New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-08-01
NEWSPAPERS UNbOSSEO
Don C.. Seitz Combats Some
Rather Common FaIIaCies.
MUST SERVE THE PUBLIC
Advertisers Cannot Dictate Pol
icies, Nor Owners Advance
Private Interests, He Says.

Madison. Wis. July 5l.-"How Is new.
service affected by the constantly in
creaslng cost OF the newspaper plant.
the increasing proportion Of total news
paper revenue derived from the adver-
Users and the nom journalistic interests
OF the capitalist owner?" was answered
. in paper prepared by Don 6. seitz, OF
The New York World" read before the
National Newspaper Conference to-day.
| Mr. Seitz spoke OF the cost OF q news
paper plant, and said:
! 1t is the cost of the news service and
not the cost OF the plant that makes
/ starting a newspaper difficult. Three-
hfths Of the cost OF operating modern
daily are what might be called overhead
charges. / mean by that, news service,
editorial writers, pictures, caolegrams
! and the various bureaus. The mechanical
/ side represents only two-tfths OF the
| remainder I do not know single pro
gressive newspaper that is not constantly
| increasing its news outlay far faster than
] Il piles up It's mechanical expenditures.
/ The wise editor knows that IL is the news
/ that sells the paper and not the press
/ that prints II.
| A. 10 the effect on the service OF the
/ increasing proportion Of total newspaper
revenue derived from the advertisers
Mr. Seitz declared the service was ar
fected only by the extent to which the va
rious revenues enabled II TO spend more
money for news and better editorial
service lie added:
! The theory that limber liars IN the gus Us
OF advertising solicitors ana or 80, t,si.
/ takers go out and impose upon the 30
ness public and thus secure the ad'
F Using which appears dallyNis another ot
fusion Advertising Is ABOUT me cI So
! kind of business proposition me Ia
deuartment stores spend their noH'! III
exact percentages laid against the Nalus
7 OF their wares usually ABOUT SO per 80
Of their gross business. Experience nd
taught the good advertiser that ne nv.
I create a current Of Interest ana ne ma
T learned that the only way TO do THIS j.
/ by intelllgcntly presenting his values anu
stock to tn" public Ia a convthIeh' Wa
Not Affected BY Advertising
There is no greater convenience than
/ the daily newspaper when u ".pcg IN.
and II is relied upon 10 iurn!sh these ia
| bulletins OF business. thereby saving tr
/ search and sign hunting by the ousy
/ public. ,-.t.,,.,, 49, s,,,,s
| Wa, moulds the opinions. news SCI N',t %
! editorial energy OF the paper. II Hho'hr4
| foolish thought II there is merit ia
proportion. and / think there Is ~
more business a newspaper go,
stronger IL becomes, more power al eI''
more independent II Is giving Nalue
ceiyed TO the advertiser, ana Goes 10,
truckle To him or dispose itself 10 becutI
hls business. In short, Il comnahds anu
does not obey. ,,t ,{oatt,.
go- a few minutes they would see lnt
correctness OF this proposition. me stIous
newspaper acquires III power on 9 e.as
OF public confidence. Inc aoEtruseI nm
, constituency which has falth ~ ~
gevEpaper much more productive OF ounl
nese results than a subsidized sheet co"'u
possibly find. 49,. -
Not only do advertisers not run lhe poi
los. ~ ueWspaperg. but they r-IuoHl OF
nev.r t-v Good editors are not interiered
viii on great new papers. II they Were
there would he neither good e1lurS HO'
great newspapers.
u, DISCUSSING How is news service az
,.o.e5 ~ the nCu-jouruallsuc Interests OF
tho capitalist owner" Mr. seitz said:
In NV vide range OF newspaper &C
otIa.rtarco / do not know any capita.s,
ou,uers nor do ! know any 'uccessiul
newspapers that are not owned oy the.n
selves II IL not possible TOT new
narer 20 be successful run In prNat"
Interest. The newspaper 10 pubic con
corn. and when II ceases 20 serve the pup-
IA, IN ceases o. De "a succesflul ne"sPaPtI
4 good many men nave tr.ed 10 7'"l
ra,Ssn.Uers OF have bought newspapers
with tie idea that they could IN SOM
vvav rnauirulate them 70 private inter-
est. TIE result has always been d!saS-
trous
Must Conform, to the News.
The peculiarly OF the newspaper lies N
tr. fact that IL. more than any other, ls
an .Inshaped article. 7 mean that u must
| conform 10 the news. II cannot remake
! h. or remodel -. II can ana docs MAKE
,,,io,a tes. but that 90 the limit Of its pos
sibiii,ies The manufacturer can TURN out
/ an article Of a peculiar pattern, WINE t;'
newspaper can only print what III hHIs
and can only convey the result 10 lls
s.eks TO build must grow With tact "a
reaeon aud not 10y mere assertion. 10
sbnrt 6, is an advertising medium in rre-
I .o,tir. ravg issues and trade. The news
nsner can have no other purpose ard be
y newspaper. and II q IS not newspaper
IL VIII de.
Charles n. Grasty. Of The Baltimore
Sun said he believed the newspa pers
could no, afford 10 ignore their adver-
tlsers. and the whole question OF the re-
Iation Of news service TO the commercial
element of the publishing business was
matter OF economies
W. X. I.ovett. Of Grand Rapids, said
there were cases when news should be
suptressed in the interest Of both the
nubIic and the newspaper. lie said
very generous restraint was exercised by
editors and publishers OF which the PUBIC
knew little 1r nothing. but which IL gen
erallv known, would elevate the press IN
popular esteem.
Z