Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-05-30
Publicity a Commodity.

printed than Is the country newspa-
per, judicial establishment Of the fact
would be an extremely difficult under
taking.
The fact that the country newspaper
is the most grievously abused institu-
ton in the land can be established
with less difficulty. All Of them ad-
NIT it.
The country newspaper Is abused by
large part Of the public and also 1t
Is badly abused by its editors and pub
fishers. The abuse from both sources
arises largely out Of the same consid-
eration-largely ignorance.
Newspaper editors and publishers
run as many different grades Of capac-
ity as the number Of newspaper editors
and publishers. Some know a great
deal more than others to begin with,
and some know q great deal more than
others by hard work and experience,
but none ever attain the scale Of per-
fection where it can be truthfully said
they fulfill requirements.
It would be neither fair nor honest
to say that any Of these remarks have
been Suggested" by the following an
nouncement from the Lancaster News;
but it is both fair and honest to say
that this announcement is being used
as text:
The News finds it necessary to again
call attention to it's rules regarding ad-
vertising. Notices Of entertainments
where admission is charged or collec-
tions taken are charged for at regular
advertising rates. Only notces OF
church services or entertainments Ior
charitable causes are printed gratis.
This is q rule in force in all well-reg-
ulated newspaper offices, the justice OF
which can easily be seen when 1t ls
considered that the advertising space
in q newspaper Is the newpaper's STOCK
of goods, Just as the shoes or dry
goods in a store are the stocks OF
goods Of the merchant.
Every editor and publisher upon
whom devolves the responsible task OF
plant, machinery and materials for the
publication Of a newspaper, and meet
ing weekly payrolls and numerous oth-
er expenses, including power, light and
water bills, insurance, taxes, repairs
and so on, can fully sympathize with
the state of mind in which the editor
of the News finds himself when ne
wrote the foregoing paragraph.
The proposition Of the News that II
wants pay at regular advertising rates
for all the space that is required OF II
for advertising entertainments and the
like that charge admission, ought to be
within the comprehension OF the most
unsophisticated. Surely no one VINO
paws for everything else in connection
with a money raising entertainment
would expect the publisher to contrib
ute free publicity, the most expensive
commodity connected with it all. In
making news of notices Of church SER
vices-the mere notice-there Is also
reason; but in extending the offer to
gratuitous publicity for all xmas OF
church and other charitable entertain
ments, the News is extending its gen.
erosity to q point that seems to threat
en- bankruptcy. 1t is not to be under-
stood that the revenue from such ad-
vertisements Is important. 1t Is safe
to say that all the revenue that the
News has ever received from tnls
source during the course Of year mas
not been sufficient to pay the wages OF
its lowest cost employe for a week,
while the editors salary would not be
adequate compensation for the time'
worry and hard-feelings involved IN
explaining the justice of charging for
things the public would think ought to
be free.
There are the fewest number of peo-
pie of any Importance who do not nave
occasion at some time or other to make
use of the publicity of the country
newspaper. Most business people
make more or less constant use OF this
publicity. With others it Is different.
They only come once in a while and
perhaps at long intervals. Business
people generally know what they are
about, and it is as easy for them TO
come to an understanding with the
publisher about publicity, as 1t IS Tor
the ublisher to come to an understand
ing with them as to the commodities
they have in trade. But amongst oth-
ers there are all kinds of cases.
What do you consider advertising
and what do you consider news!
courteously asked a prominent gentle
man who had been designated to help
manage the publicity end Of one OF the
big war purpose drives, Of the editor
not long ago.
The gentleman was perfectly sincere.
He really knew nothing about such
matters, and in some vague kind OF
way he seemed to think that 1t was
up to him to at least furnish the IN
spiration" for such propaganda as ed
itors are accustomed to wage on their
own account in behalf of such ove-
ments as they feel called upon to help'
II was not really fair question from
the publishers standpoint, because 1t
was based upon imaginary premise
that did not exist; but it was In GOOD
faith, and the editor, understanding
what was meant, undertook to answer
it fairly and frankly like this:
well, sir, this thing of newspaper
ing for a living involves the collection
clipping, compilation and writing OF
such matter as the public might be
willing to pay for in the shape OF SUD-
scrptions to the paper. The ohlS
standard the editor recognizes in this
work is the limit Of his capacity ana
resources. In no sense Of giving only
what he can get away with; but rath-
er of giving all that is in him. All TINS
is as a bid for the appreciation OF the
subscribers he has and more supscrip-
ers. This is what you would uhuer-
stand as being comprehenied III the
general term of news According u
the success of the publisher in secur-
ing the appreciation of readers count
;.,, 90 ,nurSa tho number and cnarac-