Arkham Advertiser - 389 W Armitage Street

The Arkham Bulletin, the forerunner of the Advertiser, was first published in 1821. In 1828, the paper changed hands and was renamed the Miskatonic Valley Gleaner. The Gleaner appeared for four years, then was sold, reappearing as the Arkham Advertiser.

The Advertiser is the more aggressive of the two Arkham papers, even printing extras and what Gedney calls “five-PMs” for Arkham, when news dictates. The Advertiser tends to print more features (especially about technical and scientific wonders, which Gedney favors), comics, and ethnically slanted international news than does the Gazette.

Regular office hours are 8 A.M. to 6 P.M., Monday-Friday. Someone is usually in the office or the pressroom, even at midnight, but everything closes tight from 10 P.M. Saturday to 8 P.M. Sunday. The regular morning edition runs off at 3 A.M. If news warrants, revised editions—extras—run at 8 A.M., or 11:30 A.M., or 4:30 P.M. These later editions are in small quantity, for local street-sale distribution only. A story is rarely big enough to warrant four editions in one day. Only one edition each appears Saturday and Sunday. The Sunday edition is run and distributed Saturday night. Daily editions cost 3 cents; the Sunday paper costs 7 cents. Special editions are printed for the Fourth of July, Armistice Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, with as many display ads as Gedney can sell to local businesses.

The publisher and managing editor is 42-year old Harvey Gedney, whose family has owned the paper since 1832. He employs two full-time reporter/editors, a secretary, a linotypist, a caseman, two pressmen, a circulation manager, an advertising manager, and parttime help and correspondents as needed. Along two walls behind the secretary’s desk is a near-complete bound collection of the Advertiser since it began publication. Richard Gedney, who first bought the paper, foolishly discarded the Bulletin and Gleaner years. Some issues can be located at the university’s library. Few people are interested in old newspapers, and the staff is always flattered when anyone wants to take a look. Though they would be justifiably furious if someone mutilated a back issue, no one thinks the collection of much value.

Don Christo (aged 52) and Penny Lane (age 32) are the main stable reporters. Don has a huge sweet tooth and is constantly eating hard candies out of a tin in his jacket. Unfortunately, he also has horrible dental work and winces the entire time he is chomping on the confections. He knows he shouldn't, he suffers because of it, but still persists. Don worked for the Gazette for years but got tired of Peck burying his stories and quit to take a position at the Advertisers. Penny is a hard as nails and while regulated to the social circuit news, she actually is the science writer but writes under a pseudonym Paul Avery.

Though Gedney has a stable of stringers in the Miskatonic Valley, reporter Roberta Henry, just 23 years old, is one of only two full-time reporter/editors on staff. She has worked there for two years. Gedney likes her assertive style and the way she charms nearly everyone, but to her frustration insists on rewriting her stories which may step on too many toes.