Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1950-06-30
Why Publishers
Behave The Way
They Do In The USA
BY Bradford v. Carter
For Labor Press Association

WASHINGTON (LPA)-There's an old pop
w ular refrain that went something like
elbow Come You Do Me Like You Do" I'm
ionists have often asked that question about
newspaper publishers, especially when they
read the dalies' accounts of labor disputes.
You know the management's version at
length, and then in the last paragraph some
thing about the unions side-maybe. That is
known as presenting both sides"
Well, the answer is given in an interesting
essay in recent issue of Editor & Publisher,
the weekly magazine of the newspaper indus
try. The essay summarizes the results of a
survey of the nations publiShers-their own
answers to series of questions
What it adds up to, by their own confes-
sion, is that despite the beautiful stuff they
put out about democracy, and about equality,
and about their boast that there are no classes
in America, they turn out to be complacent
echoes of their own class-busnessmen, most
of them from the middle or upper income
class and reflecting the views of the business
men that they themselves are.
In short, they are not brbed by advertisers,
they are in no dark conspiracy to pervert the
news. They are convinced they present the
news impartially-as they see it. And they see
it through the eyes Of the class they represent
business.
For that's what they are-businessmen.
Questionnaires went to every publisher of
a daily in this country. The 204 publishers
who replied represent combined circulation
of 5,507758, in 43 states and the District OF
Columbia. Their average income is $18,908
and the average worth of each paper is
$347, $50.
So it is no surprise to find that Ola per
cent love the Taft Hartley act; that 708 per
cent are definitely opposed to the Newspaper
Guild, 8 per cent favor it, and 20.1 per cent
are uncertain; that although 1872 per cent
belong to the Democratic party only II per
cent voted for Truman in 1948, and only
per cent favor the Fair Deal; and finally that
695 per cent said, "In general my newspaper
agrees with the dominant point of view of my
community"
What they read is also revealing. Their
favorite newspaper, in order, is New York
Times, Chicago Tribune, Christian Science
Monitor, New York Herald-Tribune and Wall
Street Journal. Their favorite magazines, in
order, are Time, Life, Readers Digest, Editor
& Publisher, and Saturday Evening Post. Note
that not one journal of opinion is included.
Note also that, to put it most charitably, all
the magazines listed are right of center.
How did they get into the business? Well,
in the case of 23.5 per cent, they inherited the
newspaper; $50 per cent chose newspapering
career; and 1915 per cent stumbled into
the business. And in 1918, about the time
these publishers were entering college, the in
come of their families ranged from over $2500
a year (55 per cent? 10 over $4,000 1888 per
cent?. And in 1918 only 8 per cent of those
gainfully employed earned more than $2500
year, and only 2 per cent earned $4,000 or
over.
They belong to such clubs as Rotary, golf
and country clubs, Masons, Elks, and press as
sociations, and their favorite sports in order of
preference are golf, fishing, hunting, garden
ing and spectator sports
Their background? Professional proprie-
tary and clerical groups supplied 65.1 per cent,
but only 1872 per cent came from metropolitan
centers, and 67.6 were born and raised in rural
towns. They are predominantly Protestant
(91.3 per cent? and sos per cent attend church
regularly today. They married at 26.6 years
(average) and have 23 children (average).
More than 90 per cent finished high school;
56.1 per cent finished college; and IT'S per
cent went on to receive higher degrees.
The Editor g. Publisher article is by the
young man who conducted the survey in prep
aration for his masters thesis at Boston Uni
versity. One paragraph of his essay is reveal
ing. 1t reads:
Since absolute objectivity in journalism is
an impossibilty the social heritage the pro
fessional reflexes the individual temperament
and the economic status of the publishers as
sumo fundamental significance"
Indeed they do, yes indeed.
And that is why no labor man should be
surprised, although he may get exasperated,
at the treatment labor gets in the daily press.