People in big cities knew about "organized crime" before Apalachin because newspapers covered Mob arrests or shootouts. When police told them that so-and-so was "linked to organized crime," or was "part of a gang that controlled the waterfront," the papers printed it, or the radio carried it. But, outside a few big cities, not many people knew about "the Mob," even if Mafia-related gangsters were controlling gambling, prostitution, drugs, etc., in their burgs.