Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-07-31
NEWS SERVICE ITEM
PAPERS BIG OUTLAY
DON G. sEITz OF THE NEW YORK WORLD TELLS SOME
INTERESTING TRUTHS TO THE NATIONAL
CONFERENCE AT MADISON, WIS.

The wise editor knows
that it is the news that sells the paper
and not the press that prints it.
The second query: How is the ser
vice affected by the increasing pro
portion of total newspaper revenue de-
rived from the advertisers. 1t is only
affected by the extent TO which the
various revenues enable II TO spend
more money for news and better edi-
torial service. Only the common prac-
tice Of selling newspapers for Dne
cent has had the effect of cutting down
the proportion Of the revenue. should
say that in a normal, energetic estao-
lishment, the advertising would be
about two-thirds Of the revenue, leaV-
ing about one-third to come from the
circulation. The margin OF profit on
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 I'M
portant adjunct OF all the large dailies
and where the circulation profit re-
mains an extremely important factor.
But the advertising, it must be re-
membered. comes only with the news
papers success as a newspaper.
The theory that timber liars IN the
guise OF advertising solicitors and cir
culation fakirs go out and impose upon
the business public and thus secure
the advertising which appears daily
Is another delusion. Advertising Is
about the closest kind of a business
proposition. The large department
stores spend their money in exact per
centages laid against the value of their
wares, usually about three and one
half per cent OF their gross business.
! Experience has taught the good adver-
tiser that he must create a current
OF interest and he has learned that the
only way 70 do this Is by intelligently
/ presenting his values and stock to the
| public in a convenient way.
There is no greater convenience
than the daily newspaper which is
widely read and it is relied upon to fur.
nish these daily bulletins of business
/ thereby saving research and sign-hunt
/ ing by the busy public. Perhaps the
/ Trainer of the question had in mind
the thought that the increasing adver
| Using 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 proper
ton, and think there is, the more bus
mess a newspaper gets, the stronger
II becomes: more powerful and more
Independent. 1t is giving value re
ceived TO the advertiser and does no
truckle 70 him or dispose itself Il
secure his business. In short, it com
mands and does not obey.
IF the theorists would think logical
" for a few minutes. they would Sc,
the correctness of this proposition
The strong newspaper acquires IL
power on a basis of public confidence
The advertiser finds a constituent
which has faith in it's newspaper muci
more productive of business result
than a subsidized sheet could posi-
bly, find. Not only do advertisers no
run the policy of newspapers. but the
seldom or never try. | have been 70
20 years in the business Office of III
New York World, and | do not recal
a half dozen attempts on the part O
advertisers TO influence it and OF thes
attempts only one was a matter @
public concern about which there wer
two very fair opinions. We did nc
accept the advertisers view. 1t is som
five years since ! have had an adve