Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-07-21
NEWSPAPER REPORTERS
."DOn'tS" Of Value in Dealing With
Members of Fourth Estate.
He is JUST A REGULAR FELLOW
You Might as Well Come Clean With
Him Because Ho Will Get the Facts
Auyhow-Remember You Can't Put
Something Over"

Something Over.
BY NJ. Il. Dunnagan, City Editor, The
Charlotte Observer.
What has been your experience
with the newspaper. folks?"
Most people have an opinion OF
the reporter and many of. them eX-
press it. Admittedly, some of tEose
expressions are not very comph-
mentary, but sometimes they are.
Opinions differ. In. fact, reporter
may be everything to everybody. -
a From reporters viewpoint, peo-
pie are Of two general classes; those
who are after him to get something
published, and those from whom ne
is after to get something to publish.
These are the two extremes. Be
tween them is a happy mean eX-
cept that, as the reporter and most
ether people know, things frequently
run to extremes.
People frequently say that re-
porters are cynical and others Won
der why it is that all are not more
so. If he is cynical, or apparently
so, it is probably due to the fact
that he is brought face to face with
so many people who are trying TO
"put something over" on or through
him, using him to further their own
personal or selfish ends.
The reporter must not only size
up his man and pass judgment on
what he wants published, in such
instances. but he finds it necessary
to look for reasons, hidden mean
ings,' and think of the results. He
must have what psychologists might
call an analytical mind.
AS an example of this, man went
into a town and had a talk with
the head of public institution. The
official was elated over his plan and
heartily endorsed it. The man went
to a reporter and put the same
proposition, seeking publicity for it.
The reporter liked the >planr but
could not see where the man came
in. AS q result, he asked and was
informed, finding in it valuable ad-
vertising for the company the man
represented, although this did not
appear on the surface.
Another example is found in the
instance in which a man wrote n
news story, supposedly for the bene-
fit of a number of men engaged in
a certain line of activity. The story
had been read by disinterested pee
pie and passed as entirely satisfac-
tory, and so did it appear TO the
reporter at the first reading. How
ever he found that by the use Of
one word, the writer had taken q
distinct cut at competitor.
That the public may understand
some of the problems and difficult
ties that are faced daily by the
newspaper man, number OF "donts'
are given below. Readers are invit-
ed to read these dont's and to remem-
Der them. If they suggest things that
the reporters do that they should not,
or things that they should not do and
do, these suggestions, In the form of
"don'ts for reporters" or in some such
form, will be gladly received.
Here are few don'ts:
Don't ask the reporter to keep a
story out of the paper about which
hundreds of people are talkin {. He
must serve his readers just as n
physician serves his patients or
lawyer his clients.
Don't watch an accident or help
clear it up, keep your mouth shut
about it and then criticize report
Of it because there might be an in
accuracy. Errors creep in by repe-
tition. Tell it to the reporter straight.
Don't say that everything q news
paper publishes is false because you
happen to see what you think is an
error Nine times out of ten 1t is
not an error in the first place and
when one is made, 10000 chances
for making an error were passed up.
Don't "bawl" out n reporter II
he happens to ask you the second
or third time to repeat something.
You may be talking to 100000 pco"
pie through him and ir you do not
speak distinctly enough for HIM to
hear, how can he tell them what you
sayeL
Den't try to convince n reporter
that. Something you want to set in
the paper is the most important
thing that ever happened. Hun
dreds of people try to do the same
thing.
Don't try to keep an accident or
q calamity out of the paper out of
consideration for one or to people.
TheTreporter has several thousand
readers to consider and he is paid
10 look after their interests and give
them the news,
Don't demand, advise or offer Il veil
ed threat TO a reporter If he publishes
an item that you do not want used.
He resents that kind of a thing in
the first place and will try harder to
get it published in the next place.
Don't tell n reporter about your