The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-01

Effect of Advertisers
'The second query: How is the service
affected by the increasing proportion of
total newspaper revenue derived from the
advertisers II is only affected by the
extent 10 which the various revenues en-
able it to spend more money for news
and better editorial service. Only the
common practice of selling newspapers
for one cent has had the effect of cutting
down the proportion of the revenue. I
should say that in a normal, energetic
establishment, the advertising would he
about two thirds Of the revenue, leaving
about one-third to come from the crcula-
ton. The margin of profit on a one cent
newspaper is, of course very slight over
the cost of white paper This does not
apply, however. to the Sunday paper
which is an important adjunct of all the
large dailies and where the circulation
profit remains an extremely important
factor But the advertising, 1t must be
remembered comes only with the news
papers success as a newspaper
The theory that timber liars In the
Sulse or advertising solicitors and cir
culation fakirs go out and impose upon
the business public and thus secure the
advertising which appears daily is an
ether delusion. Advertising is about
the closest kind of business promo
sition. The large department stores
spend their money in exact percentages
laid against the value of their wares.
usually about 31s per cent of their
gross business. Experience has taught
the good advertiser that he must create
current or interest and he has learned
that the only way to do this is by
intelligently presenting his values and
stock TO the public in convenient way
Is Great Convenience
There is no greater convenience
than the daily newspaper which is
widely read and it is relied upon to
furnish those daily bulletins of busi-
ness, thereby saving research and sign
hunting by the busy public. Perhaps
the Trainer of the question had in mind
the thought that the increasing ad-
vertising In some way molds the opin-
ions. news service or editorial energy
of the paper This Is another foolish
thought II there Is merit in pro-
portion and L think there is, the more
business newspaper gets, the strong
er 1t becomes; more powerful and moro
Independent. 1t Is giving value re-
ceived to the advertiser and does not
truckle to him or dispose itself to Sc
cure his business. In short, Ii COM
mands and does not obey
III the theorists would think logi-
cally for few minutes they would
see the correctness of this PROPOSE
ton. The strong newspaper acquires its
power on basis of public confidence
The advertiser finds a constituency
which has faith In its newspaper much
more productive of business results
than a subsidized sheet could possibly
find. Not only do advertisers not run
the policy of newspapers, but they sell
hom never try. I have been for 20
years In the business office of the
Il a -
a half dozen attempts on the part of
advertisers to influence it and OF these
attempts only one was matter of pub
lie concern, about which there were
two very fair opinions. We did not ac-
cept the advertisers view. 1t is some
FIVE years since l have had an ad-
vertiser ask me TO do anything even
in his personal interests, unless per-
haps TO print wedding notice or the
mention of some social affair and IN
this / rather think the editors treated
him more stability than If ii had been
someone else Good editors are not In
terfered with on great newspapers. IF
they were there would be neither good.
editors nor great newspapers.
The Third Question
THE third question asked: How is news
service affected by the Journalistic
interests of the capitalist owner? This
ing regularly out of Wisconsin. In my
wide range of newspaper acquaintance,
| do not know any capitalist owners, nor
do l know any successful newspapers that
are not owned by themselves 1t is not
possible for a newspaper to be success
full run In private interest. The news
paper is q public concern, and when II
ceases to serve the public, 1t ceases to
be a successful newspaper. A good many
have tried 10 start pr
have bought newspapers with the idea
that they could in some way manipulat e
them to a private interest. The result
has always been disastrous
THE very few capitalists | have known
who went into the newspaper to help
out poor editor lost their money. and
were sorry they ever played with the
game. 1t ought to be clear to the aver
age mind that newspaper is the one
thing in the world that is run in the
open. 1t prints what it has to say where
everybody has access TO it, on the open
page. The newspaper costs very little
money. and the poorest man or woman
finds 1t within his or her reach There
Is no excuse at all for anybody being
deceived by what appears on the printed
RACES Moreover, in no business or pro-
fesson is there such rivalry as in that
Of making newspapers, and if the edi-
tor or capitalist proprietor should try
to make something, he would soon find
ii torn away and laid naked to the
world ET
Who Are the Capitalists?
This Wisconsin cry about capitalist
ownership interests me mildly because
would like TO know what 1t is based
upon. Who are the CAPITALISTS Where
are their interests? Who are the edi-
tors whose minds are perverted What
reporters are compelled to write against