JOURNALISTIC CHANGES

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 August 1936, Page 12

JOURNALISTIC CHANGES

AUSTRALIAN LOOKS BACK. Fancy being compelled to send a star reporter in a hansom cab to get a story of a murder. And yet that was an experience recalled by Mr George Reeve in a special interview given “Newspaper News.” Mr Reeve is now on twelve months’ leave prior to retirement after 47 years’ service with the “Sydney Morning Herald,” twentysix years of the period, being in the position of Chief of Staff. “It is difficult in these modern times to realise the extent of the revolution that has taken place in all phases of journalistic work during the 47 years I was associated with the “Herald.” It is 'well nigh impossible to appreciate the difficulties with which the reporters of those days were confronted,” said Mr Reeve, when asked about changes in getting news. “When I joined the “Herald’ there were no electric trams, and no electric trains. The streets were lighted by gas lamps, for electricty was unknown in this part of the world. The public parks were in total darkness after sundown and citizens were frequently garroted and’ robbed. Motor cars had not been visualised. There were no heroplanes. Hargraves, a Sydney man who pioneered aviation, was generally regarded as an object of pity or ridicule. “The posibility of sending messages by wireless had not even been suggested, and, of course, there were no radio sets for the dissemination ot news. Telephones were few—“ The Herald” number, I well remember, was 413—and the complete list ot subscribers was a small pamphlet. Process blocks were then unknown, and illustrations were provided by woodcuts. “The cables were few, and were in skeleton form, necessitating on the part of the cable sub-editor (who by the way had also telegraphic duties to perform) a general knowledge of the world’s events, much research among home files and a complete re-writing of the message in order to present a connected and intelligent rendering of the subject matter. “Human interest stories in those davs were regarded as they are today—the best read articles in the daily paper—but the roundsmen were obliged to cover the police stations, hospitals and other sources of information on foot, by slow steam trams, or by bicycles. In the event of a tragedy or fire of the first magnitude it was necessary to engage a hansom cab, which travelled at the rate of five or six miles an hour, provided the horse was in good condition.

DAYS OF LONG REPORTS. What alteration has there been in the style of reports supplied by journalists? “Verbatim reports were published for years—sometimes 10 columns were devoted to the Parliamentary report and a full page was given to Law on occasions. The reports, however, were very carefully produced, but there was no attempt at display. “Many of the men of those times were capable of gigantic feats. One reporter, unaided, produced ten columns of a Royal Commission, and another reporter, still with “The Herald,” in a high executive position, turned out, without assistance, a solid page of a famous divorce case. “Displayed news is a development of the last quarter of a century—moderate at first but gradually extended. Whether the limit has now been reached is an interesting question. I am of the opinion that overdisplay defeats the object in view and conceals rather than emphasises the news. The reader desires the actual facts and shuns anything resembling a “stunt.”

“In the early days practically every member of the staff was an expert shorthand writer and that was also true of .the staffs of other newpapers. No journalist without a thorough knowledge of Pitman’s system could hold his job down. To-day shorthand is not universal on the Press.

The neatest shorthand writer I have met was the late Samuel Cook, a former general manager of “The Herald.” whose copperplate note was a joy to peruse. “The swiftest shorthand writer I have met was a young junior on ‘‘The Herald” named Oscar Bailey, who was blessed with an extraordinary memory, which helped him considerably in note-taking. In a test, his average speed was 216 words per minute, and he rapidly read back his note.

ALWAYS ON THE JOB. How do conditions under which journalists now work compare with those of olden days? “There was no restriction of working hours in the old days and seven days a week often was the rule. Frequently the men worked twelve hours a day, and the morning papers did not go to press until 3 a.m. “Reporters assigned to the Law Courts after working from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. were required to take up their positions in the Parliamentary Gallery, and were usually on duty until 11 p.m. On the occasion of an allnight sitting those members of the staff who remained until 3 a.m. were required to be at their courts or ready for other morning duties at 10 a.m. the same day and to attend Parliament again at night. Reporters retained after 3 a.m. were relieved of day work. “There was no grumbling and little dissatisfaction —.the men of those days lived for their work and were part and parcel of their papers. Today the working hours are restricted to 44, and in the case of seniors to 40 hours per week with or 2 clear days off duty each week as the case may be.

“The wages of reporters to-day are double and in some cases treble those ruling in the 90’s of last century’. A good junior 47 years ago received from £2 to £-3/10/- per week. The rate for experienced senior men was £6—that was the limit in those days —and the chief of staff was paid £7. To-day juniors receive £6/2/6, general reporters from £B/17/6 to £lO 12/6, and senior men of the “A” grade from £l3 to £l4/15/-. “Cadets were remunerated in the good old days with ten shillings per week. To-day they_start at £l/17/6, and in the last year"oT their cadetship

they are paid £4/12/-. “On the subject of the training of reporters my experience has definitely shown that a pressman is born and not made. Unless a young fellow possesses a natural “nose for news” he cannot be trained as a successful reporter. ‘ You may train the cadet to write according to the traditions of your paper and he may show vast improvement in his work, but the quality of determining what is . news cannot be acquired—it is a natural gift. That explains why -there aS so many misfits in the profession to«day.”