Effects Of Printing Strike In Britain

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28937, 3 July 1959, Page 11

Effects Of Printing Strike In Britain

(Special Correspondent NJgJAAjJw’ »,■ (Rec. 11 pan.) . ■».<■ LONDON, July 1. Commercial television is already benefiting from Britain’s printing dispute as advertisers who usually use provincial and local newspapers, magazines and periodicals find themselves looking for means of keeping their product before the public.

Those who have not yet turned to television have redirected their advertisements from the provincial to the national press, although in many cases, because of greater cost, they have taken smaller space. ‘ • I Commercial television has increased its news coverage ' time and if the national newspapers have to shut down will give even more. The 8.8.C.’s regional home services in areas principally affected are giving special local news broadcasts.

Magazines and periodicals are having a hard time, but most of the well-known ones are struggling on somehow. The “New Statesman” appeared much as usual. The “Economist," in a smaller size, was printed in Paris, with a few mistakes made by its French printers. The. “Spectator” was much smaller and badly printed and the “New Scientist” appeared as usual, after being printed by “Storch Oberhausen.” The “World Press News” was a caricature of its normal self, thin and small with the print almost too close to read comfortably. The “Advertiser’s Weekly” disappeared altogether. Scores of provincial newspapers have ceased. Others have been able to publish in emergency form. The "Yorkshire Post” has been coming, out as a four-page broadsheet. The Liverpool “Daily Post and Ecno,” priced at Id instead of 3d, came out as a single produced by executives and staff pages.

Two Birmingham evening newspapers combined to a fourpage emergency edition largely produced by executives and staff volunteers. The Nottingham “Evening Post” and "Evening News” published a combined

four-page duplicated news-sheet at Id.

The fact that the specialist typesetters who normally do most of this work are not operating has meant that many type faces have not been available for, use. The production of printed material such as posters, showcards. display material and packaging has been slowed down and in some cases has ceased altogether.

Most important—soon soccer fans who follow pools on Australian football will be without their coupons.