The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-05-04
NEWSPAPERS AND FREE
SHEETS.

(Grove Wills in the Eveleth Clarion0
I'VE have no desire to start squabble
of any kind or to stop any person from
trying to make go of things in times
of depression, but to discuss proper and
effective advertising mediums for the
benefit of the business man and the
public.
During the last year or so there has
sprung up mimeographed and printed
sheets, with free distribution features
which have not and will not bring the
desired results in the end. In Eveleth
there are three sheets, one mimeo-
graph and two printed, but in prac-
tically every other city where they
were started they have died out or are
dying out, and the advertising is going
back to the legitimate newspaper which
pays its way through the mails and
offers the best means Of coverage. Free
distribution sheets have already been
out-lawed in some states.
There is no use in taking the stand
we assume unless we back it up, or else
readers will assume it is a dog-in-the-
manger attitude. Take Sears Rnebuck
& Co., one of Americas greatest ad-
vertising firms, and no one can deny
but that this firm knows its adj
vertising" from every angle. They have
built one of the greatest businesses of
all times through advertising. One OF
their latest schemes of advertising was
10 print and circulate free distribution
sheets. We have seen it here. On this
latest venture let us take the words OF
one of the high officials in that COM
pany. Commenting on its New York
venture, which is its last fling at pub
fishing, he said: ''We much prefer that
the stores concentrate in local news
papers. These have proved to our salts
faction to be by far the most effective
media for retail store advertising" 1t
also reported that the Twin City
Shopping News has ceased in Mime
apoliS and st. Paul.
Now take the Eveleth situation. To
begin with those who have been print
ing or mimeographing free distribution
sheets have never made dime in the
venture. They never will. The con-
Veniences it may have offered some adj
vertiSers at times will never be enough
to justify existence of these sheets.
At the offset the sheets carried and
still carry mostly grocery and meat adj
vertiSing. Each day one merchant
"chiseled" prices on the other, as the
first detrimental result, until now, such
advertising is largely concentrated on
Saturday morning, for no sheet can be
printed and circulated on Sunday.
What has this resulted in? Simply
concentrating three days shopping on
one day at the stores. A balanced week
of business and buying is far more de-
sired If a store has special sales
event it can always have printed
sheet circulated at practically the same
cost anyway.
Look at the case of the newspaper,
and not from a selfish viewpoint. In
Eveleth newspapers circulate at sub
scription price which is less than the
cost of the paper they are printed on;
consequently they reach the widest dis
tribution and at the low subscription
price are available to everyone. The
general news, publicity and good given
the city do not have to be explained
1t takes advertising to sustain this
service, and when this is divided be-
tween free distribution sheets, and the
paper, the newspaper itself is run at a
loss. Eveleth newspapers are listed
among the best weeklies in Minnesota,
but they have been forced to drop to
six pages IN many instances during the
past two years. A publishers pride
cannot be the means of printing a
larger and more representative news
paper; it takes advertising.
Most communities take pride in their
newspaper, for they realize that it not
only represents the publishers alone, but
as community institution employing
a good-sized payroll. It does not ask