TRADE PUBLISHERS TALK PROBLEMS
NORTHWEST INSURANCE NEWS does not limit its editorial field to sectional news, Louis Sondheim, managing editor of the magazine, told Portland trade editors and publishers at their monthly meeting at the Chamber of Commerce, August 25. He said his journal attempted to cover important insurance stories regardless of where they originated. Some of his best items originate in New York, Hartford and other Eastern insurance centers.
Mr. Sondheim is of the opinion that business men are glad to get national as well as sectional news within the covers of a magazine devoted to their particular interest. He believes the theory is not tenable that the trade magazine with a sectional circulation should devote its columns entirely to sectional news, al though some trade editors hold to this theory on the ground that the journal with a so-called national circulation will reach readers with the important national items.
“In all probability many of your subscribers do not also take the national journal devoted to their trade,” he said. In mentioning his sources of news, Mr. Sondheim included the house organs of the big insurance companies. These lit tle corporation magazines furnish a num ber of items. Mr. Sondheim believes in publishing lots of short items, compact with news. This is the backbone of his journal rather than the so-called long feature article. The Northwest In surance News covers the life, fire, ac cident, casualty and surety fields. Each has a department in the journal.
Herbert Cuthbert, publicity manager of the Portland Chamber of Commerce, spoke on the value of the tourist trade to the state. “I am convinced that not less than from $15,000 ,000 to $18,000 ,000 of new money has been brought into Oregon this year by people who have been glad to come to view our magnificent scenery,” he declared. Those who attended the August meet ing of the trade and class journalism sec tion of the newspaper conference were: J. B. Fitzgerald and S. H. Holbrook of the Four L Bulletin; George N. Angell, Oregon Farmer; G. J. McPherson, Ore yon Merchants Magazine; E. R. Lund burg and Nichols I‘ieran.gel, Dairy Journ al; Stephen J. Hart, Commercial Review; Ernest C. Potts, Better Fruit; C. L . Beach, Hotel News; John P. O'Hara, ('atholic Sentinel; W. C. Kaley, Oregon Voter; Ralph D. Casey, University of Oregon School of Journalism, and Mr. Sondheim and Mr. Cuthbert. Jerrold Owen, managing editor of the Pacific Legion, and John P. O'Hara, editor of the Catholic Sentinel, were the speakers at the meeting of Portland trade and class journalists in the Chamber of Commerce, Sept. 22 . Discussing the issuance of special edi tions of trade or class magazines, Mr. Owen said there are certain advertisers who are not interested in the regular edition of any publication, but who like to be represented in a special edition. “If there are enough of these pros pective advertisers to make a special edition profitable, I believe it is a very good idea to issue such an edition. ” said Ur. Owen. “If not, the question of issuing an ‘Animal’ depends entirely on whether the publisher believes it is a. good investment in gaining prestige and typifying service to readers. ” Mr. Owen discussed particularly the special edition_ of the Pacific Legion, published annually in November. Mr. O'Hara said the Catholic Sentinel has been published for nearly fifty-four years and that it is one of the oldest papers of Oregon. He discussed the make-up and news of the Sentinel, and [5]
