Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1922-04-14
Circulation Last Issue 17Q0
To Actual Subscribers lou
The Making Of A Newspaper

The making of a newspaper is a
much more intricate endeavOr than the
results appears to be. 1t involves more
than writing the matter for the edi-
ton, setting the type and making the
page forms ready for the press and
doing the printing. To the average
reader, however, that is about all it
implies.
:. A successful county weekly news
paper, one which keeps pace with
Qther business enterprises of it's COM
munity, presupposes financial invest
ment in a mechanical plant costing
from $4,000 to $4,000 and the regular
employment of from six to twelve
people, besides the part-time employ
ment of several more. SO it will be
seen that a considerable revenue must
be derived to meet the interest on the
investment in the plant and the build
ing which houses it, labor, deprecia
ton and the innumerable items of over
head expenses before the owner begins
to receive any return in the way of
profits.
The principal function of a news
paper, is, of course the presentation
of the news to the public. Just what
is news is hard to define. What is news
to one person may not be to another.
Everyone is left to determine what
news is. What we call local news, or
community news, is the kind which the
country weekly spends the most time
and expense to obtain for its readers;
demand of it's patrons. General news,
state news and foreign news have a
secondary Importance in consideration
by the editor-in-chief, whose constant
endeavOr is to furnish the papers
readers what they want, but within
the proprieties, of course. The field is
the first thing considered by the pub
Usher of newspaper. The field of
county seat weekly is the county,
therefore the paper endeavors to OBJ
tain the news from all parts of the
county, hence the enlistment of the aid
and services of corps of correspond
ents from all parts of the field. To
cover the field, the NewsBudget has
a corps of forty-six correspondents,
many of whom write regularly some
occasionally.
Some newspapers make the boast
that they publish all the news that's
fit to print. 1t is an idle boast. No
newspaper does this none can. News
is happening every minute of the day
and night. No city or country paper
maintains a staff which can cover
every happening that is a legitimate
item of news. But every enterprlsing
newspaper endeavors to present as
many items as it can corral. 1t is the
editors aim to provide a well-balanced
menu for his reading patrons. This
means variety. SO besides the local,
state and general news, special depart
ments are provided, such as the farm
department., the church department,
and the Peoples Forum, etc. In a
farming community, the farm depart
ment is especially valuable to both the
newspaper and the farm patron. The
News-Budget recognized this when 1t
gagged an experienced farmer to con-
duct it. The Peoples Forum gives any
one an opportunity to express himself
on any matters of general interest,
whether the opinions expressed agrees
with the editors views or not. This is
q valuable feature for any newspaper,
but particularly one which has an edl-
torial page, for it exhibits fairness
of spirit which all newspaper readers
like and appreciate.
No legitimate news must be suppress
ed. The public is entitled to the news
and the newspaper is under contract TO
deliver it, Every editor of any consid-
cradle experience has had pressure
brought to bear on him to suppress
news which might offend certain per-
sons. But the editor cannot yield to
f, opportunities of this kind and retain
the respect and the good will OF the
subscribers of his paper, or OF himself.
The public is quick to recognize dis
examinations of bias and to accurately
guage a paper accordingly. There are,
however, rightful determinations IN
handling these matters. News that is
considered harmful to the home and
the community should be omitted. 1t
is the motto of many good newspapers
that nothing should be published that
should not be read by any member OF
a family.
1t is on the editor-in-chief that the
responsibility of all acts of commission
and omission rests. 1t is to him that
the public comes with complaints and
concentrations So he has general SUI
pervision over everything that goes into
the paper. If he does not make the
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