Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1914-10-19
Newspapers and the War
ny Rrank n. Hoyss, Prsssaeu, Assoois..d Press.


There is, perhaps. no popular misunderstanding
more widespread than is found In the current belief
that great wsr other important happenings that
Gauss an Increased sale Of newspapers Is profitable
70 newspaper owners
The fundamental error is so protesque to a nsNs-
paper publisher 90 the humor Il 10 afford
sorely.
The simple fact Is that the Newspaper Is probably
heavier financial sufferer in the business world
through war than any and those whose property
Is physically destroyed by t.
On this side OF the the burden OF the present
European war Is laid heaviest newspaper pub
fishers OF all our business men This is so because
OF facts that are very easy to understand.
The newspapers OF large circulation In this conn
try are almost without exception i-cent newspaper
The white paper for these papers costs more than
the wholesale selling price There IL loss every
copy sold and the greater the excitement, the more
extras' issUed, the greater the loss
IN ordinary times this loss Is made up ny sdver-
using receipts II Is obvious that nothing
Is received for the ADVERTISING in this additional and
temporary circulation The sad Of this IL true
In all tines OF excitement advertising dlminishes-
there individual exceptions OF course, but they
are sporadic and only prove the rule
n this measured the extent Of the disaster the
newspapers that brings they would then be
somewhat worse off than the average business
Germ for with Diminished advertising earnings they
would have increased circulation losses
The tale OF woe Of the newspapers has only begun.
however. The usual business when trade is
bad, WHISTLER nom whetever the cause Of the
Depression may be- trims its sails for the storm
curtas the working force reduces the output. War
means to the newspaper the contrary immediate
and tremendous increase TO its cost Of production
Take the Associated Press for example This is a
cooperative and nonproft making organization Of
800 pepcrs the purpose Of which facilitate
the exchange Of nsws between lie members and the
collection of original for their joint benefit In
times Of peace Il maintains bureaus in all the
world centers Of snd the cost OF It's operations
runs annually TO enormous The little furry
Of the Spansh-Amerfcan war, however cost the As
ISOLATED Press tsS,me in addition to It's normal
penHea.
In preparation for the ptoverbist rainy day.
which with the Associated Press IL war-sn emer-
sency fund Of sEO.@o had been accumulated. Since
the latter part Of July this has been eaten into at
appalling rate. for the Associated Press expand
It's corps Of correspondents ut all points from
London 10 Toxic. must multiply Hs cable expenditures
by fiveor by ten II the graclously permit.
As with the Assocdassd Press 30 with all In
divbduaI newspapers large or small The maintain
ing OF editorial and mechanical forces during unusual
hours 10 provide for the prompt publication OF
declarations Of and great battles alone amounts
TO heavy burden
IL is when the case Of the individual great news
papers IKE those Of New York and Chicago. is
sdered that the full of General SherinRn's
pronouncement to IL established. far the
newspaper u concerned.
These newspapers feel bound In the performance
OF their duty their readers TO do large amount
OF original gathering IN addition TO that done
for them by the Associated Press or other news
gathering organizations and the expense TO them is
simply staggering.
It is doubtful whether any of the publishers OF
the great newspapers even refrain from
either tears bad language when he thinks OF the
orgy Of expense in which he involved during the
spanIsh-American The ordinary profits OF the
most prosperous vanished into thin afr and the less
fortunately placed found themselves facing enormous
deficits.
Narrowing a that recollection has been It will
aeem like rosy dream II present titanic copdct
continues for considerable time and the newspapers
keep up their expenditures the scale of August
and September.
II may well be that ali newspaper will be
praying for censor who Will forbid any reference
20 the war 20 be cabled.