Paper for the PLANNING COMMITTEE , Wednesday, 23rd October and for the POLICY COMMITTEE , Thursday, 24th October

PRESS ADVERTISING

Ministry of Information

1. The Ministry of Information not only undertakes press advertising campaigns on its own account, but also acts as agent for other Departments in the placing of press advertisements and the conduct of press advertising campaigns on their behalf. At the moment each campaign is considered separately and certain money allotted to it. The campaigns come irregularly and on occasion raise difficulties with the newspapers which are now short of space. There is, therefore, everything to be said for making some attempt to organise the press advertising of the Ministry and of other Departments of the Government for which it acts, and to fix a provisional limit to the expenditure to be incurred in connection with press advertising.

2. In this connection it is necessary to consider the size of the space to be used for advertising. With the limited amount of accommodation that the papers afford, it would look as though an advertisement covering two columns and 11 inches deep - that is to say, half the depth of the paper - would be the largest which would be reasonable. It is for consideration whether even a smaller space of 8 inches deep would not be adequate for most of the advertisements which have to be placed. At any rate it may now be decided that large spaces will not be taken in the ordinary course, and therefore provision need not be made for this in any estimate of expenditure.

3. If the Ministry of Information were to have twice a week in every newspaper an advertisement 11 inches deep covering two columns, the expenditure which it would incur in this connection would be of the order of £350,000 per annum. It would therefore look as though this would be a reasonable sum to fix as the normal budget for press advertising, this sum to be allocated, but again provisionally only, as to £120,000 to the Ministry of Information proper, and as to £230,000 to the service of other Departments seeking the Ministry's assistance. It would be clear that the Ministry would not expend on its own account

P.T.O.

more than £120,000, and that any margin it might have not spent could be applied in the service of other Ministries in case of need. In order that the press advertisements may be of a satisfactory character, it would be essential to put aside a sum of money for the preparation of special layouts, blocks, and settings. This might be put at £15,000. The smaller the space that is used, the greater the importance which attaches to the clarity and distinction of the setting.

4. If this general outline is agreed, then each campaign would be considered in detail, its parts would be weighed, an appropriate sum of money out of the total grant would be set aside for its purpose, and without further reference to the Treasury or further question the campaign would be put in force. Major campaigns concerning the Ministry of Information would necessarily be brought to the Policy Committee for discussion, but otherwise action would be taken through the Planning Committee in the ordinary course of business.

F.P.