Evening star., 1949-03-20

exceptions, the men and women
who work on these papers reside
in the communities which their
papers serve.
It is not the intent of the
writer to convey the opinion that
the Negro press is completely
controlled from certain key pub
fishing centers of the nation.
Despite the fact that such papers
do hold the bulk of Negro news.
paper circulation, Negro news
papers are published wherever
there is a substantial number OF
Negroes-with West Virginia
being an exception. The greater
number of Negro newspapers are
located in the South-the big
circulation papers are in the
North, however. Some Is or
20 Negro newspapers of the
Nation probably account for three
fourths of the total circulation Of
this press.
Special Features
1t is not to be assumed that the
local Negro press does not have
status and respect. To be sure.
there are from 20 to 80 locally
owned and operated Negro news
papers which are profitable and
sound businesses. Beyond this.
there are many, many very small
newspaper operations that are
practically one-man, or family
institutions. In many cases. edl-
tors and publishers OF these
organs depend for living upon
lob printing and outside occu-
pational or business endeavors.
At least two factors attributed
to the birth of the Negro news
paper city edition-chain system:
One was the desire of the ma
tional papers to give better
coyerage at the local level; the
other was for economic reasons.
It is quite apparent that Negroes
are not in all cases able to finance
the setting-up and operation or
newspaper plants in all OF the
places where Negro newspapers
are needed. It will be noted that
here and there. however. new
papers are appearing.
Large Negro newspapers pride
themselves on their excluslveness.
They use existing Negro news
services to a minimum, with Such
services being taken in larger de-
grees as the papers become SMALL
er. Most of those papers which
foster national circulation and
cater to the editions plan, main
tain their own network OF re-
porters and correspondents in the
kew news centers. Further. they
spare no cost in sending reporters
and photographers to the scene OF
a news break when necessary.
Further, these papers take great
pride in the top-name columnlsts.
whom they use. and the unusual
features prepared by their stan
writer's and reporters.
The highly featured columnists
are not usually journalists, as
such, but. in the majority OF in
stances, are outstanding names IN
Negro life which Negroes respect
and admire.
Three Daily Papers
AS of today, there are but three
Negro dailies in the United States
one in Atlanta. Ga, and two IN
Dayton, Ohio. The Atlanta paper
this month observes its 17th ami
versary as a daily. The two other
papers are newcomers to the pro-
fession and their stability might
be considered uncertain. The TACT
that the majority of the larger
Negro weeklies print two editions
weekly at their home locations
may be indicative OF movement
toward daily publications. Ana
at least two Negro papers now
subscribe to major wire services.
For quite some time the Negro
press was primarily sustained by
it's circulation, rather than by
advertising as is the case OF the
general press. Despite the TACT
that national advertisers now are
using the Negro press more con-
sistently than ever before. and
despite the fact that the city edl-
ton conception has brought more
local advertising, it is doubtful
that many of these papers are able
to publish on their advertising
revenues alone. In many in
stances it would probably be found
that the returns from circulation
and advertising are expended in
the actual production OF the
smaller Negro newspapers.
The Negro press is confronted
with at least two major factors
which affect it's financial progress
and we'll being: First. since this
press publishes only one or two
editions weekly, its advertising
space is naturally limited; second.
for the Negro press, news gather
ing, on the whole, is comparatively
expensive-it costs more to be
exclusive. In the past year or SO
at least one large Negro news
paper folded. This failure may
have been due to the company
inability to meet union salary
demands.
The per-copy cost OF a Negro
newspaper runs from Z cents to l5
cents. There may still be a few
of these papers which sell for 5
cents a copy, but these would be
the very small papers which con-
fine their circulations almost en-
tirely to their local areas. In some
cases, a Negro paper will sell for
10 cents in the city of its publica-
ton and for II cents at other
points in the Nation.
Today the Negro press is very
much a part of the American way
of life. 1t is definitely a reflection
of free enterprise and free express
sion. The national scope OF this