DAILY NEWSPAPER

Evening Star, Issue 21037, 26 February 1932, Page 2

DAILY NEWSPAPER

SERVICE TO COMMUNITY SOME POINTS FOR THE PUBLIC “ The daily newspaper, broadly speaking, reflects the * standards and outlook of _ the community which it serves; it is a vehicle for the satisfaction of human wants, and_ that, in three diverse ways. It is primarily a collector and distributor of news; secondly, it is a vehicle of opinion; and, thirdly, it serves as the great introducer of business as between buyer and seller,” said Mr C. W. Earle, of Wellington, president of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association, in an address entitled ‘ The Daily Newspaper—lts Place in the Community ’ delivered at> the official opening of the advertising convention held in the Chamber or - Commerce Hall, Auckland. “We are told that the world is to each individual only what ho knows about it, and that even the imagination cannot build a true conception of the world without facts to base it on, ’’ .said Mr Earle. “The more facts and the more accurately those facts are assembled the less danger of ' misunderstandings and the greater the pros- \ pects of sound progress., It is the business of the daily newspaper to provide its readers with the facts —to give as quickly as possible, day by day, full tidings of all urgent things that have happened or are about to happen. It gathers, compiles, selects, eoits, and publishes information about tendencies and events that are of immediate interest and concern. The range must cover as far as possible the whole interests of the community, so that we may have an informed public opinion; so that acutate judgments may, be reached in the conduct of the every day affairs of life; so that the trend of public feeling may be truly gauged and publio policy soundly shaped _to meet the needs of changing conditions, and so that, above all things, tho publio welfare may he wisely served and safeguarded. PAPERS SOLD BELOW COST. “There is a popular misconception’ that newspaper proprietors are well repaid for the heavy costs theju incur in establishing these new services, by tlfe receipts from the sales of their papers. Indeed, I have heard street car arguments arising out of the supposed profits made from the circulation sales of metropolitan daily papers. As a matter of fact, the idea that the return from the sale of papers at a penny, half-penny, which is the general charge, or twopence for casual sales, is profitable to the newspapers is,quite erroneous. The public actually buy ''the papers at less than the cost of production. The cost of printing paper used, plus the charges for handling and distribution, usually eat up the return from sales, leaving nothing to pay for the costs of management,_ editors, reporters, mechanics, advertising and ac-' counts staffs, cajle and telegraphic charges, interest on machinery, plant and buildings, and so on. It is only the revenue from advertising that makes it possible to produce and sell, a newspaper, such as you see in your city here to-day, at the low price now charged. The actual price to the pur- ■ chaser of a paper if lie paid the full cost of its production would be more than double the present price; on many occasions, with the larger sized issues, the cost would be treble the present price or gven more, if the same standard of service; were maintained. ADVERTISING AND PROGRESS.

“ It will be seen, therefore, that in considering the newspaper in its relation to the daily life of the community, the advertiser must be given a place or prominence. He is a vital part of the' economic structure of the newspaper. His contribution to the cost assists the newspaper to improve the standard of its news services to the public without extra cost to the public; the improved news services increase the number of readers; and, to complete the cycle, the advertiser gets his return in the benefits which accrue to him, from the increased volume of circulation and the greater influence which the newspaper exercises. -

And just as fhe improved news services have widened the range of information available to the public, and by so doing broadened their outlook, enlarged their ideas, and stimulated their enterprise, so the growth of newspaper advertising has played an, important part, not only in developing trade, and , industry, but in changing the habits and shaping the livesof the people. “ So progress is stimulated, and in the process the habits and outlook of the people changed by newspaper advertising. ‘lt is not merely a, coincidence,’ remarked one writer on this subject, ‘ that in such countries as Russia and China both the wide circulation of newspapers and tho widespread consumption of the commodities we are all ' familiar with are non-existent.’ EDITOR 7 AL OPINIONS.

“ There is only one other point on which I propose to touch,” said Mr Earle in conclusion. “ That is the influence exerted on public opinion through the editorial columns > of tho newspapers. The extent to whjch that influence prevails to-day has given rise to wide differences of opinion. Scoffers discount the value of editorial views in shaping public policy. Yet there are a great many riiatters of public concern in which a newspaper can -give a helpful lead to its readers by a fair presentation of the arguments for or against. It is not necessary that editorial opinions should sweep those who read them unresistingly this way or that. They serve theuv main purpose if they assist thoughtful consideration of the issues at stake and promote a clearer and sounder understanding. It can at least bo said of the New Zealand Press that, regardless of its own views, its columns are always open on public questions to a free expression of opinion within reasonable limits of space and language.”