Basic HTML Version
2
the words printed,
"The
Saturday Even–
ing Post,
Founded by Benj. Franklin."
But much later, there was another per–
sonal contact. It was in
1919
or
1920.
1 was a Publishers' Representative, with
my own office in Chicago's downtown
"Loop." 1 had the advertising represen–
tation of a string of magazines.
In those days the Curtis Publishiog
Company of Philadelphia, publishers of
the "POST," as well as
The
lAdieJ' Home
Journal,
was regarded as not only the
largest, but the number one efficiency
organization in the publication industry.
There was its legendary publisher Cyrus
The
PLAIN TRUTH
MAGAZINE GRAVEYARD
-
These five major magazines
hove ceased publication since
1950.
H.
K. Curtis, and Editor George Horace
Lorimer. This giant company made a
survey of advertising agencies in Chicago
to find the two most promising young
Publishers' Representatives as prospec–
tive members of
The Sat11rday Evening
Post
staff. I was one of the two recom–
mended by the many advertising agen–
cies.
In those days I frequently sought
counsel and advice from Mr. Arthur
Reynolds, then President of the huge
Continental and Commercial National
Bank ( now the Continental Illinois
National), largest bank in America out-
November 1971
side New York, and second largest
national bank in the country. 1 had
known Mr. Reynolds since he had been
President of the Des Moines National
Bank. A secretary quickly brought him
a file on the Curtís Publishing Compay.
Mr. Reynolds scanned the file
quickly, advised me against accepting
the flattering Curtís offer. He said, in
effect, "lt would probably take sorne
yeacs before you would get dose to any
of the very top officials. You are now
the biggest stone in a small puddle, and
there you would be a tíny pebble in a
big lake. The Curtís people do not
promote men rapidly, and they pay
comparatively small salaries, because of
their reputation at the top of their field.
You are learning more, and have a far
better future where you are."
So,
had 1 not taken the advice of
Chicago's number one banker, I might
have been looking for a oew job in Jan–
uary,
1969.
The folding of the PosT hit
thc publishing world like a bombshell.
Curtís Publishing liked to daim that
the "Post" was founded by Benjamín
Franklin. It had a mass circulation of
6,400,000
copies wheo it was put in the
magazine graveyard.
Other important mass-circulation
magazines to go under since World
Wac 11 (SINCE TELEVJSJON) were
The
America11 Magazi11e,
circulatíon
2,800,-
000,
founded
1876,
ceased publícation
1957;
Colliers,
circulation
4,179,000,
existing from
1888
to
1957;
and the
IJV
owan's
H
ome Companion,
circulation
4,288,800,
from
1873
to
1957 -
all
three owned by Crowell-Collier.
The chief assassin of these magazines
was television. Since World War II,
television has been getting more and
more of the natiooal advertising dollar.
But that's not the only reason.
Meanwhile, anotber magazine has
been having a steady, healthy, and
im–
portant rise from the smallest "maga–
zine" ever published, and now a mass–
circulation magazine of more than
2,000,000
copies worldwide -
The
PLAJN TRUTH.
There are REASONS.
There is, I repeat, a CAUSE for every
effect.
Next month I hope to continue this
subject and give you sorne surprising
facts. O