The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1939-04-27
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SHOP. TALK
BY THE EDITOR


The poll this newspaper has been
conducting has brought in much
valuable information. 1t mas shown
us what departments are most IN
teresting to the readers and which
ones they care the least for. But
the surprising thing to us has been
the large number that read prac
tically the entire paper each week.
First we want to thank those who
appended complimentary remarks
to their cards. Such as: Pretty
good paper as is" Paper is fine
We think you are doing very well =
We read your paper from cover
to cover Why change the best
country weekly in the west"
And then there were other re-
marks. When we sent out those
cards we confidently expected to get
back number of vigorously buried
brickbats under the protection of
anonymity. But they were very
few and very mild. One valued
subscribed went to the trouble TO
return his card with letter Of real
constructive criticism and sugges-
tons. We valued that attitude and
SO wrote him.
The poll emphasizes what all edi-
tors knoW-that a newspaper must
be edited to satisfy all sorts of peo-
pie. One subscriber said certain
department was atrocious:' anoth-
er reader classified d different de-
partment as disgusting" Yet the
roll chn1.s@ that Vt
ments are two of the most popular
in the paper and are read by nearly
everyone.
A few of the cards suggested that
we eliminate all national news and
stress local news more. saying they
got national news over the radio
and in the dailies. Another reader
says. More worldly wide news" So
there you are.
However, we should like to state
that this paper carries practically
no national news; merely a two-col-
umn department of political news
and comment from Washington. The
poll shows that fully 90 per cent
of the subscribers read that depart
ment, yet there are few who would
discontinue it.
One woman reader says she
would like household hints, needle
work patterns, etc That brings up
a question that faces all publishers.
one of special Importance in these
depression times. 1t is the matter
of finances. Expenses must be care
fully watched by the successful pub
Usher. He must keep his expenses
within income if he expects to keep
the hungry wolf from the door.
That means he must confine his pa
per to certain maximum of ex-
pense. In doing that he is forced to
get along without some departments
he would very much like to have.
Household and fashions departments
would please many. But restricted
finances prohibits them in this
weekly. One must rely on the mag
azines and dailies for those depart
ments, while the local paper must
confine itself almost exclusively to
local news. Magazines and news
papers are being suspended BY the
score all over the United States
Unlike the government, publisher
must balance his budget or the
sheriff will eventually close his
doors.
A word Of explanation regarding
the poll We did not send cards to
all our subscribers as that would
have cost too much. But we at
tempted a Gallup POLL sending out
cards to a cross-section of our read
ers- Cards went to not quite half
our subscribers If you received
one and have not yet sent it back,
won't you do so?
Perhaps we Will have something
more to say next week about the
poll