On Feb. 7, 1917, four days after Austin Batdorff took over management of the Record-Eagle, the paper published a 1,700-word editorial under the headline, "The Value of Cooperation in the Making of a Newspaper."
It offers insight into his view of the relationship between newspaper, reader and community. Here are the beginning paragraphs:
"This is not a story, nor is it a feature. It is a preachment and it is directed to everyone who takes, reads and is interested in this or any other newspaper. It is particularly addressed to the readers of the Record-Eagle, however, in order that they may see clearly their duty in making this newspaper complete in every respect.
"One frequently hears the comment that this or that newspaper is "rotten,' meaning that the publication in question has failed to print a certain story that the reader sought to find, or that the story was wrong in details or object -- in other words, that a certain story was not 'covered' properly.
"A newspaper is as 'live' as its readers and patrons. If it has fallen down in any respect, it is the fault of the readers as clearly as the fault of the staff who daily grind out "copy" for its columns. What the general republic needs is a brief course in journalism. The public should know the ins and outs of the newspaper's plant. They should realize the size of the task of daily filling a large paper with news -- readable and interesting news. When they get to understand what this takes, they will begin to realize their duty, and if they have the proper interest in their paper and city, they will do it.
"A community is as good as its newspaper. This is true because not infrequently a community is judged by an outsider through the medium of its daily. When the newspaper is bad, the natural conclusion drawn is that the city is the same. The city and the paper should work hand in hand. This is not an appeal for financial aid for the publication, but it is an appeal for moral and for physical aid."
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