The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-10-19

The local news is the daily his.
tory Of the city in which it is pub
lished. 1t determines the extent of
circulation. It is possible to publish
successful newspaper in the very
shadow Of great city with local
news alone. The outstanding example
is the Brooklyn Eagle.
Fundamental Reason
Local news, well written. brightly
written. is the fundamental reason
for the existence of every newspaper
] see listed in this association. No
thing should transpire out Of the
normal regular commonplace life of
"A community which is not chrOnicled
within the twenty four hours in the
newspaper published in that COM
munlty. We have absolutely proved
IN our own newspaper, the James
vile Daily Gazette, that this is the
basis Of circulation saturation.
And after local news---that Of the
immediate city in which the news
paper IS published the news
Of the community. 1t is more cxpcn-
slvc. requires greater vigilance, con-
slant attention, high telephone bills
monthly but it is the best investment
outside the city, one may have in
news publication. You must make a
daily newspaper not alone for the
city Of publication but for your inn
mediate territory.
First of all therefore. in the cstah-
lishmcnt Of Il news policy, We must
place local and community or regional
news above all else. Put the front
page banner over the local story or
the biggest community story as many
times IN the year as good judgment
shall warrant.
Your wire news service determines
how many other newspapers pub
lishcd in neighborhood cities shall
find lodging place in your city, either
as supplemental to your own paper
or as substitute. Your wire news
service determines how thoroughly
and wholly regional is your news
paper.
Are We becoming merely press as
ISOLATION and feature bulletins ?" is
asked. Let the two be separated.
What does it matter if your paper
does carry the same news as ours
over the same press association wires ?
Inc answer is, not in the least.
Value Measured by Distance
News values rise and fall with
distance. Mileage is great factor.
mat IS why press associations have
divided their distribution into re-
gicnal bureaus. It regionalizcs news
values.
"Onc might say that this regional
fact would eventually break the ma
ton up into set of moSaics irregu-
lar in shape and size. Not at all.
al Ln ;,.%D
gious controversy in u Tennessee
hamlet or equally interested in a
murder mystery in New Jersey.
do not worry over what the pub
lie demands" The public demands
nothing unless it is educated to de-
mand il. Public opinion is not FORM
ed from billboards or through the
staccato static of the radio nor yet
from morthly publications or weekly
story papers. The public does not
want history; it wants news. News
in the newspaper makes opinion. It
may not even need editorial support.
Into this discussion comes the
question Of features. | have separat-
ed this into two parts, news and
features. Is the newspaper becoming
a bulletin for features and press as
sociations? Years ago we of the self
superior daily class made sport of
the boiler plate and patent insidcs
newspaper. The pot is now as black
as the kettle.
Il submit first the, proposit ion that
"a newspaper might be made up en-
tirely Of local and community news
and win circulation and influence.
Il submit, second, that newspaper
might be made up entirely Of tele-
graphic news and still win some cir
culatiOn and secure advertising.
II submit, third, that n it should
be made up entirely of what we call
features and syndicate stuff it would
have small circulation and little ad-
vertising and eventually pass out to
the limbo Of lost hope.
Paper Must Have the News
by cancellation we may arrive at