The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-01-11
PRESS AGENTS ARE
NOT THE OLD KIND

The press agent Of the good old days
is no more. There has been an elevation
of the press agent The character with
big silk hat and big diamonds, who told
Of the latest fur trimmings on the lead
ing mans coat and related incidents of
a railroad accident in which his COM
pany was involved, or reported the rob-
berry of a casket OF jewels, the property
OF the star or soubrette, or sang OF her
new rouge or her new lap dog. is passe.
So said Agent G.. VI. Atkinson OF the
new rouge. or her new lap dog, is passe.
Shubert Earl and the Girl" company.
Nowadays catastrophes and sensa-
tionalism must be left TO the playwright.
The press agent must pschew news
that is fictitious news There is very
little news i'm a town OF 1900 people 1t
IL reduced TO a minimum I'm a little band
OF 20 or 30 peopla-lt-p -pNas-tAis tendency
TO write news that led the old-time press
agent to tell about the new fur trimmings
or the robbery or the accident lie read
the stories Of the day in big headlines on
the first page and concluded he must get
out similar copy
For a time his copy reached the pub
lie; but the field narrowed. with a SINH
larity In his stories, Gradually they
basket. Then he began 10 observe. and
10 think, with the result that the present
day press agent is writing copy that is
ideal rather than realistic.
porter. tho man who deals In facts. The
wide-aNake press agent rs becoming
closely allied 10 the dramatic critic. lie
H. n theorist Gradually but inevitably a
closer and firiner alliance is being formed
between the editor and the press agent
The press agent is being evolved from the
ranks OF the dramatic editor. They are
writing upon the same subject; and they
are endeavoTing 10 write entertainingly
and truthfully for the reader. In my eX-
perience with the big metropolitan papers
I have found that the editors are conver-
SAINT with this fact
Did the dramatic editor know the trials
and tribulations of trooping.' he would
take a more kindly attitude toward the
profession. Your ordinary actor lives in
his trunk: and vo oried climates and va
ried bills OF fare. and cramped, inhospita-
BILE hotel rooms tend TO ruffle the finest
feathers and the most even tempers. Tho
most prominent road organizations are
compelled 90 make the small towns. for
excellent playhouses are being established
In every out-of-the-way corner through
out the country. The railroads and inter
urbans are making theatre-going race.
LAS an illustration, within two weeks
Omaha, Neb.. and the ncighborlng coun-
try expended $4,000 for theatricais This
I'm the face OF the fact that there are only
about 10000 people I'm Omaha.
THE first duty Of a press agent IL TO
know the newspaper business just n lit
tie better than the show business. To be
able To talk newspaper shop with the mau
with whom he does business. ones own
work is neares ones own heart. a
newspaper man is alwa W pleased TO meet
v man who knows the atmosphere OF his
office aud thus N is that newspaper men
newspaper experience are sought after by
theatrical Managers and tho leading
press agents of the country have smclled
printers ink az some time in their lives.