Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-14
PUBLICITY RACKET
HITS BUSINESS MEN
Millions Reported Spent for
Useless Write-ups and
Biographies.
~ the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, July 14-Under the
heading big business falls for vanity
appeal" the National Better Business
Bureau, Incorporated" released yeSter-
day with the results of a long investi-
cation of schemes by which important
business men are mulebed of money in
the belief that their biographies and
photographs will be published in news
papers throughout the country when
they figure in the news.
The report shows that these schemes
are not supported by the newspapers or
press associations. but are often a form
OF racket" growing In use and con-
stantly finding easier game. The Bet
ter Business Bureau says that millions
Of dollars have been given to pseudo
press associations which have no
established position with newspapers
for these 'puffs'' which clutter up edi-
tors waste baskets from coast TO coast"
The expose follows:
How Scheme Is Worked.
I'm the mistaken belief that they
can buy their way into the news COL
umns OF reputable newspapers, BUSH
ness executives are spending more than
nouncement of the National Better
Business Bureau, Inc, reveals that
many of the Nations leading execu-
tiveS are supporting a scheme that
preys exclusively on big business
For fee ranging from 500 to 81 900,
depending on what the traffic will bear
some 20-odd firms styling themselves
press bureaus or press Syndicates' or
press associations offer to prepare and
publish short, but favorable biography
illustrated and with a photograph of
the subject, for distribution, upward
to approximately 1000 newspapers
throughout the country.
The solicitors represent that the
newspapers will welcome the biogra-
phies, but, based upon its survey of
newspapers, the National Better Bust
ness Bureau, Inc, reports that the vast
majority of the newspapers replying to
the bureaus inquiry promptly consign
these unsolicited and urdesired biog
raphies to the waste basket. Some news
papers report that they retain some of
the complimentary biographies, in the
belief that they are accurate as to dates
and names and therefore useful for
reference purposes"
Some Deception Shown.
Although some of these 'write-up'
concerns do not miSrepresent their
identity, others find it easier to get
subscriptions by permitting their clients
to believe that they represent one Of
the accredited press associations such
as the Associated Press, the United
Press Association, the Central Press or
the International News Service. These
recognized agencies that furnish q wire
service to the press exclusively do not
panhandle executives for 'write-ups.'
According to complaints to the
bureau a number of business men have
contributed for biography service be-
ieving that they were dealing with the
A. P, the u. p, the c. P. ,2or the L N. s.
and have been much chagrined to find
out that these wire services never solicit
nor accept money from individuals or
corporations for biographical matter.
When the needs of their service require
biographical data they have ample
facilities for obtaining 1t and forwarding
1t to their subscribers.
"One veteran newspaper editor re-
ported to the bureau that he had seen
the unsolicited biographies from pseudo
press associations come into the news
paper Offices for so years and hadn't
seen one used yet. Another stated that
such material was utterly worthless
and their receipt only serves to clutter
up our mail and add to an already over
stuffed waste basket I regard the
idea as a racket another editor stat
ed and added, 1T is one of the easy
ways of making a living. The business
man who allows himself to be mulcted
by such service is either vain or gull
ible.
One Firm Long Active.
"A subscriber to . pseudo press or
ganization that has been in business for
over 80 years and had published ap-
proXimately 10000 biographies, reported
to the National Better Business Bureau
that he gave them $3.50 for the reason
that I thought they were connected
with the press association Of New York
City, and in view of my public position,
/ thought it desirable to be friendly
with the press. They represented that
they had numerous inquiries from pa
pers and periodicals at different times
in reference to prominent men and by
referring inquiries to them much time
might be saved
"a similar misunderstanding was re-
ported by a prominent public utility Of
ficial whom we asked for information
regarding his dealings with one of the
wTite-up organizations he stated. I
look upon this association purely as a
means for the newspaper men interested
&c obtain some income for their asSocia-
ton and as rather a hold-up PROPOSE
ton
Another concern, which has been in
business for 40 years and claims to nave
published more than H. 600 biographies.
has apparently found 1t profitable upon
occasion to publish biographies of
prominent men unknown to the SUBJ
jects for the ostensible purpose of con-
vincing less prominent executives of
the caliber of its clients. Recently, the
biography Of man high in public Of