Illinois newspaper directory. History of the Illinois press association

Illinois Newspaper Directory and HistoryOn Thursday evening the members assembled again for a session and were addressedby the Honorable H. C. Hotaling, Mapleton, Minnesota, President of the NationalEditorial Association, and H. F. Harrington, head of the "School of Journalism," Universityof Illinois, Mr. Hotaling urged organized effort of newspaper men to have anexecutive committeeman in each state and a representative of the country newspapers inWashington to see that they were given a fair deal. He also stated that intense economywas necessary to pull the newspapers through the year without a paper famine. He askedthe co-operation of the Illinois Press Association with the National Association and agood delegation to the N.E.A. convention in Little Rock, Arkansas, in the summer.The Friday morning session was opened by a solo by Mrs. Helen Brown Read,dramatic soprano of Jacksonville. The first topic discussed was advertising rates—thosefor the weekly and semi-weekly being taken up by Thomas J. Howorth, ChesterTribune; and for the daily by John H. Harrison, Danville Commercial-News, and W. J.Smith, Waukegan Sun."Increased Advertising and How to Secure It," was discussed by Harris Dante ofTerre Haute, Indiana. A general discussion was held on the American Press AssociationGold Medal contract.A. S. Leckie, editor of the Joliet Herald-News, and president of the Illinois DailyPress Association, delivered an address on the paper shortage. He said that the DailyPress Association was considering the advertising problems and suggested the formationof an Amalgamated Order of Newspaper Publishers for concerted action instead of talk.The Honorable Charles E. Woodward of Ottawa spoke on "The Administrative Codeof Illinois." He outlined the work of the state government and said that Illinois hadled the way in practical and sane administrative reform.On Friday afternoon E. K. Whiting, Owatonna, Minnesota, was on the programto speak on "A Practical Cost System for Newspapers," but could not attend. Hesent, however, a letter containing the following:"In arriving at the cost of newspaper production it is necessary that the paper betreated the same as work done for other customers of the shop. Every issue should begiven a job ticket and against this issue should be charged the net cost of the printpaper used, plus 20 percent to cover the cost of stock handling and selling expense.The time used in the hand composition, machine composition, press room and mailingroom should be multiplied by the solid hour cost in these various departments, andthese items added to the cost of the stock, gives the mechanical cost of producing theissue of the paper."The simplest method of securing the correct selling price of advertising is to takethe total cost of producing the paper for a year. To this add 2 5 percent profit. Fromthis amount deduct the total receipts from legals, locals and subscriptions. The remainderdivided by the total number of inches of display advertising carried during theyear will give the selling price, which will produce 2 5 percent over and above the costof production. To illustrate, I give below the cost data for one ten and twelve page allhome print newspaper with a circulation of 1,900 net paid subscribers:Total cost for year 1916 $10,761.11Adding 25 percent profit , 2,690.28$13,451.39Less Legals, Locals, and Subscriptions 4,205.99Divided by 36,547 inches 9,245.40Selling price, display advertising— 2 5.3 cents per inch.202