King: bring down newspapers’ ‘walls’
By ANAMARIA BELL
Of the Emerald
Newspapers are divided by
different — and sometimes
competing — departments, and
“today, the biggest wall of all
exists between news and
advertising,” Robert King, of the
Minneapolis Star and Tribune,
told a conference of newspaper
publishers Friday.
King, advertising vice-president
and former editor, delivered the
annual Eric W. Allen memorial
lecture to the EMU Ballroom
crowd of members of the Oregon
Newspaper Publishers Assoc
iation (ONPA). The lecture
was a part of the two-day 59th
annual ONPA conference held at
the University.
King, who worked thirteen
years in news before switching to
the advertising department,
discussed “The two views of
newspapers, advertising and
news."
Pertaining to the split vision of
newspapering, King said he used
to view journalism as an
institution, but now he sees it as a
business — “one which must
produce three-fourths of its
revenue on its value in the
marketplace as an advertising
medium, not as an institution.”
“As a news person, I tended to
judge quality in terms of good
writing, breadth and depth of
coverage and courage in the face
of official or community
pressures," King said.
“As an advertising person, I will
fight for ethical or constitutional
principles, but if I don’t fight the
marketplace judiciously my ‘jail’
could be a replacement as an
advertising channel by one or
more of our vigorous com
petitors," he declared.
We should make decisions as a
total newspaper,” King said. “All
of us should feel that we are
working for a complete enterprise,
not a news company, an
Alcohol series
sets speaker
Lowell Grabau, a psychologist
with the Lane County Mental
Health Alcohol program, will be
the featured speaker at the next
Community Alcohol Education
program Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at
the Central Presbyterian Church,
15th Avenue and Patterson
0||'00|
Grabau’s topic is “Underlying
Psychological Mechanisms of
Alcoholism.”
The free program is part of the
weekly series coordinated by the
Lane County Council orv
Alcoholism, designed for the
general public.
News, advertising cooperation urged
“The biggest wall
of all exists
between news
and advertising. ”
Photo by AnaMaria Bel
Robert King
advertising medium, printing
company or distribution system,”
he said.
King said that in Minneapolis
advertisers were invited to attend
seminars with newspeople in
order to induce direct
communication between the two
and possibly adopt new policies.
“In our role as a newspaper, we
often print news which our
advertising customers do not like.
That can be judged as good
journalism... or as biting the hand
that feeds us,” King exclaimed.
He went on to say that whatever it
may be, he believes it is a
contradiction.
He explained that when he was
an editor, he felt responsible for a
good newspaper.
“ I was so concerned about what
the circulation department was
doing wrong in not selling more of
such a darned good product.’
Now I feel responsible for bringing
in the revenue which makes our
newspapers go. That’s heavy,
and the report card is there for all
to see on a weekly basis.”
King commented that many
GOOD
MORNAY
MORNING!
Eggs Momay, melted swiss cheese
and mushrooms served in a butter
sauce over poached eggs with slices
of toast Just one of the many
tasteful breakfasts served each
morning at Eugene's finest food
establishment.
On Franklin Blvd. across
from William’s Bakery
Breakfast Hours: 7:30 AM-11 AM
good reporters view newspapers
as a business in the negative
sense.
"We have taught in the schools
and reinforced on the job that
advertising and news are indeed
separate,” he said. He added that
he felt the two actually
complement each other.
King brought up an age-old
journalistic question: “Should any
advertiser, large or small, have
influence over news decisions?”
"The crucial differentiation we
have in a highly competitive
marketplace is that of the news,
and the credibility which goes with
it for readers of news and
advertising alike,” King said. “If
we lose it, the news department
becomes no more than expensive
overhead. In my opinion, most
advertisers really don’t want us to
lose that distinction as honest
reporters either.”
The less sophisticated
advertisers will often trade a news
story for an ad, he explained.
"What they do not understand is
that their ads get much better
results in newspapers with large
numbers of readers who trust the
news and advertising they pay to
receive.”
King said the more
sophisticated advertiser tends to
view the news environment as
being quite important.
“He doesn’t like news which
puts business in a bad light,
especially his business. He
wonders why we do not publish
more good’ news.
“This is definitely a good
attitude because it calls for an
honest exchange of views
between customer and the news
department,” he explained.
King said he was ottering two
cents worth of information from an
editor who has gone commercial.”
He encouraged news and
advertising heads to work closely
together in order to arrive at sound
business decisions that will
benefit all of their goals.
He stressed that both must
listen to their readers as well as
“dust off” readership surveys.
“Years ago, the list of great
American newspapers was
compiled by experts in the
journalism profession. Today, that
list is being compiled from the
dollar ballots of readers and
advertisers.
“To the extent that we listen to
them, and resist the short-term
temptation to sell off our integrity
as honest news producers, we will
build a substantially healthy future
both as institutions of our society
and as business enterprises.”
King polished off his lecture
saying that upon his return to
Minnesota, he would teach the
people to say “Oregon” correctly.
1* German
reliable service for
your foreign car
AIJTO SERVICE
VW’S MERCEDES BMW’S
DATSUN TOYOTA
GUENTER SCHOENER
Bus Ph. 342-2912
2025 Franklin Blvd
Eugene Ore 97403
Home Ph. 746-1207
Si
Dego Duck
Makes you an offer
you can’t refuse,
CELEBRATE
THE
ST.
VALENTINE’S
DAY MASSACRE
Slay your sweetheart by taking her to La Cucina for special
$2.00 Pitchers of Wine Margueritas that will really knock her dead.
Or enjoy another cocktail from our new lounge. You
can also have dinner and pizza
at reasonable prices. Near **** R°deway Inn
on Gateway St. at Beltline.
Open till midnight daily
Sun. til 10 pm 720-1844
WEEKLY SPECIAL
Prices good through February 18,1978 while supplies last.
13tk & Kincaid
686-4331
Hooded
Robes
reg. $13.50-14 95
$9.98
• cotton acrylic blend
• red or light blue
• white fighting duck
• large front pocket
Jersey
reg. $7.95
$5.98
• 100% cotton
• sizes Small thru X-Large
• green
• imprinted with "Oregon Ducks"
in front and green machine"
on sleeve
Thermal
Mug
reg. $2.79
$1.99
• green, white, and yellow
• with fighting duck