and the Sunday newspapers and pre-
dicted that the price of Sunday news
papers would be raised to 10 cents In
the near future.
'The Sunday newspaper of the fu'.
ture," he said, "a great big Sunday
newspaper, should be made so good,
and doubtless will be made so good
that 1t will sell at 10 cents instead OF
cents"
MIR. Munsey was asked whether the
Sunday newspapers, with their Stories
illustrations and pictures, like the
"Fluffy Ruhles' series, were hurting
the magazines.
at is not only difficult but impossible
to say whether the magazine has suf-
fered by reason of the Sunday paper"
said Mr.. Munsey. THAT the magazine
has not suffered setback in circula-
ton on tits account is certain, for the.
reason that the combined circulation OF
magazines is constantly on the in.
crease.
Little more than dozen years ago,
when l went into the magazine bust
ness, there We're not more than 25O.GV,
regular magazine buyers in the United
States and Canada. That does not
mean there were not more than 250,-
coo magazines issued, for many buy
ers took several magazines Today
there are easily 100000 magazine
buyers in the two countries.
each Of these individual buyers
takes many more magazines than did
the buyers of the other period. Why!
Mainly for the reason that magazines
cost less"
"Do YOU believe the circulation or
the Sunday issues of some OF the great
metropolitan dailies has suffered dur
ing the last few years by reason OF
the fact that many daily papers i'll
small towns publish their own Sunday
magazine and colored supplements?
II do not suppose the total circula-
ton of the Sunday issues OF metropoll-
tan dailies has shrunk for the reason
you name he replied. Nevertheless
it is impossible to say how much the
respective Calculations of great news
papers would have gained If country
newspapers had not gone into the mat;-
time features for their Sunday issues.
1--WE have just about reached poirlt
when much better Sunday papers must
be made than those now generally Is
sued. Except for technical improve
ments there has been little or no adj
vancement in the Sunday paper for
tie last ten years. Almost no new
ideas have been developed.
"In my judgment the publisher who
will lead off in giving 10 cents worth
will make hit in Sunday journalism.
Our people are never content with
what is. They want more and more
all the while. The present Sunday pa
per has prepared the way for a far
better publication that measures UP
to the standard of first class magazine
work, or, more properly speaking,
standard first rate weekly publication
work.
Improvement must come in the way
of quality. not of quantity. The latter
may be decreased with satisfaction
and increased in the other. In discuss
ing this point l am perhaps working
against my owl interests, as my bust
ness is chiefly that of magazine pub
fishing. However. am not disposed
to worry about the inevitable.
"Betterment of our Sunday papers is
inevitable. Higher standards of cur
publications. whether dailies, Sundays,
wee!slies or monthlies, would be bet
ter for the people. This last interests
me more than the question whether
shall make few dollars more or less.
But, as matter of fact, the magazine
will square itself to whatever condi-
tons may come up and viii meet The
Issue successfully
'Every twelvemonth during the last
dozen years has recorded an emphatic
Improvement In standard magazines.
Other improvements will go on. must
go on. so long US the people demand
better things"