Evening star., 1949-04-26
eewspaperPu Publishers
Discuss Problems Of
Increasing Costs
BY shs Asss<;a,sd Press

By shs Assseiassd Press
sNEw YORK, April 2s.-Execu-
Gives Of Americas smallest dailies
we're called into special session
for the first time today by the
American Newspaper Publishers
Association. opening its SD an
nual convention.
David w. Howe. ANPA presi-
dent, was Introductory speaker
for the new session, devoted to
those ANPA newspapers Of less
than 10000 circulation. Sharing
the first day Of the three-day
program was q separate session
for papers Of 10000 to Sc, 900 cir
culation. Edwin s. Friendly. vice
president Of the association and
general manager Of the New York
Sun. was this groups Introductory
speaker.
In previous years, all newspa-
pers Of up to $4,000 circulation
met together in a single session.
Chairmen for Sessions.
Both sessions today were called
In the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.
The chairmen were Arthur p.
Irving of the Glens Falls IN. "
Post-Star and Times. for the
smaIlest-circulation group. and
Joe M. Bunting Of the Blooming
ton Qll) Paragraph, for the
10, ,000-to-50, 900 bracket.
MIR. Howe. business manager of
the Burlington (vt) Free Press.
said In a prepared talk that the
experiment with the under 10 900
circulation group was inspired by
10 years success with previous
sessions Of all UP to $4,000 circu-
lation.
Smaller papers sessions, Mr..
Howe said, ARE now classed as
among the most successful of any
part Of our program" attracting
even the publishers of big metro
politan dailies.
Operation Is Tight.
Most Of us smaller dailies lack
spare equipment" he said. "Our
operation tends to be tight. The
chance for substitution in me-
chanical breakdown or In . fire Is
rare in our small cities"
Smaller newspapers, Mr.. Howe
said, therefore ''are dependent
upon ingenuity. preparedness.
upon each other"
The ANPA president said 1t Is
not widely known that half of
our members are under $4,000 in
circulation" saE
Newspaper publishers are not
looking for sympathy, 80 1t is sim
ply Q statement Of fact in mem
tioning that there are few lines
of business or industry that have
been confronted with more prob.
lens. headaches and heartaches
in recent years ."
Cities Increased Costs.
He cited the case Of q small
daily that increased its revenue
by $26o.0oo for 194e over ls41.
but met profit increased .snW'
$f@." - 9
M. Irving attributed- tinfS to
"the great increases In labor costs.
newsprint paper and practically
all commodities used In newspaper
publishing"
ut Is our aim" Mr.. Irving said,
'to be worthy of the trust which
belnnSs to each one Of us in pub
liea0N-newspapers that will be
sjeaSSS1al and prosperous IN or
der thaf they may better serve
our respective communities and
make those cities and villages
prosperous and happy communi-.
ties in. which to live"
MFR. Friendly told the l0.000-to-
$4,000 circulation group:
To-day we stand in the shadow
of pending legislative measures
that will, II they become laws.
have o pronounced influence upon
our business.
VIII Report ON Legislation.
Mr.. Friendly said details Of the
involving Federal laws
and postal regulations, would be
reported formally to the general
session tomorrow.
However, he told the newspaper
ut Is you who will have
10 publish under these laws and
determine how best to operate un-
der them and thus bring to your
readers full and complete infor-
nation Of what is happening in
your community. your State. our
and the world"
Mr.. Bunting told the same ses-
sion:
" - Many of us felt that with
the end Of the war there would
also be an end to many OF the
problems and dificulties that be-
set US In publishing In wartime.
I'VE have found. however. that
while we all have reason TO re-
joice that hostilities have ceased
in most parts of the world, news
paper problems continue to null
tiply."
Mounting costs Of operation,
labor unrest and legislative pro.
posals adversely affecting our
business are but q few Of the daily
headaches confronting U.s." Mr..
Bunting said.
Tradition May Be Ended