Page:The Practice of the Kansas Code of Ethics for Newspapers.pdf/6

184 payments for the paper be the only element of the transaction. There are a few Kansas newspapers which still give premiums for payment of sub- scription. This practice has decreased materially, however, and the old- fashioned newspaper subscription con- test is also a rarity in Kansas.

Foe the Publisher in estimating

Definition. Estimating is the science of computing costs. Its conclusion is the price.

Basis. We do not favor the es- tablishment of a minimum rate card for advertising which would be uniform among publishers, but we do favor a more thorough understanding of the subject of costs and commend to our members the labors of the American Printers Cost Commission of the First International Cost Congress recently held in Chicago. Let us learn our costs and then each establish a rate card based upon our investment and the cost of production, having no considera- tion for the comparative ability of the advertisers to pay, or the semi-news nature of the advertisement.

Quantity Discount. We consider it unwise to allow discounts greater than 10 per cent from the rate of first in- sertion for succeeding insertions.

The material advance in the business methods of computing possible costs has been the result of self-interest on the part of publishers; the Code, here, is merely a statement in favor of methods which will allow a fair profit.

For the Publisher

NEWS

Definition. News is the impartial report of the activities of mind, men and matter which do not offend the moral sensibilities of the more en- lightened people.

Lies. We condemn against truth : (1) The publication of fake illustra- tions of men and events of news

interest, however marked their similar- ity, without an accompanying state- ment that they are not real pictures of the event or person but only suggestive imitations.

(2) The publication of fake inter- views made up of assumed views of an individual, without his consent.

(3) The publication of interviews in quotations unless the exact approved language of the interviewed is used. When an interview is not an exact quotation it should be obvious in the reading that only the thought and impression of the interviewer is being reported.

(4) The issuance of fake news dis- patches, whether the same have for their purpose the influencing of stock quotations, elections, or the sale of securities or merchandise. Some of the greatest advertising in the world has been stolen through the news columns in the form of dispatches from unscrupulous press agents. Millions have been made on the rise and fall of stock quotations caused by newspaper lies, sent out by designing reporters.

Injustice. We condemn against justice:

(1) The practice of reporters making detectives and spies of themselves in their endeavors to investigate the guilt or innocence of those under sus- picion.

Reporters should not enter the domain of law in the apprehension of criminals. They should not become a detective or sweating agency for the purpose of furnishing excitement to the readers.

No suspect should have his hope of a just liberty foiled through the great prejudice which the public has formed against him because of the press ver- dict slyly couched in the news report, even before his arrest.

We should not even by insinuation interpret of facts our conclusions, unless by signature we become personally responsible for them. Ex- position, explanation, and interpreta- tion should be left to the field of the expert or specialist with a full con-