And It Came To Pass

[Mechanic]

The then editor and owner of the Canberra Times newspaper Arthur Shakespeare gave an overview of future development and wish list for the newspaper industry to the Australian Provincial Press Association in 1931. Not only did these things come to pass, most are now obsolete. Following is the report of his address as it appeared in the Canberra Times.

Canberra Times November 19, 1931
PRESS METHODS  
Big Changes Ahead
NEW MECHANICAL
METHODS
PRESS CONFERENCE
REPORT
MELBOURNE, Wednesday.

Mechanical developments in newspaper production of a far-reaching character were outlined at the conference or the Australian Provincial Press Association to-day by Mr. A. T. Shakespeare, editor of "The Canberra Times."

While no revolutionary changes had taken place in the methods of newspaper production In recent years, he said that there had been considerable improvement in existing processes, but the time was approaching when the fruits of science and invention   would be seen.

One of the outstanding changes in methods which had been proved to be commercially sound was the teletypesetter, which had been developed by the head of the. Gannet, newspaper group owning 15 newspapers in three American states. This machine rendered possible the automatic setting in type in several newspaper offices simultaneously of news matter transmitted from a central news-gathering agency. The message was sent by telegraph and was received in the newspaper offices in the form of a punctured tape. The tape was fed into the teletypesetter, which represented an advance on existing typesetting machines, and was automatically set up. Tests had shown the percentage of error to be remarkably small.
     
The most revolutionary change in view, however, was that sought to be attained by the perfection of the photo-composing machine. The Idea of this machine had been worked on by inventors for many years but there were great difficulties to be overcome. The photo composing machine would replace type by the use of a strip of film. In its operation a ray of light was projected through a transparent letter so that the letter would be produced on the film, which when, completed, would be used for printing In the place of type.

A simplification of process engraving was also sought by the newspaper industry and if research now proceeding led to the hoped-for results, more expeditious and possibly cheaper   methods would lead to a larger use of illustrations in newspapers, and possibly, to the use of process blocks instead of type. The development of simpler and faster, process, engraving methods was of importance to newspapers in connection with the development of television.

Mr. Shakespeare also referred to improved methods of news transmission and detailed rival use to which wireless might be put. One of the most interesting inventions in this connection had been demonstrated in Detroit this year by an inventor who attached a radio device to an ordinary typewriter and transmitted messages through the air at a speed of 1,200 letters a minute. In the demonstration, the letters of the typewriter were struck in the ordinary manner and were received on another typewriter at a different point and automatically typed.

[Dave Hughes]

Interesting stuff, as always, George.

Don't think the radio-controlled typewriter mentioned in this bit ever came to fruition, might be wrong though!

Mr. Shakespeare also referred to improved methods of news transmission and detailed rival use to which wireless might be put. One of the most interesting inventions in this connection had been demonstrated in Detroit this year by an inventor who attached a radio device to an ordinary typewriter and transmitted messages through the air at a speed of 1,200 letters a minute. In the demonstration, the letters of the typewriter were struck in the ordinary manner and were received on another typewriter at a different point and automatically typed.

Mr Shakespeare didn't predict, though, the situation we have today, where nearly everyone has a "special screen" in their living room and are able to look at any newspaper they want, free of charge, any time they want.

I think they'd have probably thrown him out of the conference if he'd have come up with that one!

[Mechanic]

I believe the radio-controled typewriter became the wireless teletype.

I agree Dave, I'm sure that no newspaper that embraced the technology that eliminated the composing room realised that the same technology would have such an impact on the way news would be consumed in the future.