Annals of Journalism 4: the Ladybird Story of Newspapers

The Story of Newspapers by W.D. Siddle was one of the Ladybird 'Achievements' Books, published in 1969.

Despite being over 40 years old, there are some contemporary resonances, such as the explanation of the relation between a newspaper's advertising and its sales. Siddle points out that more than 60% of the revenue of a newspaper comes from advertising, which means that "if a paper selling at sixpence a copy loses one thousand pounds worth of advertising, it has to increase its circulation by over forty thousand to make up the loss". That focuses the mind.

There were other clouds on the 1969 horizon: "Papers now have to compete for advertisements with commercial television and they have lost a considerable amount of advertising revenue as a result."

The book sets the world of "your father" and his newspaper into its historical context, going back to Julius Caesar and the posting of a daily bulletin in the Roman Forum.

In the contemporary world, newspapers are presided over by men in smart suits and ties, puffing on cigarettes and pipes - like "your father" in the garden. 

NEWSPAPERS FOR EVERYONE (above)

Each person buys the newspaper most suited to his particular interests. A stockbroker in the City is probably more interested in financial news, and has time to read long articles about it. A train driver may be more interested in sport, and prefer short, lively articles. The paper which suits the stockbroker may not be at all suitable for the train driver. 

SIFTING THE NEWS (below, right) 

News reports flow in and are sub-edited. 'Leaders' are written and re-written. Material is chosen or discarded. Pages are designed with news, features and advertisements, each given their allotted place and prominence to ensure that the paper presents its familiar appearance. Everything must be done carefully and accurately. Everyone must be prepared to change a page if important news comes in at the last minute. 

Printing of the first edition must start by a fixed time so that the paper can be despatched in time to reach its most distant destination by the next morning. This time is called the 'deadline'.

Ladybird, enterprisingly, now offers prints, framed or unframed, of some of the pictures from its books here.

The Story of Newspapers by William David Siddle, illustrated by Ronald Sydney Embleton. 

Copyright © Ladybird Books Ltd, 1969.

Reproduced by kind permission of Ladybird Books Ltd.

See the previous Annals of Journalism blog on the telephone interview.