The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1919-06-06

! tribute free publicity, the most eX-I
I pensive commodity connected with
1t all. In making news of notices of
| church Services-the mere notice.
there is also reason; but in eXtend-i
ing the offer to gratuitous publicity,
Tor all kinds OF church and other
charitable entertainments, the News
is extending its generosity to point
| that seems to threaten bankruptcy.
1t is not to be understood that the
revenue from such advertisements
is important. 1t is safe to say that
all the revenue that the News has
ever received from this source dur
ing the course of year has not been
suficient to pay the wages of it's
lowest cost employe for week,
while the editors salary would not
be adequate compensation for the
time, worry and hard-feelings in
volved in explaining the justice of
charging for things the public would
think ought to be free.
4 There are the fewest number of
people of any Importance who dol
not have occasion at some time orl
other to make use of tho publicity ofl
the country newspaper Most busi-l
ness people make more or less con-
/ stant use OF this publicity. With 9TH
ers it is different They only come,
once in while and perhaps at long
intervals. Business people generally
know what they are about. and il is
as easy for them TO come to an un.
{. derstandinG with the publisher.
/; about publicity. as il Is for the pub
Usher TO come to an understanding
with them as to the commodities
they have in trade. But amongst.
Others there are all kinds of cases.
What do you consider advertis-
ing and what do you consider
news?' cOurteously asked a promi-
nent gentleman who had been desig-
mated to help manage the publicity
end of one of the big war purpose
drives, of the editor not long ago.
The gentleman was perfectly sim
cere. He really knew nothing about
such matters, and In some vague
| hihu vi way lie seemed TO tnlnk
that 1t was up to him to at least fur
nish the inspiration" for such pro-
paganda as editors are accustomed
to wage on their own account in be-
half Of such movements as they feel
called upon 20 help. 1t was not
really fair question from the pub
lisher's standpoint because it was
based upon imaginary premise that
did not exist; but it was in good
faith. and the editor, understanding
what was meant, undertook to an
swer it fairly and frankly like this:
We'll, sir. this thing of newspap-
ering for living involves the collec-
ton, clipping, compilation and writ
ing of such matter as the public
might be willing to pay for in the
shape of subscriptions to the paper.
The only standard the editor recog-
nizes in this work is the limit of his
capacity and resources. In no sense
OF giving only what he can get awav
with; but rather of giving all that is
in him. All this is as a bid for the
appreciation of the subscribers he
has and more subscribers. This is
what you would understand as being
comprehended in the general term
OF news According to the success
OF the publisher in securing the ap-
probation OF readers, counting of
course the number and character of
those readers. there becomes availa-
bic certain space that has a com
mercial quality for advertising pur-
poses. Now, in all such movements
as that in which you are interested
the editor does all that he thinks
he is justified in doing at his own
expense or profit. as the case NAV
De- and If you feel like you can add
to what the editor is doing bv the
use of the same medium he is using
all you have to do is TO pay the cost
and go TO IT, You are in exactly the
same boat as the publisher as TO the
good you can do, and the profit YOU
may receive, except you have mucn
less responsibility and not nearly so
much expense.
The answer to your question then
is that the main difference between
news and advertising is the differ
ence between what we would print
If it were us and what you would
print If 1T were you What we have
to pay for ours we don't know. for
there is no telling where the pay