Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924027438096 Cornell University Library PN 4815.W72 World's ournal sm. 3 1924 027 438 096 THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI BULLETIN Volume 16 Number 6 JOURNALISM SERIES 9 THE WORLD'S JOURNALISM BY Walter Williams Dean of the School of Journalism, University of Missouri UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI COLUMBIA, MISSOURI February, 1915 E.V. This bulletin summarizes in brief some notes of observations made in visiting nearly 2,000 newspaper offices in a world- tour, June, ipij, to May, 1914, in the capi- tals and many of the smaller cities and towns of Canada, Great Britain and Ire- land, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, Switzerland, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, Ceylon, India, Burma, the Federated Malay States, the Straits Settlements, Java, Australia, New Guinea, the Philippine Islands, China and Japan. (2) The World's Journalism Journalism, portrait record of the life and interests of humanity, expression of contemporary thought, interpretation of a people's heart and mind, is everywhere. Some- As a World- times the record is blurred or blotched, the ex- Profession pression distorted and unfair, the interpretation stifled and inaccurate. The journalist, who is by turn and in diiferent place, recorder, advocate, buyer and seller of news, entertainer, judge, tribune, teacher, interpreter, public servant, has all countries for his own. Sometimes, because of fault or circumstance beyond his control or avoidable, he gives undue emphasis to one or another aspect of his kaleidoscopic calling. Journalism, universal in its concern, existence and ap- peal, is a world-profession. As a world-profession it is fairly representative of the world. Altogether, whatever the apparent exceptions, journalism is everywhere better than the average man would make it, if it has not everywhere attained to what the best would wish. And the tendency in the world's journalism is toward higher things. The history of the world's journalism shows the press at various times as chronicle, political pamphlet, organ of special interest, buffoon, propagandist, news-record, dis- Cbauges in turber of the public peace, promoter of the public Journalism welfare. It has grown from the news-letter of the coffee house and the official gazette of the court into a social institution powerful for good or evil. In lands where there are no seasons grain may be seen in all stages of growth side by side from seeding unto harvest. In considera- tion of the world's press today its history may be observed un- folding itself from the veriest news-summary of the less civilized countries to the all-embracing newspaper of social service in nations we call more civilized. Journalism, though everywhere, has its fullest development in the most modern civilization. It flourishes best amid intelligence and freedom. (3) 4 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI BULLETIN The types of journals which a study of the world's press discovers are as various as the peoples of the various nations Journals accentuate to a degree certain character- RcOTesentative 'stics of their local constituencies. They have Types of the spirit of the land. They reflect the temper Newspapers of the time and place. They may best be studied and judged in their own environment, where the limitations of production, the news to be recorded, the objects to be accomplished, may be seen and taken into account as the journalist sees and must take into account. The art of a portrait may be judged, but its faithfulness as an interpretative picture may not be known except one knows the subject. Nor can the craftsmanship of the artist be fairly criticised without knowledge of the conditions under which it was produced and of the por- trait's destined place and purpose. Journalism, in its real essence, though a world-profession, is a local product. In final analysis, as it records, interprets, amuses, instructs or persuades society, it is society-made and bears the hall-mark of its creator.W Hence society and journalism, a social product, are best studied in their local and intimate relationships. The types of journalism most conspicuous and most easily differentiated as national products are the British, the French, the German, the American. There are other and less distinctive types to be found, but the ones named or their modifications con- stitute four-fifths of the newspapers and periodicals of the world. Another classification would divide the world's journalistic pub- lications into news-journals, propagandist journals, journals for entertainment and class journals. Yet another classification might be made on a basis of physical make-up. There are wide differ- ences in size and appearance as well as in character and con- tent. Perhaps differentiation into national types, however, may best serve for purposes of the present comparison. The British type of journalism has long been and is today in many quarters throughout the world the most potent in making and holding journalistic standards. Within the last rjij^g quarter of a century, however, the world's jour- British nalism has come more directly and increasingly Type under the influence of the American type and has been influenced by it. Even in Great Britain itself THE WORLD S JOURNALISM 1 g*g War ®be ^ ^Q^ ^tmig& Edition. ^ "SiXTEEri_PACEB,„ THE LONDON TIMES — ^FIRST AND EDITOEIAL PAGES b UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI BULLETIN American influence is noticeable. The London Daily Mail, hav- ing 800,000 daily circulation, the largest in the British Empire, has many of the characteristics of the newer American journals. The British newspaper type in size of page, width of column, solidity of print and contents to the page, exceeds the news- paper of any other type. In number of pages it is in sharp contrast with the French type, which seldom has more than eight pages, while the British newspaper of the same general class has twenty-four to thirty-two or more. As the pages are larger and the type set more solidly and with far less display than in France or in the United States, the British newspaper contains more matter to the page than its contemporaries. The absence of display is a feature of the British newspaper which arrests the attention of anyone accustomed to the American or French newspaper. This is true of the advertising pages, in which, as a rule, light-faced, small type is used. It is particularly true of the headlines, which, in small type and seldom more than three lines in height and a column wide, give little guide to the contents of the article of which they form the caption. Pictures are not used extensively in the average British newspaper, but are rather relegated to separate journals where special paper and press work permit better results. The contents of the British newspaper are sober, restrained in statement as in type-expression, with little exaggeration out- side politics, and with a seriousness that leaves small room for humor or playfulness. The leader — or principal editorial — re- tains its preeminent position in the British newspaper. The news- paper is a journal of opinion and of decided opinion at that. It is always frankly partisan. The independent newspaper — independent of party connections — is not of the British type. Even the news beyond the official records is seldom presented without some partisan bias. The British newspaper emphasizes the world news. Regarding the British public as interested in the world at large, the British newspaper devotes much editorial ability and large space to the news of other countries than Great Britain and particularly to news of the far-flung British Empire. The London Times, which holds to the traditions of British journalism in a remarkable degree, though in a class to itself. THE WORLD S JOURNALISM 7 is a world's newspaper. Perhaps no other daily journal is more closely or more widely read. Its preeminence is due, in part at least, to the comprehensiveness and high character of its treat- ment of the news of the whole world. The London Daily Tele- graph, the London Chronicle, the London Morning Post, the Manchester Guardian, the Edinburgh Scotsman, the Glasgow Herald, are other fine examples of the British type. In all these newspapers the news is general rather than local, is recorded with sober restraint and little attempt at ornamentation, while the leader or editorial, essay-like in form, is a thoroughly informing discussion of really significant events or movements. Another characteristic of the British newspaper is its free- dom from error. Accuracy, not speed of publication, is insisted upon. When a London sub-editor — corresponding to the Ameri- can chief copy-reader — ^made a majority vote in the United States Senate ratify a treaty when a two-thirds vote was neces- sary, he lost his position immediately. It is this insistence upon accuracy that helps to make the British newspaper so potent in its formation and guidance of public opinion. The British type is self-restrained, strong, rather dull of statement, thorough in argument, forcefully rather than attractively written, convincing, conservative. It is a typical John Bull journalism. The French type of journalism is as representative of France as the British type is of Great Britain. The French newspaper stresses the art of writing. Conciseness, clever- m^ ness of treatment, lucidity, are characteristic. The French French newspapers are not merely newspapers — Type they are literary productions. In size they are small. The majority of the daily journals in Paris contain only four pages, seldom more than eight. Every line counts, however. A condensation which does not exclude a sparkling style is practiced. The signed article is a chief feature. The editorial or leading article, which usually appears on the first page, is invariably signed. Reports of crime and assem- blages and other news stories often bear the name of the writer. The personal element is dominant. The journal, which is an institution anonymously produced in England, is a personality in France. The propagandist newspaper is in the majority in UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI BULLETIN ®|je pEili ®jebf mfj-. ilARRODS ELECTRO-PLATE THE DAILY TELEGRAPH, LONDON — FIRST PAGE THE WORLD S JOURNALISM TMli MAILlf TEtBUKAPtt. THPllgPAT. JfIB »k ml THE DAILY TELEGRAPH, LONDON EDITORIAL PAGE 10 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI BULLETIN France, though the "journal of information" and the newspaper which seeks to entertain are also to be found. The lot of the journalist is particularly happy in France. Journalism is a specially, honored profession. The rewards, fame, income, opportunity for public service, are generously bestowed. A half-dozen Paris newspapers circulate each more than a million copies daily. Le Petit Parisien prints a million and a quarter, Le Journal, Le Matin and Le Petit Journal only a few less. Le Figaro is the favorite paper of the cultured classes. Le Temps, among the world's evening newspapers, ranks with the best. LTllustration is, perhaps, the world's finest illustrated journal. The French provincial newspaper occupies an important position with special reference to politics. News to it is rather secondary, foreign news particularly. The "feuilleton," or serial story, is a feature of all French newspapers and some journals publish two or three at a time. The French press has decided influence in political affairs. In no country are there more men of distinc- tion in journalism and nowhere has personality larger value. Journalism counts more in some countries but journalists most in France. Germany has a newspaper type which is distinctive in form as well as in content. The German journal is issued in magazine form with small pages. In the newspaper of the ^pjjg highest class there are frequently fifty or more Germam pages an issue. The typographical appearance of the Type average newspaper is poor, its illustrations, except when in a special art supplement, few and badly done. The advertising columns contain much that seems sug- gestive if not actually indecent. Headings are restricted to a single line. The German newspaper is weak in news and in news-gathering facilities, but it is strong in political articles, in art, music and literary criticism, in informational discussions. The serial story, as in France, is published. Accuracy of statement, vigorous opinion, fact rather than style, one finds these charac- teristics in the press in Germany. The German journalist has not the social standing which is accorded to the journalist in France or Great Britain, and social standing counts for much in journalism in Germany. Only the chief editors, the political THE WORLD S JOURNALISM 11 Berliner ntorgtnpott. writers and the writers of literary sketches, among whom are many university men, have professional rank, while the reporter remains as Bismarck called him, "a mere ink-sparrow." Germany has a large class of newspapers directly or in- directly subsidized by the government. This subsidy often comes in the form of official advertisements. It prevents the German press from being an organ of public opinion and restricts it, where subsidized, to echoing the views of the existing govern- ment. Another class of German newspapers, while not subsidized, is "inspired," taking its views, in whole or in part, more or less directly from government or party or special interest. It is sig- nificant, however, that the semi-official or inspired press is gradu- ally losing both circulation and influence. Unlike Great Britain and France, the German Empire has not its most influential news- papers at the capital. Berlin has the Vossiche Zeitung, pond- erous and progressive; the Tageblatt, admirably construct- ed but rather cynical ; the Lokal Anzeiger, colorless but with excellent news service ; the Morgenpost, appealing to the sensation-seekers ; Vorwaerts, the ably edited organ of the Social Democrats, and other less known journals. In Frankfort- on-the-Main is published the Frankfurter Zeitung, greatest newspaper in Germany, with unequalled foreign news serv- ice, its literary commendation making an author, its general tone conciliatory and pacific though very progressive; m Cologne is the Kolnische Zeitung, second in influence only to its Frank- fort contemporary, which it much resembles; in Munich, the Neuste Nachrichten, well-informed and well-made; in Hanover, CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING PAGE OF BEBLINEK MORGENPOST 12 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI BULLETIN t D*ILY TEI-EOItAPn. TBlJMn*T. JPWE at, tan. NOTTINOHASr rPEOPLBg WELCOME flfflTAJffirTAlIDB'nDSIBV *''!r~'ir^'™?^."'y^ E^3^^2sJ=i i?^.T^'^1?*?.^i— j?!^ iir..^jV7 PAEIS POSTAL STBKE WOnK RHfOUED. UTIUOBIIIiriBT.SCEN£B. E.'-rsTjK'^aias-i '^SlT^i!; i^>3is-i= UNIONIST LEADEHS AMENDING BILL, ISETIUEUMIT. j^sr^jiirrEtiaz iTi^^'aSitsa^ PBQQEB AND UE B^OHD. PEEKS OB Tfiumuav ■BUDGET UDDDIB. THE DAILY TELEGRAPH, LONDON PRINCIPAL NEWS PAGE ^tesc».A£S'aiZ.' BEPOBTED ABDICATIOK EIHG FBTEB. BOTLD IHQ DI8 PCTE. BECOBD FLIGHT, u nonHs nr the aih. ALEXANDRA DAT. FESTIVAL OP £Osea BBf HiJESITS lEim HKB TO «OItEBK.% Anaenf paMTga. iijK=i?S'5S THE WORLDS JOURNALISM 13 nre DAiLTraLsooAPiL PA BLiAME ST. eoDSE or lAiaoa. vSSffTaii.fr-,-. HoDBi: or guuHONa rrauicB mu. RAILWAYS WEEK-END IN HOLLAND HETLBK FMU MIUDN TO MlBTElDUii wa«tt~0-t-. _. - £2 15 11 M ch. bi u< u ibuw .. £2 9 7 WEEK-END » BELGIUM > HOLLAND LOVDOH, ABTWEHP, DnUBaELS, THE HlflUE, AHBTERHAM BHd bask ta BY THE CORNISH SEA FDR DEUCHTTUL, BHAOHC HDUDAYS. Travel byX & S.W.R. A HIGHLAND HOLIDAY tanMTBiSiJBDsVaaiuiiD | aS;^^^J^^ iitrUsJttS:'! tKEaim ANDTDF.SnmUGE THE DAEOY TELEGEAPH, LONDOIT — ^PABLIAMENTABY NEWS PAGE 14 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI BULLETIN =S?i=S£^S=SS DRESDNER ANZEIGEE — TYPICAi GERMAN MAKE-UP the Hannoverscher Courier, strong representative of the Liberal party; in Dresden, the Dresdner Zeitung, a fine example of the excellent possibilities of a municipally owned but not municipally directed newspaper. These and other newspapers outside Berlin have more influence and higher rank than the newspapers of the capital city. The newspapers of other European countries are modeled to a considerable degree upon the French or German type or combinations of these types. In Italy, Belgium, Spain and Portugal, the French type predominates ; in Holland, Switzerland and Austria-Hungary, the German. The Russian newspapers resemble the French in many ways, but in this great empire the vast and sparsely settled territories to be covered and the close govern- mental supervision have caused considerable departure from the Eussian Journalism T>HE WORLD^S JOURNALISM 1^ (Sl&t japjlffi ^%mmtU THE DAILY CHBONICLE, LONDON FIBST AND EDITORIAL PAGES 16 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI BULLETIN freedom of discussion and the comprehensiveness of news service characteristic of the journals of Paris. In most of these countries the governments, through legisla- tion, official editors or the actions of agents, so largely restrict or limit the expression of opinion and the publication of news that a genuinely free press is well-nigh impossible. A few of the liberal newspapers, such as the Russiche Slovsky at Moscow, the Corriere della Sera at Milan, the Neue Freie Presse, Tageblatt and Arbeiter Zeitung at Vienna; the Pester Lloyd, Pesti Hirlap and the Est at Budapest, have grown strong enough to make govern- ment interference practically impossible. Even these newspapers, however, must be careful and restrained in political comment and news-statement or run the risk of the imprisonment of the responsible editor, suppression of the journal and confiscation of the property. The secret or revolutionary press is a phenomenon which mainly affects Russia, though examples of it are met with elsewhere. This press is propagandist in aim, seeking overthrow of existing institutions. The newspapers secretly published and circulated usually come from beyond the boundaries of the country in which they seek to have influence. While forbidden the mails, they obtain a considerable circulation by methods best known to their agents. The press of Continental Europe differs from the press of Great Britain and the United States in matter of circulation. Circulation of daily newspapers in the large cities Newspaper of the United States consists to a considerable de- Circulation gree of street sales. In Great Britain and France this is true also, but to a less extent. In Germany and Austria-Hungary circulation is a matter of actual monthly or yearly subscription, the newspapers being delivered at the subscriber's home or place of business. The newsboy is almost unknown and the street sale a negligible quantity. This, in part, explains the difference in the treatment of the front page in news- papers which depend on street sales for considerable revenue from the treatment of the front page in newspapers which have no such revenue. In Austria-Hungary the sale of newspapers on the streets is forbidden by law. In Munich the Neuste Nach- THE world's journalism 17 richten withdrew the one newsboy it had selling papers on the main street because the experiment did not pay. The telegraphic news agencies in European countries are maintained or fostered by the various governments, subsidized directly or indirectly, or the news supplied by them jjg^g comes from inspired sources. This is true of Agencies Russia, where the director of the news agency is in Europe a government officer, of the Wolff A'gency in Ger- many, of the Havas Agency in France, the Stefanie Agencie in Italy, the Correspondenz Wilhelm in Austria and other news concerns of the continent. The governments thus control the sources of news supply and compel the journals that wish uncolored news to have special news services. The journalism of the British self-governing and crown colonies is, as might be expected, essentially of British type. Australia has a journalism which, to quote the In Australia and clever phrase of an Australian, "has not de- New Zealand scended from but ascended from the British." It has the excellent qualities of the British jour- nals, but adds to them an audacious attractiveness somewhat akin to the American. Remote as Australia is from the larger centers of population, it is somewhat surprising to find in its chief cities, Sydney and Melbourne, newspapers that rank with the world's greatest journals. In comprehensiveness of news treatment, in breadth of editorial discussion, in wholesome inter- pretation, the Melbourne Argus and Age and the Sydney Morn- ing Herald and Daily Telegraph are unexcelled, while the Eve- ning Heral-d, of Melbourne, in brightness of news-presentation and general appeal is among the best of the world's afternoon newspapers. In Australia and New Zealand journalists have obtained within the last year a minimum wage fixed by law, the result of closely organized associations of the working journalists. The journalism of China and of Japan has been greatly ham- pered by restrictive laws. Japan has made much progress toward freedom of expression and China's journalism is In China ^Iso moving forward. In both countries, particu- and Japan larly in Japan, much is published which seems to the westerner trivial and, often, vulgar or worse. 18 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI BULLETIN otfllimwTlit^ UV^-lr (W a»taimmt»uimmimmt*.iamaaJmttUMa\m^aimHmi« — ■-••.M!>5™ii»ll' gCltt ©atlg BinrK m^ SgWg J80m% Imft. ®li$ ^ii^^ let^' TuiiiL, Enmoii SS,KJ 5^^S fejSS ■KtwC'. TWO KEPEESENTATIVE ATJSTEALIAW NEWSPAPERS 26 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI BULLETIN ^ «BWFT vffln mm mwu. BAtTTOAr, ocro im A p*1jWS w tub RTtonaw* VJJfT BEACrmL Busn SYDNEY MORNING HERALD — ^EDITOBIAX PAGE THE WORLD S JOURNALISM 27 occupied solely in travelling, and in such cases each day shall be reckoned as eight hours' duty. Where possible on a train journey a sleeping berth shall be provided at the expense of the employer. TIME BOOK. 10. A time book shall be provided by the employer and kept on the premises, and employees shall enter therein the times of signing on and signing off, and such book shall be open for inspection by a duly authorized member of the Association, who shall be an employee of the employer concerned. The duty of signing on and signing off in such book shall not apply to suburban correspondents. RATBS OF WAGES. 11. The minimum rates of pay per week for journalists shall be as follows: — Melbourne and Sydney — Morning paper. Evening paper. Seniors £7 . . £6 10 Generals 5 10 .. 5 Juniors 4 .. 3 10 Adelaide and Brisbane — Morning paper. Evening paper. Seniors £6 . . £5 10 Generals 4 15 .. 4 5 Juniors 4 .. 3 10 Hobart — Morning paper. Evening paper. Seniors £5 . . £5 Generals 4 .. 4 Juniors 3 .. 3 All newspapers — Cadets (1st year) £110 (2nd year) 2 (3rd year) 2 10 (4th year) 3 Casual reporters shall be paid not less than fifteen shillings per day. When employed during Saturday afternoon only they shall be paid not less than five shillings for the afternoon. Suburban correspondents shall be paid on lineage at the rate of not less than 1 3-8d. per line of published matter, provided that in Victoria such lineage rate shall be l%d. per line. 28 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI BULLETIN STJBTJEBAN COEEESPONDENTS. 12. A suburban correspondent called upon to fulfil a special engagement other than city work shall receive out-of-pocket expenses. HOtlES OP CASUAL EEPOETEES. 13. Casual reporters shall not be paid on space rates, and shall not, with the exception of Saturday afternoon engagements, be engaged for less than one day, which shall, as far as Is practicable, not exceed eight hours. SUBtrEBAN COEEBSPONDENTS AND CITY WOBK. 14. Suburban correspondents who are required to be available for city work shall be paid ten shillings per week if their total earn- ings for the week do not reach five pounds. Suburban correspondents shall not be paid on casual rates, and as far as possible their hours of work shall not exceed 48 in each week. WEEKLY PAPEES. 15. The rates of pay for the staff on weekly papers shall be based on the scale for evening daily papers. WEEKLY PAPEES. — ^EDITOE. 16. The editor of a weekly paper (other than a weekly paper dealing with agriculture, horticulture, sporting, and ordinary current news of the week) produced in the office of a Metropolitan daily news- paper shall be paid at a rate not less than the rate of wage hereinbefore provided for a senior journalist employed in connection with such Metropolitan daily newspaper. DUTIES OF THE STAFF. 17. The duties of the members of the staff shall be allotted by the employer to suit the convenience of the office, and no exception shall be taken to the class of work allotted to men in different grades. No bona fide re-organization by any of the employers of their respective staffs for the purposes of their business shall be construed as a punitive consequence of this agreement. HOLIDAYS. ,18. All journalists regularly employed on the salaried staff shall be entitled to three consecutive weeks' holiday in each year on full pay. DUEATION OF AGBEEMENT. 19. This Agreement shall come into force from the date hereof, and continue in force until the first day of August, 1915, and there- after shall continue until determined by one month's notice by either party. THE world's journalism 29 Other agreements have been entered into, similar in char- acter, in AustraHa and New Zealand between the owners of small-town and rural newspapers and their employees. While the introduction of the wages-board or trade union principle to journalism in these countries was opposed, sometimes with bitter- ness, by a majority of the employers and by a small minority of the employed, it has apparently resulted in considerable good. The objections urged against it in advance of its adoption were that it would lower the dignity of journalism, decrease the op- portunities for the best journalists, level down salaries and take from journalists the incentive which the professional rewards had given. These objections do not seem to have been well- founded. The employing publishers and chief editors of Aus- tralia are not unanimous in condemning the law. A few do condemn, but the great majority assert the law has not been in existence long enough to prove itself either good or bad, while a few express the opinion that it has resulted for the best interest of all parties. On the other hand, the working journalists, mem- bers of the Australian Journalists' Association, contend — ^and with show of truth — that wages have been increased, holidays have been granted and, with a resulting improvement in the character of work done, the professional spirit has not diminished, while financial independence and permanence of employment have helped toward better writing and better newspapers. Contrasts between different types of journalism are to be found in many cities. The conservative and the liberal journal, the yellow and the gray newspaper, are to be found Contrasting ^'^^ ^^ ^^^^" ^^^y ^PP^'^l to different constituencies Types in the i" the same community. Perhaps no such contrast Orient exists anywhere else in the world between two national types of newspapers, however, as may be seen in Shanghai, China. Here a British newspaper, the North China Daily News, and an American newspaper, the China Press, exist side by side. The News is typically British, while the China Press, edited by Thomas F. Millard, former student at the University of Missouri, is conspicuously American. In make-up, contents, point of view, news treatment and interpreta- tion, the two newspapers well represent the journalism of the 30 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI BULLETIN THE TORRES STRAITS PILOT Ahd Ncvr Guinea Gaaetle. PUBLISHED AT THUESDAY ISLAND DAILY IN "EXTRA'' POEM. ■WEEKLY ISSUR SATURDAYS. THE PILOT has a large circulation io the GiUf country and an>ongat th? numerous Pearl Shelling aad Beche-dtr Mer Sta;tionR ifl the Straits, and should be a- valuable adverHsins' medium. ADVERTISING SCALE. First tncli ••■. ^^• Every additional inch 4fl. Birthbj- Marrtages, and Deatha 58. Trade Ca/rds n exceeding two inches (per quarter ... 20g. Paragraph Advertisements line) ... ... ... .. 9d. Advertisements over the Lea<)ei, 60 per cent." on ordinary rates. I iberal dioTSOunt on standing er- tSisements. SUBSCRIPTION : fli X Is.' per annum, or Six ShniinKff per quarter, iA advance 41 6s. per annuitr, if booked. - Price per copy — Sixpence^ Printed and puWiahed at Thursday Islail Queeualaud by Alsxaader Corran, for the Propietaas M. A, Ccsran. A RURAL NEWSPAPER, PUBLISHED ON THURSDAY ISLAND, IN NORTHERN AUSTRALIA, HAS THIS "FLAG," WHICH IS CHARACTERISTIC OF SOME OF THE NEWSPAPERS OF THE MORE REMOTE REGIONS OF AUSTRALASIA THE world's journalism 31 two nations. They are sold on the streets of Shanghai by the same newsboys. American influence is contributing largely toward the newer journalism in China. Men from American universities and trained by experience on newspapers in the United States have gone as correspondents or in other capacities to Oriental countries. Through them and through students from China educated in the United States and in other ways the journalism of China, Japan and other nations of the Far East reflects the newer journalism of America. Hin Wong, of Canton, a graduate of the School of Journalism of the University of Mis- soiuri, is the first Chinese to represent Renter's, the British news agency, in the republic of China. H. K. Tong, a former student at the School, is the English editor of the Peking Daily Gazette, the oldest newspaper in continuous existence in the world. Robert Donald, long the representative of the New York Herald in Peking, is an Australian journalist. Japan shows the contrast of a new, vigorous, though in some cases rather irresponsible journalism existing in an empire which has not yet become altogether accustomed to its Japan, Old newer civilization. The newspapers at Osaka rank and New with the best in the world. Even these newspapers are confronted with conditions of publication that make impossible such presentation of news as exists in other countries. As an instance, the conditions under which the Osaka Mainichi (Osaka Daily News) published news stories regarding the death of the Empress Dowager of Japan may be cited. "Our office," said one of the staff of the Mainichi, "is upset by the Empress Dowager's death. It is not officially announced yet but it is a known fact that she is dead. The reason why the official announcement has not been made yet is, we understand, because she died not in Tokio. Her remains have arrived in Tokio and we expect that the announcement will be made late tonight. We devoted many pages to her death. We printed the extra about her majesty's death this afternoon and it was sent out already to our agents. As soon as the official announcement of her death is made we will telegraph to them to circulate the extra. If the announcement is not made late tonight or to- 32 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI BULLETIN morrow, the extra will not be circulated at all. We want to be the first to reach the readers by publishing extras in this way." The Empress Dowager had, as a matter of fact, died more than twenty-four hours before her death was announced. As she had died away from Tokio, her remains were brought to that city as if she had been still alive. The newspapers referred to her reception at the railway station as if she were returning home ill. Some hours after her body had been returned to the palace in the capital city an official bulletin from the government notified the newspapers that her illness had taken a sudden turn for the worse and that she had died. The Japanese newspapers published the story as thus given out in bulletin by the Japanese government. It was a strange contrast with the modern spirit of the new Japan. The Sunday newspaper as it exists in the United States is not to be found in any other country. In number of pages, in color effects, in general bulk, it has no parallel The Sunday elsewhere. In most of the English-speaking coun- Newspaper tries, outside the United States, the great metro- politan daily newspapers issue no Sunday editions. In other countries the Sunday newspaper, if issued, is prac- tically the same as the edition for any other of the seven days of the week. If a German or French newspaper, for example, pub- lishes special supplements or extra sections for any purpose, they will as likely be published any other day as Sunday — indeed, with more likelihood. In Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand and some other countries Sunday newspapers are pub- lished which are weeklies, taking the place of the Sunday issue of a daily paper and also containing a more or less complete review of the news of the week. Some of these Sunday papers are sensational in the extreme and devote much space to crimes and to highly colored and highly spiced society news. Their circulation is large, one or two in London having passed the million mark. While the American journalist is responsible for the cre- tion of the Sunday newspaper, comic supplement and all, he is also responsible, to a great degree, for the rural The Rural or country newspaper. Rural journalism has found Newspaper its largest development in the United States. The journalism of most other countries outside of the THE world's journalism 33 United States, excepting Great Britain, is a city or near-city journalism. The country newspaper, with its intimate, persona! relationship between the editor and his public, is peculiarly an American invention. Perhaps second to the United States in rural journalism come New Zealand and Australia. The New Zealand country newspaper, excepting the more influential ones in the United States, is perhaps the best representative of rural journalism to be found in the world. It has news facilities beyond those ordinarily found in American offices and covers its field of news presentation and interpretation more thoroughly. The same is true, perhaps to a less extent, in Australia, where distances are greater and population in the rural regions more sparse. The cheapness of telephone service in Australia and New Zealand permits the use by rural newspapers of a large amount of news from the central cities which otherwise would not be obtainable. For this and other causes the rural newspaper of these countries is superior in its general news features, though not in its pres- entation of local matters, to the American country journal. Interviewing is more common and less serious with news- papers in the United States than in other parts of the world. The interview, meaning thereby an invited state- The Use of ment from a public man on some question sup- Shorthand posed to be of public interest, is said to be an American invention. Certainly it has been carried to its farthest extreme in the United States. Interviewing in other countries, particularly those in which the British type of journalism dominates, is a matter of shorthand reporting. The question and answer are recorded by the reporter with the same exactitude as an examination of a witness in court. Many news stories are treated in the same way. Knowledge of shorthand is a practical necessity for the British reporter at home and in any of the British colonies. The use of the typewriter is second- ary, but an adequate knowledge of shorthand is a prerequisite to employment as a general reporter. This use of shorthand in interviewing and in general news reports has in many instances deadened the news presentation. It has its value as far as ac- curacy is concerned, but its prevalent use has often taken from 34 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI BULLETI^f Jluft&'CIjto 1^ Paili JBieto^^fc HH*won*i. a*TiiFtr>AT. MA'rii i WM^~ House PLANS BUnaUNDIBS. v loocHAiD rtti rrroM. CALDBECtC, HACGREGOB A CO. FDWilSflUiqjJEPAKTMENT BRASS BEDSTEADS UOKJUTTO ROD ATTACHUENn BBE aaowaaoitm. TAyB.CBAWFO»DftCn.T.D. HALL & HOLTZJL,Tp. BPBI.SO UlLI.»EaT UILUNEKY USE. [r^rr] THE CHINA PRESS p^r^l * ' HI K -■- ' enmamlttatai ^J^C^^?. =1J for Jlpfg CfcrMtumffcronl^j^" "T^ - BRITISH AND AM35BICAN TYPES OF NEWSPAPERS IN SHANGHAI, CHINA THE world's journalism 35 British news stories the imagination which is necessary to make a complete and truthful picture. The shorthand reporter has been so intent upon the words that he has missed the idea. The news agencies in foreign countries are, almost without exception, owned, controlled or inspired by the government. The result is that only such news is sent out as Evils from meets the government's approval. In conse- News Agencies quence newspaper readers of other lands fre- quently form their opinions contrary to the real facts. These opinions are formed by taking the views of the government news agencies as expressing the views of the people of the nation. Much of the difficulty in promoting international amity has been caused by the existence of these government news agencies reflecting the jealousies existing between the govern- ments rather than the friendships between the peoples who are governed. The Koksai, a Japanese national news agency, is a case in point. The Koksai, while ostensibly a business enterprise of certain individuals, is closely affiliated with the Japanese govern- ment. It is rather the expression of the news as the Japanese government would wish the world to know it than of the news as it actually happens in Japan. The connection of this news agency and news agencies of other nations with Reuter's and through Reuter's directly or indirectly with the Associated Press and other agencies of the United States, is such as to give, in mafly cases, the readers of American newspapers false ideas of conditions abroad. "All such news services," said an American journalist resident in China, "are invidious to international har- mony, being merely in matters of broad political bearing mouth- pieces of governments or mufflers of independent news or criticism." The world's journalism may not be rightly judged unless consideration is taken of the difficulties under which newspapers are produced. These difficulties are : Financial, aris- Limitations ing from insufficiency of revenue, due to conditions of Progress of population and business; mechanical or physical, due to lack of equipment and the obstacles of a difficult alphabet; and governmental, due to the laws or lack 36 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI BULLETIN of laws by which the press in many of its aspects is affected or controlled. Financial difficulties hamper the press wherever popu- lation is small and business conditions poor. Physical difficulties exist where revenue is small, machinery inadequate or the al- phabet specially difficult. The newspapers of China and Japan, for example, are hampered because of the use of ideograms — a sign meaning an idea — instead of an alphabet. The use of ideograms requires the Chinese compositor to make use of three thousand or more separate characters in the production of an ordinary newspaper. The printer's case is a large room con- taining several cases, rather than the few boxes which hold the type to be hand-set as in other countries where a written alphabet is used. Japan employs the Chinese ideograms in its newspaper production, as do some other Oriental lands. A more serious difficulty which is an obstacle to the highest and best journalism is the censorship which prevails in so many countries. This cen- sorship is variously exercised. In Turkey press reports must be passed on by a police officer before they are permitted to be put in type. In Russia, Austria-Hungary and some other coun- tries of Europe the newspaper must supply certain officers with copies of the various editions to be published. The editor is liable to fine and imprisonment and the newspaper to confiscation if anything contrary to the wishes of the government censorship is published. Another form of censorship exists in Japan and perhaps else- where by which newspapers are forbidden to publish any state- ment of the news concerning or comments upon certain events. An instance, related by a Japanese journalist in Kobe and con- firmed by this translation of the government notice, illustrates this form of censorship : 6:30 a. m. 6th September, 1913. In accordance with Art. 19 of the Regulations pertaining to newspa- pers, I hereby prohibit the publication of the crime, the searches of police and all other things concerning the affair in which A. Moritaro, Director of the Bureau of Political Affairs of the Department of For- eign Affairs, was wounded by rascals at Reinanzaka, Akasaka, Tokio. (Signed) K. Susuaga, Chief Procurator of the Kobe Local Court. The newspapers in Japan were thus compelled to suppress the news of an important crime involving political concerns. THE world's journalism 37 The same censorship extends to many news events, often of large importance. The Japanese editor who even refers to the receipt of the procurator's notice is liable to punishment. There is growing laxity, however, in censorship, and journal- ism is becoming more and more independent. Nevertheless, the newspapers have not as yet attained in any other country the free- dom from outside control that is the privilege of newspapers of the United States. The signed article is found more generally in the news- papers of France and Great Britain than in America. The per- sonality of the writer counts for more. The The Signed American newspaper, editorial page and all, has Article become in the last two decades a more composite production. On the contrary, the British and French newspapers, particularly the French, continue more in- dividualistic and the personality of the writer is given freer play. It is interesting and suggestive to find that the use of the telephone, which is thought to be and is more popular in the United States than in any country, is employed The Telephone in journalism to a larger extent in other coun- as a Reporter tries than in our own. In Russia the telephone brings a considerable share of the news from distant points to the greater journals. Paris, London, Berlin, Milan and other cities use telephone service from distant towns with a freedom that does not exist in the United States. Aus- tralia and New Zealand employ the telephone for news trans- mission to a degree unequalled in America. The transformation of the editorial page and the threatened retirement of the leader in the cheaper British journalism as discussed by Mr. Scott-James, British press his- The Loss of torian, gives another light on the condition of the the Leader world's journalism as viewed from the British stand- point. The leading article, as the phrase is used in Great Britain, means the part of a newspaper which aims at the expression or guidance of opinion as distinct from the provi- sion of news. 38 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI BULLETIN THE OSAKA MAINICHI SHIMBUN, MOST WIDELY CIRCULATED NEWSPAPER IN JAPAN. NOTE ARTICLE TOR JAPANESE STUDYING ENGLISH THE world's journalism 39 "To what extent," said Mr. Scott- James, "the leading article will retain its importance in the half-penny daily papers, which of late years have come to fill so> large a part in English journal- ism, it is hard to say. In this, as in other things, the supply will in the long run keep pace with the demand. This, however, is but poor comfort so long as we are ignorant what the amount of the demand will be. As yet a half-penny daily paper is far more valued for its news than for its comments. Indeed of the news, to which it mainly owes its circulation, but a small part lends itself to the leading article. Crime, sport and exciting incidents of all kinds form the chief subjects of the descriptive sketches which fill so large a place in the modern newspaper. It may be that this is but a passing phase in the evolution of popular education. Two generations since the men and women, of whose tastes we now speak so hesitatingly, hardly read anything. The records of the cheap series, of which there are now so many, show unmistakably that what some of them have come to read may well put the better educated classes to shame. Such pub- lishers as the Oxford University Press and the Messrs. Dent would not have gone on with the World's Classics and Everyman's Library if the volumes had remained in their warehouses and, even if they had risen to this height of self-sacrifice, their example would not have been followed as it has been by other publishers working on an equally extensive scale. The taste to which these reprints minister have not, it is true, yet become manifest in the half-penny newspaper. But a time may come when a public which buys Burke in shilling volumes may look for some reproduction, however pale, of his wisdom in the leaders which it glances at in the tube or the motor bus." This comment of Mr. Scott-James suggests a further ob- servation that in many cases newspapers are edited down below the desires of their readers rather than up to them. A list, necessarily rather arbitrary, of one hundred repre- sentative daily newspapers of the world — outside of the United! States — may, perhaps, properly close this section One Hundred °^ ^^^^ paper. The newspaper which is the most Representative widely quoted abroad may not be the most in- Joumals fluential at home. The newspaper is quoted abroad, as a rule, for its international opinions, 40 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI BULLETIN for its representation of certain political views, or as inspired by the home government, or for some other similar political reason. Newspapers are often influential at home and are widely read in their own communities for entirely different reasons. The list aims to include newspapers representative and characteristic of the journalism of the several countries. The Times London, England The Morning Post London, England The Daily Mall London, England The Daily Telegraph London, England The Chronicle London, England The Standard London, England The News and Leader London, England The Westminster Gazette London, England The Citizen London, England The Daily Mirror London, England The Guardian Manchester, England The Herald Glasgow, Scotland The Scotsman Edinburgh, Scotland Le Figaro Paris, France Le Matin Paris, France Le Temps Paris, France Journal des Debats Paris, France Le Journal Paris, France Le Petit Journal Paris, France Echo de Paris Paris, France Le Gaulois Paris, France Le Petit Parisien Paris, France Gil Bias Paris, France Humanite Paris, France Soir Paris, France Excelsior Paris, France Neuste Nachrichten Munich, Germany Frankfurter Zeltung Frankfort, Germany Kolnische Zeltung Cologne, Germany Morgenpost Berlin, Germany Hannoverscher Courier Hanover, Germany Lokal Anzeiger Berlin, Germany Tageblatt Berlin, Germany Vorwaerts Berlin, Germany Abendpost Berlin, Germany Norddeutsche AUgemeine Zeitung Berlin, Germany Vosslche Zeitung Berlin, Germany La Prensa Buenos Aires, Argentina THE world's journalism 41 Neue Freie Presse Vienna, Austria Zeit Vienna, Austria Neues Tageblatt Vienna, Austria Pesti Hirlap Budapest, Hungary Pester Lloyd Budapest, Hungary Az Est Budapest, Hungary Independance Beige Brussels, Belgium The China Press Shanghai, China News Peking, China Gazette Peking, China Sin Wan Pao Shanghai, China Algemeen Handelshlad Amsterdam, Holland Nieuwe Courant The Hague, Holland Corriere della Sera Milan, Italy II Secolo Milan, Italy Tribuna Rome, Italy Osservatore Romano Rome, Italy Messagero Rome, Italy Rech Petrograd, Russia Novo Vremya Petrograd, Russia ^ Russiche Slovsky Moscow, Russia Der Bund Berne, Switzerland Journal de Geneve Geneva, Switzerland Mainichi Shimbun Osaka, Japan Asahi Osaka, Japan Jiji Shimpo Tokio, Japan Japan Advertiser Tokio, Japan Japan Chronicle Kobe, Japan Kokumin Shimbun Tokio, Japan Hochi Tokio, Japan Statesman Calcutta, India Bengalee Calcutta, India Sanj Vartaman Bombay, India Pioneer Allahabad, India Morning Herald Sydney, Australia Daily Telegraph Sydney, Australia Sun Sydney, Australia Argus Melbourne, Australia Herald Melbourne, Australia Age Melbourne, Australia Globe Toronto, Canada Star Montreal, Canada News Toronto, Canada Province Vancouver, Canada Daily Mail Montreal, Canada 42 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI BULLETIN Star Auckland, New Zealand Mercuric Santiago, Chili Journal de Commercio Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Acropolis Athens, Greece Patris Athens, Greece Imparcial Madrid, Spain Diario de Notlcias Lisbon, Portugal Tidnigen Stockholm, Sweden Morgenbladet Christiania, Norway Ikdam Constantinople, Turkey Sabah Constantinople, Turkey La Vanguardia Manila, Philippine Islands Press Seoul, Corea The Northern Whig Belfast, Ireland Irish Independent Dublin, Ireland Irish Times Dublin, Ireland Freeman's Journal Dublin, Ireland The American type of newspaper is more audacious than any of its foreign contemporaries, more smartly written, more attractively printed. It is more liable to error be- rpjjg cause it emphasizes swiftness of publication and, American frequently, has cheap labor in its production. It Type shows the ill effect of undue haste in matter and manner. It does not respect its readers as does the British journal, nor insist upon craftsmanship as the French, nor does it equal the German in its presentation of reading matter other than news. It is frequently not well-balanced. It is intensely local; often in the largest cities, provincial in the extreme. The headlines are usually out of proportion to the real news. The American newspaper, however, in news facili- ties, in persuasive appeal to all classes, as a general medium for exchange of thought, is unsurpassed. The editorial page, once thought to be lost in the United States, is reasserting itself, though in changed form. It no longer concerns itself wholly or chiefly with politics but touches upon all human interests, with a bright- ness that occasionally inclines to superficiality. The American newspaper has discovered women and children as readers where newspapers of other countries have neglected them until now or altogether. The yellow is fading out of the American news columns. The general tone is becoming conservative. The THE world's journalism 43 American type, which is largely influencing the world's journal- ism, is being influenced to a less degree by the world's jour- nalism. The British information, the French logic and lucidity, the German accuracy and scholarship, are serving to remake the American press. The new world's journalism, which the world-traveler sees, is the outcome of the new world-spirit. It is the outward and visible sign of an inward grace. Perhaps the word The New most nearly descriptive of the new world-spirit is Journalism self-consciousness. It is an effort at self-expres- sion. It is a new struggle among the peoples for different relations to the external, a new conviction that they should have more to say concerning their own fortunes. Its manifestations are various. Its attitude is critical everywhere and sometimes openly contemptuous. In some lands it seeks re- form, in some it inspires revolt. So journalism is freakish in some places for a time and revolutionary elsewhere. Man is not made for the established order, the new spirit asserts; the estab- lished order must be made or remade for man. Civilization is a garment — if it does not fit comfortably, let us change it. So state and church and society, business and school and government, are invaded with interrogations if not with axes by the new world-spirit. Of this spirit, at the same time its creature and creator, its prophet and its slave, is the new world-journalism. It is an interesting sidelight upon the political condition of the present-^day world that the newspapers with decided liberal views have everywhere the most readers, while twenty-five years ago the conservative press had the largest circulation. One outstanding fact that any study, however slight, of the world's journalism of today reveals, is that journalists in every land are more and more possessed of the conviction that their profession is a profession of public service, to be engaged in primarily for public good. This conviction is widespread and growing among journalists. That it exists, and so generally, gives hope and courage to all who recognize the tremendous power of journalism for useful service in the present transition age, notwithstanding the frequent crudities and commercialism of the press, its frequent limitations and low aims. 44 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI BULLETIN The new journalism will doubtless have some features of the several present types. It will be modified and will modify itself to suit the world's changing demands and needs. It will be the new world-spirit in printed form. Certain it is that it will be a journalism of more general and generous appeal than the old journalism, less narrow and less dishonestly commercial, of community rather than class service. It will be more and more a social institution directed by men of sound training, large ex- perience, broad vision and high courage, in the interest of society. Despite many and important exceptions, this is the present ten- dency of the world's journalism.