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December, 1922
OREGON EXCHANGES

work and then divide up into two departmentals, the news and the business end, which departmentals would then convene in separate rooms. Each of these depart mentals would take up certain general subjects in their department for a short session and would then divide up into discussion of each of its departments, the news force dividing up into Associated Press and United Press—most of the work, however, will be in their general session. The business department could divide up into advertising, circulation, job printing, cost system, mechanical, labor and newsprint.

"The business department would have so much longer a program that some of their problems could be thrown into the general discussion of the business office and again some of these problems such as newsprint, labor and circulation could be taken up in general discussion of the departments.

"In the arranging of our conference into departmentals we should bear in mind that some of the discussions may be of interest to other departments than those which are holding same; i. e., the country weeklies may want to sit in and listen to the business office talk about advertising, circulation, etc., as well as with the news office in their discussion of features, correspondents, beneficial state propaganda, etc.

OTHERS' EXPERIENCE HELPFUL

"I believe this to be a complicated program to accomplish but worth giving considerable thought to so that we may get the benefits of the other publishers' experience as well as listening to special speakers who would appear before the different departments as well as in general conference.

"Every editor should feel free to say what he thinks of this idea, and what his ideas are. If there is anything that can be suggested in a definite way of benefit to the publishers, it should be brought forward from the publisher's viewpoint."

An idea in Advertising

The Cottage Grove Sentinel put over a Christmas advertising stunt that brought in a number of extra shekels. During the two weeks carrying the bulk of holiday advertising, special sample-copy editions were issued and a charge of 10 cents the inch additional was made for insertion in the special edition of any ads appearing in the regular edition. Every local advertiser came in and the make-up of the paper was so arranged that two pages contained all foreign advertising. These two pages were dropped out for the special edition. This method reduced the cost to a minimum. A thousand extra copies of the paper were sent into territory in northern Douglas county and in the portions of Lane county tributary to Cottage Grove for trade purposes but not thoroughly covered by the Sentinel.

Some newspaper men might argue that this was an admission to its advertisers that the Sentinel did not fully cover the field it should reach, but no advertiser presented that argument. The territory that can be developed as a trade territory is much larger than the natural newspaper field. No extra copies were sent into the local field, which the Sentinel claims to cover thoroughly.

The fact that every local advertiser came into the special edition showed that the idea was appreciated by the business interests. If a newspaper does not cover a certain territory, the only honest thing to do is to admit the fact. That gives the newspaper an opportunity to suggest a way of reaching that territory, with additional profit to itself. It gives the paper the opportunity to make itself the only advertising medium needed by its advertisers. Instead of leaving the advertiser to doubt the newspaper's circulation statements, it cashes in on honesty and adds to its prestige.


The Coquille Sentinel has just added an electric caster.

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