"There is no such thing, at this date in the world's history, in America, as an independent press. You know it and know it.
There is not one of you who dares to write your honest opinions, and if you did, you know beforehand that it would never appear in print. I am paid weekly for keeping my honest opinion out of the paper I am connected with. Others of you are paid similar salaries for similar things, and any of you who would be so foolish as to write honest opinions would be out on the street looking for another job.
If I allowed my honest opinion to appear in one issue of my paper, before twenty-four hours my occupation would be gone. You know it and I know it. And what folly is this - toasting an independent press? We are the tools and vassals of rich men behind the scenes. We are the jumping jacks, they pull the strings and we dance.
Our talents, our possibilities and our lives are all the property of other men. We are intellectual prostitutes." John Swinton - New York Times - New York Press Club
2007-03-26 16:18:29 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Other - Politics & Government
and this -
"The news and truth are not the same thing."
~~Walter Lippmann, American journalist, 1889-1974
"News is what someone wants to suppress. Everything else is advertising."
- Rubin Frank, former president NBC News
"We tell the people what they need to know, not what they want to know."
- Frank Sesno, CNN News
Still think the media is free ?
2007-03-26 16:18:42 · update #1
hell no its propaganda from the gov and big business
2007-03-26 16:23:05 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I still think the media is free*. If anyone wants to go out and publish or broadcast their honest opinion, the government isn't going to lock them up for it. There are plenty of independent, non-commercial media outlets, they just don't garner a very wide audience because their message doesn't resonate with a lot of Americans.
Of course, if someone wants to get PAID good money to express their opinions, then they are obviously going to have to censor themselves somewhat. But that's only fair. If I am paying for their soapbox (as an advertiser or a broadcaster), I should have some influence on what they are expressing on my dollar.
You can have a free press without having to provide every extremist with an audience and a six figure salary.
(*I'll admit that their are some illegitimate restrictions on press freedom, such as the decency standards and other regulations imposed by the FCC. Still, I believe our press is overwhelmingly free.)
2007-03-26 16:43:22 · answer #2 · answered by timm1776 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
True, but not in the way I think he meant it. Anyone who doesn't toe the far left line will not keep a job a most newspapers in this country.
2007-03-26 16:24:50 · answer #3 · answered by yupchagee 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I guess those guys never heard of Woodward and Bernstein.
2007-03-26 16:24:14 · answer #4 · answered by October 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
the media is pro-establishment, everyone knows that
2007-03-26 16:21:40 · answer #5 · answered by einzelgaenger08 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋