Principles of Newspaper Management

PRINCIPLES OF NEWSPAPER MANAGEMENT by JAMES E. POLLARD. Originally published in 1937. PREFACE The years have multiplied the problems of American newspaper management and placed a growing premium upon its basic soundness. Lately there has been a marked acceleration in both directions with new problems and with a still greater need for sound management. This was particularly true after the onset of the depression in the United States. Some newspapermen even were not fully aware of all that transpired, or, if they knew what had occurred, they were some times at a loss to account for it or to understand it. It is not strange that the layman should lack an appreciation of the importance of the business side of publishing or an understand ing of its problems. Indeed, to the lay mind, journalism invari ably means only the editorial side of publishing. Many readers, in fact, have too limited a conception of even the editorial department. As a rule, the business aspects of publishing are beyond their ken, except in a vague and general way. For newspapermen and public alike, it is important that the newspaper should be viewed as a whole. The day is past when the editorial department is sufficient unto itself, or when the advertising department can be conducted without regard for the circulation or production departments. There are no longer separate watertight compartments in the scheme of newspaper organization and management, if, indeed, there ever really were. What has been attempted here is an analysis and appraisal of the functions and workings of the daily newspaper other than editorial. Special effort has been made to note and to evaluate the changes that came about during or as a result of the depres sion. How permanent they will be can only be guessed, but there appears to be no question but that many of the effects will be lasting. This is not intended as a technical treatise on any of the sub ject matter covered, nor is it presumed that all the answers are here. This is designed, rather, to present the rounded picture of daily newspaper publishing from the standpoint of management. In controversial matters, such as, for example, the questions relating to advertising rates, every effort has been made to give both sides fairly. Unless otherwise indicated, the author must be responsible for such opinions and conclusions as are expressed, as well as for any errors or misstatements. No book of this sort would be possible without advice and help from many sources. Grateful acknowledgment is therefore made here to Mr. Robert E. Segal, associate publisher, the Chillicothe, Ohio, Scioto Gazette to Mr. Paul Bellamy, editor, Cleveland Plain Dealer to Mr. Charles H. Phinney, formerly composing room superintendent, Boston Transcript to Mr. O. C. Harn, managing director, Audit Bureau of Circulations to Mr. Nelson P. Poynter, former editor and publisher, Columbus Citizen to Mr. John F. Meyer, of the Inland Daily Press Association to Professor Jacob B. Taylor, chairman of the department of accounting, The Ohio State University to Dr. Felix E. Held, secretary of the College of Commerce and Administration, The Ohio State University to Mr. Henry R...