The billboard (Mar 1918)

The Bi liboard MARCH 9, 1913. For a number of years The Billboard has, in many respects, been the most remarkable paper ever estabUshed in the amusement world. Its average circulation is above 40,000 copies weekly, and during special weeks the temporary circulation hes mounted to as high as ‘0,000 copies. ‘This is a circulation larger than that of all other papers in its field combined, and there is no comparison whatever as to the number of pages of advertising. which are carried in its various issues as against that carried by its contemporaries. Add to the regular issues, numbering about -seventy-two pages, the three or four special issues of each year, containing from 175 to 250 pages each, and it will be found that The Billboard stands absolutely alone and unique ae compared with all other papers in the amusement field. \ ‘The Billboard has not attained these proportions without acquiring a prestige-more potent than that ever before established by an amusement weekly. And, with this ever growing inflt ence, it goes without saying that it has also increased in equipment, financial standing, and the power, to io things Therefore, when The Billboard lays out: for itself and assumes new responsibilities, its achievements of the Past are an assurance of its ability to carry to successful issue such new enterprises as it may see fit to undertake. Considering. these premises the management of The Billboard a few months ago decided to include within its already extensive scope of work lyceum and chautauqua activities. it is true there. were already one or two papers covering that field, but they were papers of very small circulation and practically without prestige or influence, and as the lyceum and chautauqua movement had grown to large proportions it was felt that its activities should be covered by a paper of sufficient circulation and standing to command respect and attention and to justify advertisers in the: expend!ture of their money. Consequently the services of a competent man with long experience in chautauqua and lyceum were secured and the department inaugurated.’ The evidences of ‘appreciation of the work carried on by this department during the past few months convinces us that we were correct in our Judgment in deciding to cover this field. The same arguments which influenced us to enter the lyceum and chautauqua field were Ikewise apDlicable .to ‘the concert and opera world. Two or three weeklies were endeavoring’ to cover musical doings im a specific manner, but altho established for years they had never been able to bufld up more than a very limited circulation. In fact, the circulation of these papers had never reached @ point amounting to more than perhaps one-fifth or one-sixth of that of ‘The Billboard, and their advertising rates were. all out of proportion to the size of their circulations. ‘Therefore it seemed very fitting that a paper as long established, as influential, as financially strong, and with a circulation as extensive as that of The Billboard, which was already covering every phase of the theatrical and lesser musical world, should also include within the scope of its activities the higher realms of music as work has enlarged until The Biilboara has become~-the largest and most widely circulated journal of its kind in existence, we will not be inclined to give much heed to such suggestions. “The Billboard has become what it is on the ‘square deal’ principle and proposes to continue to be just that kind of .2 journal, therefore our endeavor MARIA BARRIENTOS Famous Spanish soprano of the Metropolltar. Opera House, New York. constituted by the world of concert and opera. As a result of these thoughts The Billboard a few months ago also inaugurated a Concert and Opera Field section of the paper, placing same in charge of a man of experience in that work, Our opening statement in the first issue of this section. read in part as follows: “For some time past The Billboard has covered the concert and opera field to a limited degree. “Beginning with this issue its our intention to take care of this important fiéld in a more extended way and ‘we will welcome all concert and opera news from anyone engaged. in, those activities. ° : “In taking up this work in a larger manner there will be those who will ask what The Bilfboard ‘has to do with concerts, operas, etc., inclined ‘to say the move is not:2 consistent_one,’ but as the same has been‘sald:by.the:‘wise ones’ pertaining to various of-our other | moves'as by degrees the scope of our| will be to see that all worthwhile concert news is given the full and unbiased publicity.” Eyebrows were raised, looks askant given, and smiles of derision indulged in. It would never do. The Billboard was a great circus paper—it was the most widely read theatrical paper in existence—its activities covered general news, vaudeville, drama, magic, the popular song world, tabloids, dramatic stock, the legitimate, fairs, expositions, parks, pliers, beaches, the great movie world, and all other features. pertaining to the big amusement and m‘nor musical world, but concert and opera—horrors—no, never. It would -not mix, it was high brow stuff and. people wouldn't be. looking in a common, plebelan paper Ike The Billboard for such news, and, besides, a thousand and one other obstacles were pointed. out which the wise ones said.could never be overcome. Yet all-of ‘these: objectors, from ‘first to last,-seem-to have overlooked the one | great: essential-factor that makes all ‘publications valuable, viz.: Circulation. ‘The Biliboard reaches the people ana reaches more of them than the combined circulation of all the musical Papers of the country almost two to one. That's true, said another, ‘but the musical papers specialize in ‘their field. Yes, but thelr specializations reach very few people, and out of The Billboard's 40,000 average it probably reaches more musical people now by far than these so-called specialized Journals. Besides that The Billboard reaches a very large clientele which, altho not entirely musical, is of the utmost value to plano houses, musical managers, large orchestras, concert artists and opera companies. Musical interests of every description need to reach not only strictly musical people who pursue music for art's sake, but also heed to reach promoters of financial standing ever on the alert for something worth while trom a business point of view, musical or otherwise. Such men can be reached thru The Billboard, as can also the prominent theatrical managers, who are always in search of competent musical talent for their higher class undertakings. The specialized journals with their very limited circulations do not reach these people nor any one else excepting a small portion of the strictly musical. Admitting that in the beginning few people read The Billboard for higher class musical news and that comparatively few read it now for that purpose, what is the actual record and conclusion? The actual record is that from the beginning the concert and opera section of The Billboard has attracted the attention of the musical world. Concert and opera singers of the greatest prominence, musical managers and the rank and file of musical people generally are now regularly receiving and reading the paper, and the lst is growing weekly. Artists and grand opera companies of national prominence are using its advertising columns, and our musical clientele is steadily growing. ‘The -conclusion is: Rome was not built in a day, nelther is a publication, but as The Billboard has risen from obscurity and become the most largely read and widely circulated Journal in the great world of amusements, why should not its prestige and influence grow to like proportions in the realm of music? We have the means, the equipment, the circulation, and are in position: to employ the beet brains to carry on the work. The directing hand which has made The Billboard what it Is in the theatrical world can also make it the most potent factor in the higher spheres of music. In buying daily newspapers and magazines people do not demand that they shall not cover too wide a field of Concert artists who desire concert agement, concert engagements or info tlon of promotion are Invited to consult, elther Dy mail or in person, The Bulboard's concert man, Mr, Withey, in the Subway Central Bullding, 424 street and Broadway, New ‘York; telephove, Bryant S470. , This service ‘entirely free, there belng no charge of 7 kind whataoever, and concert artists are cordially favited to avall themselves of this service.