The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1917-06-19
PUBLISHERS INVOKED AGAINST
FREE ADS"

Newspapers were urged by Louis
Wiley, business manager Of the New
York Times, in an address he deliv-
cred before the annual convention of
| the Associated Advertising Clubs of
the World at st. Louis, to draw
close in one compact front against
the common foe." This foe to the
prosperity of newspapers. Mr. Wiley
pointed out, as seekers of free public
1ty. To rout this enemy IF publish
ers, Mr.. Wiley said, there was needed
not only determination but united
front. 1t could not be achieved if
each publisher pursued a private pur-
pose.
Free publicity, he declared, is lille
gal, forbidden by United States
statute which requires that reading
matter for which money is paid shall
be plainly marked as an advertise
ment. Besides, he declared, it was a
deception upon the readers of the
newspaper.
Every newspaper reader" he con-
tinued, has a right to expect that
the articles printed in the news col
umns shall be generally news. The
printing of advertisements, puffs,
statements which are not news under
the guise of news, unless they are
labeled as advertisements, as requir-
ed by law, is deceit. Newspapers
which practice imposition of this
kind always are punished. Both ad-
vertisers and readers lose confidence
in and gradually desert such publ
cations.
I'm almost every sphere of activity.
there Is a press agent whose duty it
is to take newspaper managers un-
aware. Advertising is disguised as
news to trap the guileless editor.
1.-THE best rule for an editor is to
news value it should be printed
whether or not it helps the adver-
tiser, but it should never be printed
as news simply because it helps the
advertiser. The mere fact that an
advertiser has some connection with |
the news should not hinder its pub
LEGATION.
There are cases." said Nr. Wiley, |
lin which advertisers had threatened |
to withhold paid advertising unless |
free publicity was given. Weak-mind-
ed publishers had submitted to this |
sort of 'blackmail,' but" he added,
mo self-respecting newspaper man
will allow an advertiser to dictate |
what he shall or shall not print and
he certainly will defy any imperti-
nent individual who threatens loss of
patronage unless favors are granted"
The public, Mr.. Wiley said, has no /
use for the paid "write-up" and less
respect for the newspaper that pub
fishes it and the misguided publisher
who prostitutes his news columns to
secure advertising constantly finds
himself in hot water.
The American Newspaper Publish
ers' Association, said Mr.. Wiley, is
campaign against the
'malefactors of great and devious in
dustry among the advertising agents
|
for free advertising" The Bureau of
of that association had
found that the giving of free publ
city is a menace to the further de-
velopment of advertising. The
fact that so many publishers are still
giving away their news space to mat
ters that should be exploited thought
paid advertising has hampered the
bureau in its work of developing
newspaper advertising" he asserted
1.-The Committee in charge OF the
Bureau of Advertising suggested the
adoption of a plan to bring about
agreements between publishers In
every city putting up the bars
against free publicity. Community
agreements of this sort seem ad-
visable. Every one admits that i'll
this respect it is time that the news
nanarc reform themselves"