Moving Picture Age (Jan-Dec 1922)

THIS ISSUE MARKS THE FINAL appearance of Moving Picture Age. A merger of this publication and The Educational Screen has been consummated, and starting with the issue of January, 1923, the work carried on formerly by the two magazines will be concentrated in the efforts of The Educational Screen. This consolidation may well be looked upon with favor by those who are truly conversant with conditions in the field of visual instruction. In a line of endeavor that is only in the early stages of development any duplication of effort is deplorable; and as considering publications, it is plain that the workers in the field can be satisfactorily served by one good magazine, while the chances of sufficient commercial support for the one publication are •within reason. The commercial interests should find satisfaction in this merger, for it permits them to concentrate their advertising support in one publication rather than dissipate it between two; and the wiser of these concerns will recognize the important obligation of so supporting the work of The Educational Screen that it shall live and flourish, for that magazine is now the only independent publication dealing with the subject of visual instruction, and should that point ever be reached when only house organs are serving this field the commercial man had best consider a change of occupation to a line of endeavor that has some vitality. Moving Picture Age subscribers will receive The Educatiottal Screen for January, and on until the date at which their respective subscriptions for Moving Picture Age expire. As for new subscribers, the rate of subscription is the same as that charged by this publication. New subscriptions to The Educational Screen will include a copy of "1001 Films (Plus)," the 4,775-film non-theatrical listing compiled and distributed with Moving Picture Age subscriptions. The Educational Screen is desirous of continuing to as great an extent as possible the service plans that have been conducted by Moving Picture Age. The latter publication has always put particular emphasis upon serving the practical needs of the subscribers, because of the belief of the editor that the man trained in gas engine theory, for instance, would have little success in constructing the engine if he did not know where the special pistons or other items could be secured. Mr. Greene intends to include in the enlarged publication an increasing amount of this practical service. IN DISCUSSING THE MERGER OF Moving Picture Age and The Educational Screen it seems fitting to scan the history of the former with the thought of understanding the foundation upon which The It-ducational Screen is building. Early in 1918 appeared the first issue of Reel and Slide, "a monthly magazine to make the screen a greater power in education and business." The title was used until the issue of October, 1919, which appeared as Moving Picture Age. It is not out of order now to state that another change of title was to have been put into effect shortly, as we realized that the name was not accurate. But this plan was nullified by the consummation of the merger with The Educational Screen. Moving Picture Age started its existence EDITORIALS as has many a class publication — on the basis of policies that, necessarily at the early stages of any project, were flexible enough to meet existing conditions. In glancing back over the issues of 1918 and 1919 one notes the product of a policy that is even in 1922 a prominent factor in many trade papers : the notion that subscribers are content to accept as authoritative and sufficient the editorial contributions of men who have a commercial bias on the subjects they are treating. In other words, much of what the publisher calls "publicity," although some of it is of quite high calibre, is found in these early issues. The same issues do contain the writings of financially disinterested educators, pastors, and other users of visual aids whose thoughts are worth careful consideration. This comment is distinctly not in the spirit of criticism, but solely to indicate a condition that once existed. When a change of editorial control occurred in April, 1921, four publications were serving the field of visual instruction : Moving Picture Age, Educational Film Magazine, Visual Education, and The Screen. The first mentioned was lacking in definite policies, and its progress was retarted to a degree by the publicity material found in its columns ; the second had the same weakness as regards the use of too much commercial publicity in place of authentic editorial contributions ; the third was a house organ of unusually high calibre ; and the fourth was also a house organ, but a poor one. As for status, Moving Picture Age was an independent publication (i. e., its publishers had absolutely no financial interest in the commercial concerns serving the field of visual instruction) ; Educational Film Magazine was independent, but a few months later sacrificed this status through the sale of stock to an educational film producer; and Visual Education and The Screen were entirely commercialized. The year 1922 brought interesting developments. The first number of The Educational Screen appeared in January ; and the status of this publication was such that Moving Picture Age voluntarily removed from its front cover the hitherto accurate claim, "The Only Independent Magazine in the Field of Visual Instruction." In the Spring of the year Educational Film Magazine breathed its last, to be followed into oblivion a few weeks later by The Screen. In accordance with the wishes of the publishers of Moving Picture Age, the policies of the magazine were revamped in 1921 by the new editor. The publishers felt that the display of a little more sand and backbone would have a tonic effect upon the subscribers and would be beneficial in other ways; for, if an independent magazine in this field so lacked confidence that it dared no.f. say what it thought and say it boldly, what chance existed to help the praiseworthy and discredit the superficial or even dangerous factors? And so the new regime began operations on; the basis of several policies that were radical in contrast with those they had superseded. The policy that drew the most fire was that which ruled against the employment of any contributions written by persons with a finan •4 cial interest in any commercial institution in the field of visual instruction. This was a complete reversal of the policy previously in force, and naturally some friction was in evidence, especially in cases where an advertiser had been accustomed to receive so much space for his editorial publicity in the same issue with his advertisement. We still smile at recollection of a lurid conference at a Chicago hotel, at which we were informed by an advertiser who had not received his allotment of publicity that he could buy two or three magazines if he wished — and who was thereupon informed that there was just one publication he couldn't buy ! It was great fun. Incidentally, in the execution of this ban against publicity we found that we had overlooked one phase : the legitimate news items around which such publicity was often written. The realization that the subscriber finds real news of the commercial interests to be of actual value led to the initiation of the department "Gossip-Gathering on Film Boulevard," in which is found the wheat that we have culled from the publicity sent out by commercial concerns. In no other part of the magazine will be found any contributions but those from writers who have no financial interest in what they are discussing. There have been other most interesting reactions upon the endeavor of the editor to follow square and constructive policies, through Moving Picture Age, by correspondence, and in personal contact with those engaged in the prosecution of visual instuction. It is a pleasure to say that almost invariably the other party has been more than ready to work with us when he saw that we played no favorites and sought only the truly worthwhile results. Our advocacy of definite steps of progress rather than bouquet-throwing seances has jarred the nerves of a few whose slumbers it disturbed, and yet this advocacy seems to have crystallized the thought of another alert and aggressive element ; and so a measure of good was accomplished at slight expense. Today Moving Picture Age is in no sense a perfect servant of the field of visual instruction ; to claim this would reveal a groundless conceit and a colossal ignorance. From time to time we have recognized flaws in the magazine's attempts to serve ; and just before the amalgamation of publications was broached we had laid plans for the strengthening and broadening of the assistance rendered by Moving Picture Age. And yet, although not setting itself up as a model in any sense, this publication has at least aspired to be dependable, honest, and practical : the subscriber has seen it appear without fail twelve times a year, while other publications have withered and died ; he has seen it take issue editorially upon matters that needed frank treatment, when the more comfortable method would have been to overlook the subject; he has seen it emphasize the practical needs of the man in the field and pay but secondary attention to the theory of visual instruction, on the basis that both were valuable but the first always imperative. And so we pass the torch to The Educational Screen. We find pleasure in doing so, for Mr. Greene has established standards of integrity for his publication that parallel those of Moving Picture Age. The resources and reputation of this publication are his, and a broad field is ahead. We need ask no more for Mr. Greene than that his efforts to serve