Page:Oregon Exchanges volume 7.djvu/10

Comparison of the Oregon Newspaper Directory as published in Oregon Exchanges last December with the directory as lately printed in Sam A. Kozer’s Blue Book, is another demonstration that this is a changing world. Last December’s directory is now absolutely obsolete, and already there have come a considerable number of changes of ownership and personnel since the Blue Book was issud a few weeks ago. Two points to make in this connection: It's apparently as easy to get into—and out of—Oregon journalism as it ever was. And the next directory to be issued by Oregon Exchanges will appear in about two months—probably in the December number. A real effort will be made to bring the directory up to date, and the co-operation of newspaper people is desired.

Oregon Exchanges is desirious of publishing interesting bits of Oregon newspaper history from time to time. If our readers will contribute an article once in a while, or send in a marked copy of some paper containing something of the sort, an interesting feature can be added to this publication. The interview with Will G. Steel, Oregon newspaperman of the early days, is presented in this issue. It is hoped that others will be moved to reminiscence.

Newspapers are growing too large, is a common complaint, not entirely base less. A recent Sunday edition of the Los Angeles Times, with 192 pages of advertising and “pure reading matter," is an illustration of what the reader would be up against were he to attempt to ab sorb the whole paper. Smaller papers are not in sight until, if ever, advertising shrinks in volume and, equally import ant, until, if ever, readers become more standardized in their needs and tastes. The “General reader,” for whom many believe newspapers are written, is a vague and elusive person. Most of the newspapers are made up of several dis tinct appeals to separate classes of readers. whose divergent tastes form the basis of many a newspaper joke.

The pressmen’s strike in New York brought inconvenience and loss to the newspapers. It did, however, show the advertisers just how hard it is to do business these days without a liberal use of newspaper space. This, likely, was worth more than all the strike cost the papers.

Not too early to begin thinking what you want on the program for the next Oregon Newspaper conference. The aim is to make these conferences constantly more interesting and helpful. Send in your suggestions to the editor of Oregon Exchanges.

Some otherwise most creditable news papers are reducing their editorial ef fectiveuess by depending on the “tailor made" editorial. One of these days 1he_v 'll fall in with the view that there’s nothing like rolling your own.

Sit down today and write that bit of newspaper history and mail

it to Oregon Exchanges.