Publishing Or Business Department Of A Newspaper

( Originally Published 1913 )

ALTHOUGH this book is primarily addressed to those who are, or who intend to be, journalists or newspaper writers, and who are more interested in the reportorial and editorial side of the newspaper than in the business department of it, it is well, I think, to refer at some length to the commercial or business departments of newspaper making.

The newspaper, although it is one of civilization's greatest agents, and, perhaps, may be considered the leading vehicle of progress, cannot exist for the present without much consideration being given to those matters which are responsible for its financial support, unless it be endowed. It is probable, however, that before many years a few, and, perhaps, several newspapers will be wholly or partially supported by endowment, and will not be obliged to depend upon their incomes. The endowed newspaper, however, still remains a dream of the future. If it should be endowed by one man, it is quite likely that it would not be much of an improvement upon those run under present commercial conditions, because the endower might be as unfair, and as unjournalistic, as are some of the present financial owners, and the result be a paper more biased and less reliable than are those which are under the whip of commercialism. As the newspaper cannot be run with-out money, and as it cannot obtain the necessary income unless it gives attention to its financial side, it is obvious that the moneyed owner of it will continue to be responsible for its policy and to control its editorial and reportorial departments. However, to the credit of many of our great newspaper men may it be said that the great majority of them are as fair, as broadminded, and as patriotic as conditions permit, and that many of them are doing what, perhaps, half of the reformers would do, if they exchanged places. Conditions, more than individuals, are at fault.

The reader, as much as the editor, needs reformation. When there are enough readers to support an ideal newspaper there will be found plenty of men to edit it. The illegitimate newspaper is the result of popular demand. So long as the public wants a thing, good or bad, there will be men good or bad enough to supply it.

The modern newspaper is, because it has to be, a commercial enterprise, as much so as the making and selling of clothing or the raising and distribution of grain.

The newspaper obtains its income from two sources: First, from what is received from its circulation. While the money taken in for the papers sold may be considerable, it is probable that there are not more than one or two newspapers in America, or in the world, for that matter, which could live upon what is received from their circulation. The cost of the white paper used by many newspapers is as much as, or more than, what is received from the sale of them. This being the case, the newspaper must obtain from its advertisers money sufficient to ,pay for its mechanical production, including even part of the cost of the white paper, and, further, the heavy expense of maintaining editorial writers and reporters, and the cost of telegraphic and other news.

Therefore, thousands of newspapers are unable to be as independent as their editors and owners desire, and are forced to maintain policies, and to run or omit news and other matter, which would not appear or would appear, if it were not necessary to maintain a circulation sufficiently large for the carrying of profitable advertising.

The great newspaper receives thousands of dollars every day from its advertisers. One news-paper, in New York, obtains about twelve hundred dollars per page per day for advertising, and several newspapers receive as much as five hundred or more dollars for the insertion of a single page of advertising in one issue.

Conditions, then, require a business management of the highest order,— the same quality of business-bringing ability as is necessary for the profitable maintenance of other large corporations or business institutions.

The great newspaper is usually owned by a stock company, the directors of which frame its policy, and, indirectly through the officials appointed, manage every department, especially that of the business.

The principal official is the publisher, who may or may not be a large stockholder, but who frequently owns more than half, or controls more than half, of the stock. He is, by virtue of ownership, in direct command of every department and official, including the editor-in-chief.

If the publisher is not the owner he will receive a salary higher than that paid to any one else connected with the paper, often as much as ten or even twenty-five thousand dollars a year.

Under the publisher are several business departments, each officered by a department head.

The office of business manager is maintained, unless the owner occupies that position himself. The business manager is the executive officer, and is responsible only to the publisher or owner.

Next in importance comes the advertising department, which is under a competent advertising man, who may do some soliciting besides managing the advertising men or solicitors. He is paid from three to fifteen thousand dollars a year. It is his duty to see that the paper carries a profit-able amount of advertising, most of which is obtained by direct solicitation, although the news-paper advertises its advertising as a commodity. Advertising solicitors receive from a thousand to five thousand dollars a year, and probably a few of them draw salaries of ten thousand dollars and upwards annually. Some of these advertising men devote their energy to local advertisers, while others travel all over the country.

A large proportion of the great newspapers obtain their so-called foreign or outside advertising from what are known as special agents, concerns located in the larger cities which employ advertising men who solicit advertising for a number of newspapers. These special agents work on salary or commission. If on salary, they receive from a thousand to even five thousand dollars a year from each newspaper on their list.

The publishing or business management of the newspaper requires business ability of the same order as that which makes any other business profitable, but the newspaper manager is likely to be more proficient, if he has had newspaper experience as well as that of general business ; because, while the work is business pure and simple, an intimate knowledge of newspaper conditions is essential to superlative success. This same condition applies to advertising solicitors : first, they must be good salesmen ; secondly, they must understand newspaper requirements, for while the soliciting of advertising is not removed from that of ordinary business, it requires, as a rule, a little. different caliber of man than it does to sell what are usually considered commodities.

The press and composing rooms of the news-paper are under the direction of the superintendent or foreman, who receives from a thousand to two or three thousand dollars a year. He must be a good executive and possess mechanical ability; but knowledge of business is not necessary.

The circulation department is one of considerable importance, and is under the direction of a head who receives from three to several thousand dollars a year. He is virtually the seller of the newspaper, and must be in close touch with the business, editorial, and reportorial departments.

He, as well as the editors and reporters, keeps his finger upon the public pulse. He occupies, to some extent, a position similar to that of the directing editor.

The newspaper is unlike many other enter-prises, because its publication requires the maintenance of manufacturing, business, and editorial departments, each separated from the others, but all working together in profitable harmony.

As a rule, first-class editorial writers and reporters are unfitted to occupy positions in the business department, but occasionally there are found men who are both editorial writers and business managers. These men devote most of their time either to the business management or to the editorial side, because no one man can do two things equally well.

While the editor and reporter need not be familiar with the business side of publishing a newspaper, the publisher or business manager should not be ignorant of editorial writing and news-gathering, although he need not be skilled at either. He should, to some extent, be a composite man, who knows bow to sell what is produced, and understands, to some extent, the process of making the goods which he sells.

The publishing or business management of the smaller papers is similar to that of the larger ones, except that there are fewer men in command and a lesser number of departments maintained; but all periodicals; including newspapers, find it necessary to maintain advertising solicitors, except the weekly newspapers. In many cases the publisher, editor, or owner attends to the business as well as assumes the responsibility for the editorials and news.