large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_05_belloc_64kb_10
large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_05_belloc_64kb
English
7264
It is the chief political event of our time and is the peculiar mark of this country to day. Its full development has come on us suddenly and taken us by surprise in the midst of a terrible war. IT IS THE CHIEF POLITICAL EVENT OF OUR TIME AND IS THE PECULIAR MARK OF THIS COUNTRY TO DAY ITS FULL DEVELOPMENT HAS COME ON US SUDDENLY AND TAKEN US BY SURPRISE IN THE MIDST OF A TERRIBLE WAR
e and manner, with the owners of the papers. Their power does not, therefore, clash in the main with that of the owners, but the fact that advertisement makes a paper, has created a standard of printing and paper such that no one--save at a disastrous loss--can issue regularly to large numbers news and opinion which the large Capitalist advertisers disapprove. There would seem to be for any independent Press no possible economic basis, because the public has been taught to expect for 1d. what it costs 3d. to make--the difference being paid by the advertisement subsidy. But there is now a graver corruption at work even than this always negative and sometimes positive power of the advertiser. It is the advent of the great newspaper owner as the true governing power in the political machinery of the State, superior to the officials in the State, nominating ministers and dismissing them, imposing policies, and, in general, usurping sovereignty--all this secretly and without responsibility. MOTIVE AND MANNER WITH THE OWNERS OF THE PAPERS THEIR POWER DOES NOT THEREFORE CLASH IN THE MAIN WITH THAT OF THE OWNERS BUT THE FACT THAT ADVERTISEMENT MAKES A PAPER HAS CREATED A STANDARD OF PRINTING AND PAPER SUCH THAT NO ONE SAVE AT A DISASTROUS LOSS CAN ISSUE REGULARLY TO LARGE NUMBERS NEWS AND OPINION WHICH THE LARGE CAPITALIST ADVERTISERS DISAPPROVE THERE WOULD SEEM TO BE FOR ANY INDEPENDENT PRESS NO POSSIBLE ECONOMIC BASIS BECAUSE THE PUBLIC HAS BEEN TAUGHT TO EXPECT FOR ONE DOLLAR WHAT IT COST THREE DOLLARS TO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE BEING PAID BY THE ADVERTISEMENT SUBSIDY BUT THERE IS NOW A GRAVER CORRUPTION AT WORK EVEN THAN THIS ALWAYS NEGATIVE AND SOMETIMES POSITIVE POWER OF THE ADVERTISER IT IS THE ADVENT OF THE GREAT NEWSPAPER OWNER AS THE TRUE GOVERNING POWER IN THE POLITICAL MACHINERY OF THE STATE SUPERIOR TO THE OFFICIALS IN THE STATE NOMINATING MINISTERS AND DISMISSING THEM IMPOSING POLICIES AND IN GENERAL USURPING SOVEREIGNTY ALL THIS SECRETLY AND WITHOUT RESPONSIBILITY
large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_05_belloc_64kb
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