Paid advertising covers the total cost of producing a free suburban newspaper. For metropolitan and other dailies, the cover price also is included in the income to offset the cost of production.
display advertising
The size of the paper is determined largely by the amount of advertising for a particular issue. The amount of money received pays for the wages of journalists, sales people, typesetters, printers, administration staff, as well as paper, ink, and other associated costs.
A 'dummy' is a small paper version of the paper that tells the staff which ads go on which pages. The Torch uses a computer program to create a dummy which takes into account the number and size of all ads booked, whether they are colour or black and white, the advertising percentage required and any specific page requests for particular ads.
The ratio of advertising to editorial space is what determines the profitability of each newspaper. Usually advertising runs between 55% and 75% for a free publication.
Once the dummy (pictured right) has been finished, a copy of it goes to the editor, who is responsible for filling the remaining non-advertising space with editorial copy.
Advertising representatives visit clients and help advise them on the most efficient way to use their advertising. Once the size of the ad has been determined, the rep and the client will then design an ad which will effectively get their message across to the readers. When a design or layout has been agreed upon, the advertising copy is sent back to the production area where the ideas are formed into an ad on a computer.
The finished proof of the ad will be checked for errors before being delivered to the client for final approval by either fax, hand delivery, email or the web. Once the client has checked the ad, any corrections (spelling, grammar etc) will be fixed before the ad is finally placed on the page.
classified advertising
For Sales, Wanted to Buy, Business Directories, Employment advertising, all form part of this section.
There are many headings for classifications, in order to make it easier for the person seeking to find a product or service.
Classified advertising can be a simple line advertisement, or a multi-column display style, and artwork or photos can be included.
Most small classified advertisements are received by phone, and the classified staff type the advertisements directly into the computer system. The advertisement can be viewed on the computer screen as it is being typed, therefore the operator can ensure that the advertisement is correct and that the layout is what the customer wants.
Advertisements are also received by fax or email, and then put into the computer system.