Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-23
EDITORS ARE URGED
TO BAN PUBLICITY
Bureau Of Advertising Raps
Practice Of "Giying Away"
Space in Papers.

The willingness Of newspaper editors
to give away space for free publicity
was censured by the committee IN
charge OF the Bureau of Advertising of
the American Newspaper Publishers
Association, which held Its annual
meeting yesterday and published its six
tenth annual report, in which the sig
nificance of this practice as an obstacle
to the sale of paid newspaper adver-
Using was stressed
Newspaper editors" the committees
report reads have unconsciously set up
competition with newspaper adver-
Using solicitors. This is particularly
acute In the cases of certain associa-
tional advertisers whose advisers make
UP q program of special articles for
newspapers and paid space for other
less generous mediums.
Situation Up to Publishers.
"Your committee feels the solution
of the free publicity problem is In the
hands of the newspapers themselves.
AS long as space Is free, there will be
persons eager to take it. AS long as
editors give away their columns to adj
vertisementS that are dressed up to
look like news, the free publicity food
will continue to flow to our Offices.
I'VE have only one suggestion as to
how free publicity can be stopped. Let
editors refuse to print it."
The two outstanding achievements of
the bureaus research department, ac-
cording to the reporting committee
headed by Fleming Newbold of The
Washington Star, were the creation and
distribution of the standard market
survey form, offering to newspapers a
brief and simple plan for the presenta-
ton of market data most commonly
wanted by advertisers, and q survey en-
titled "A Study Of the Market Posi-
bilities OF Those Counties in Which Daily
Newspapers Are Published" demon
strating the significance of the bureaus
contention that where there is daily
newspaper there is a market"
Available for All Papers.
"The standard market survey FORM"
says the report, was made available
for all newspapers, whether members
of the Bureau of Advertising or the
American Newspaper Publishers Asso-
citation or not. AS this report is writ
ten more than 800 newspapers have
agreed TO make the survey and the bu-
reau has on hand about so completed
surveys from as many markets.
Advertisers and advertising agencies
have welcomed the standard form with
an unusual degree Of enthusiasm. The
bureau receives many inquiries asking
for the names Of newspapers making
the surveys"
Since it promises TO mean much to
the future development Of newspaper
advertising, the standard survey form
Is recommended to the thoughtful con-
sideration Of all newspapers"
Referring to the bureaus county sur
vey which revealed that the areas abb
soroing the bulk Of newspaper circula-
tions represented most of the buying
power" OF the county, the report ex-
plains that first it shows that the daily
newspaper alone is a market index, and
second, 1t shows how the daily newspa-
per actually covers each desirable mar
ket and Is not merely represented in
tnat market by circulation figures that
bear similarity to the number of In
come taxpayers, telephone users, auto
mobile owners and the like"
Invites Careful Study.
I'm other words, this county survey.
which is illustrated with maps of all
the States. proves conclusiveiy that
every market supporting q daily news
paper invites the careful study of most
national advertisers"
The committee reported that the vol
tune Of national advertising in 1928 had
been well maintained, bureau estimates
showing slight increase in revenue
over 1927. and pointing to the probable
ity of new high record in 1929.
Classifications covered by the bureau
estimates that showed an increase in
newspaper advertising expenditures in
1928 over 1927 were manufacturers of
automobiles. foods, radios and phono-
graphs, gasoline and motor oils, tires,
building materials. plumbing and heat
ing supplies, paints and hardware, toi-
let goods, soaps and cleansers, electrical
appliances. furniture and furnishings,
railroads and steamships and wearing
apparel.
Five Show Decrease.
Losses were indicated in the follow
ing lines: Cigarettes. automotive &C
cessorieS, druggists SundrieS, financial
and soft drinks.
The committee appointed at the close
Of the 1928 convention follows: Flcm-
ing Newbold of The Washington Star.
chairman: Harry Chandler of the Los
Angeles Times, vice chairman; Howard
Davis of the New York Herald Tribune,
treasurer; Charles D. Atkinson of the
Atlanta Journal, Frank H. Burgess OF
the La Crosse Tribune, william j. Hof-
man of the Portland Oregonian. F. I.
Ker of the Hamilton Spectator, Col.
Frank Knox of the Hearst newspapers,
John S. McCarrens of the Cleveland
Plain Dealer. W. E. Macfarlane of the
Chicago Tribune. David B. Plum of the
Troy Record. William F. Rogers of the
Boston Transcript, Walter E. Strong of
the Chicago Daily News. S. E. Thomp-
son of the Tampa Tribune and Louis
Wiley of the New York Times.