MONEY IN NEWSPAPERS.
Fortunes in Printers’ Ink--Value of the New York _Herald_
Plant--Story of Mr. Pulitzer’s Struggles--From a Park Bench to a
Newspaper Throne--Alfred Harnsworth, the Greatest Paper Man in the
World--Serving the News Hot--Secret of the Springfield _Republican_
Success--A Prophet as Well as an Editor--How Reporters Earn Big
Salaries--Motto, the Penny Reform--Seven Papers in One--Some New
Advertising Schemes--Magazines for the Million.
A newspaper undertaking is a great financial risk, but at the same time
it is one of the richest lodes of success if the proprietor has the
capital and the qualities needed. Mr. Whitelaw Reid has amassed a
fortune in the New York _Tribune_. James Gordon Bennett, proprietor of
the paper originated by the senior of that name, estimates his plant as
worth $22,000,000. Mr. Pulitzer, of the New York _World_, was a poor boy
who slept on the park benches. He got an idea, a little money, formed
new plans, and struck out on an untrod path. He rattled the dry bones of
his contemporaries, and he is to-day a millionaire many times over. Dana
made his fortune on _The Sun_ by his fearless, outspoken editorials,
using the plainest Anglo-Saxon. Hearst, of the New York _Journal_,
succeeded by his sensationalism. Alfred Harnsworth, an Englishman and a
very young man, began the publication of a paper called _Answer_ with
very small capital. Before the age of thirty he became a millionaire.
Now at thirty-two he is the chief proprietor of seven dailies and
twenty-two other periodicals, and is the head of the largest publishing
firm in the world, with a total weekly output of more than 7,000,000
copies. The author of this work has formulated over 200 plans for
newspaper success. He is sure that the majority of these plans are
absolutely new and perfectly feasible, but the scope of the work will
not permit of the insertion of more than ten. The following ten are
selected with the firm belief that if they are followed up with ordinary
zeal and skill the paper cannot fail to have a very large circulation.
_News and Editorial Department._
803. THE NEWS IN ONE MINUTE.--We live in electric times; men must have
their news served hot. We want to swallow the day’s doings while we
cross the ferry. Have an index on first page containing every item of
news, and showing in what columns it can be found. Then, one can get the
summary in a minute, while if he likes he can spend hours in the
details.
804. NUTSHELL NEWS.--You may be sure that the paper which can give the
news the quickest and neatest is going to the front. Some people care
more for quantity than quality. A vast variety of news from all parts of
the country, and each item condensed into a few lines, makes more
impression on many people than a page devoted to a single tragedy. The
Springfield _Republican_ owes its success to its remarkable number of
small items.
805. THE BULLETIN FORECAST.--Most daily papers give out a bulletin.
Thousands stand on the street and read the free bulletin, but do not buy
the paper. Have a forecast bulletin to read, “To-morrow’s News.” Then a
speculation or prediction of what it will probably be. Put it in a
sensational and interesting way. Thus: “The _Bugle_ will tell you all
about it to-morrow. Buy the _Bugle_.” In the paper, conclude each
important item of news with the editor’s forecast of how the matter will
turn out, thus giving it the interest of a continued story. Editors
often treat a news item in an editorial, but a vast proportion of the
readers never look at that page. Put the cream of the editorial, and
especially several pointed questions, after the news item, with the
information that the paper will try to solve the problem to-morrow.
806. BOTTOM FACTS.--Readers want facts, not reporters’ fancies nor
embellishments. It is well known that in many papers reporters are
allowed to invent when they have no facts in the case, and as they are
paid by the piece it is for their interest to make as much of an item as
they can. Hence, our news is adulterated, distorted, and often
falsified. We know some reporters who have invented columns of so-called
“Facts;” others who have made sensational, highly-colored stories out of
the most insignificant occurrences; and still others who have invented
fake reports of sermons, lectures, and other public utterances, when
they had not time to obtain the originals. Have it clearly understood in
large headlines as a part of the policy of the paper that no reporter
will be allowed to invent or exaggerate, that he will be instantly
discharged if it can be shown that he has in any way distorted the cold
facts. In this way tens of thousands who are now disgusted with what is
dished up for them as news but know not where to turn for better
service, will be drawn to your paper, and you will establish the
reputation for absolute truthfulness of statement and bald exactness of
form.
807. THE PEOPLE’S PAPER.--Let it be understood that your sheet is
distinctively a people’s paper, and is not the organ of any party,
class, or corporation. Announce that you will publish letters from
anybody, regardless of grammar, sentiment, or position, with the only
limitation of decency and personality. Advocate persistently cheap and
honest public service. Let one of your mottoes be: “A penny a letter and
a penny a mile,” that is, the conviction that a letter ought to be sent
anywhere in the United States for a penny, and that a man ought to be
able to travel all over the country at the rate of a penny a mile. Have
such mottoes as: “All the People Well Off,” “Equal Rights for
Everybody,” “No Nepotism, no Partiality, no ‘Pulls.’”
808. THE BIG SEVEN.--We have heard of the “Big Four” in railroading. Let
your paper be seven sheets rolled into one, having one comprehensive
name. Let the seven sheets each have a distinctive and peculiar title as
if of a separate paper, and let each be devoted to a particular field.
The _Art Mirror_ will contain the pictures; the _News Bureau_ will
contain the crispiest news; the _Sword and Pen_ will contain the most
pungent editorials; the _World Joker_ or the New York _Clown_ will
contain the comical things. Then there should be a “stock paper,” a
“sporting paper,” etc. Let it be known that when a man buys _The Earth_
for three cents, or for a penny, as the case may be, he really gets
seven papers.
_Advertising Department._
809. FREE WANTS.--In establishing a paying paper you lose nothing by
what you give away. You can well afford to give away space that costs
you nothing. Before your circulation is large enough to attract
advertisers, you must devise some other means of attracting them.
Advertise that on a certain day you will insert everybody’s wants free.
This will introduce your paper to a large number of persons, who will
not only buy the copy in which their want appears, but will in many
cases be ready to pay a little when they next need the services of your
sheet.
810. BARGAIN BUREAU.--Have a bargain bureau on the first page or in some
other prominent place, and let it be understood that you will each day
in this bureau call attention to the bargains especially advertised for
that day, and to any new or special feature contained in the advertising
columns. You will thus please and draw advertisers, and at the same time
attract readers who want to know what, where, and when to buy.
811. RESERVE SPACE.--Have a large blank square or rectangle with the
announcement that “This space is reserved for ---- ----.” After two or
three days people will begin to wonder who will fill the great blank. It
becomes by far the most prominent and valuable advertising space in the
paper, and should command a good round sum. Make a profitable bargain
for a month or year for the filling of the space. If withdrawn,
announce, “This space will now be filled by ---- ----.” The first
advertiser’s rival will pretty surely want it, a result which No. 1 will
hardly permit if he can help it, and so between competitors in business
your blank will always be filled and you can raise your price if
competition becomes sharp.
812. THE PAGE CONTRACT.--When your advertising patronage becomes large
and you find it necessary to employ assistants, you will find it to your
advantage to let the advertising out in contracts to your subordinates.
Instead of paying your helpers a salary, you tell them that they can
have a page for $50 or $500 (according to the size of the page and the
number of the circulation). They then secure the advertisements
themselves and make what they can. _They_ and not _you_ take the risk.
Many assistants would not be willing to do that, but others would prefer
the opportunity to work for themselves in this way.