large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_02_belloc_64kb_22
large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_02_belloc_64kb
English
7264
The older method of obtaining news was still remembered and used. The regular readers of anything, paper or book, were few, and those few cared much more for the quality of what they read than for its amount. Moreover, they had some means of judging its truth and value. THE OLDER METHOD OF OBTAINING NEWS WAS STILL REMEMBERED AND USED THE REGULAR READERS OF ANYTHING PAPER OR BOOK WERE FEW AND THOSE FEW CARED MUCH MORE FOR THE QUALITY OF WHAT THEY READ RATHER THAN FOR ITS AMOUNT MOREOVER THEY HAD SOME MEANS OF JUDGING ITS TRUTH AND VALUE
er them: by voice, tone, expression, and known character. The Press eliminates three-quarters of all by which opinion may be judged. And yet it presents the opinion with the more force. The idea is presented in a sort of impersonal manner that impresses with peculiar power because it bears a sort of detachment, as though it came from some authority too secure and superior to be questioned. It is suddenly communicated to thousands. It goes unchallenged, unless by some accident another controller of such machines will contradict it and can get his contradiction read by the same men as have read the first statement. These general characters were present in the Press even in its infancy, when each news-sheet still covered but a comparatively small circle; when distribution was difficult, and when the audience addressed was also select and in some measure able to criticize whatever was presented to it. But though present they had no great force; for the adventure of a newspaper was limited. OF THOSE WHO DELIVER THEM BY VOICE TONE EXPRESSION AND KNOWN CHARACTER THE PRESS ELIMINATES THREE QUARTERS OF ALL BY WHICH OPINIONS MAY BE JUDGED AND YET IT PRESENTS THE OPINION WITH THE MORE FORCE THE IDEA IS PRESENTED IN A SORT OF IMPERSONAL MANNER THAT IMPRESSES WITH PECULIAR POWER BECAUSE IT BEARS A SORT OF DETACHMENT AS THOUGH IT CAME FROM SOME AUTHORITY TOO SECURE AND SUPERIOR TO BE QUESTIONED IT IS SUDDENLY COMMUNICATED TO THOUSANDS IT GOES UNCHALLENGED UNLESS BY SOME ACCIDENT ANOTHER CONTROLLER OF SUCH MACHINES WILL CONTRADICT IT AND CAN GET HIS CONTRADICTION READ BY THE SAME MEN AS HAVE READ THE FIRST STATEMENT THESE GENERAL CHARACTERS WERE PRESENT IN THE PRESS EVEN IN ITS INFANCY WHEN EACH NEW SHEET STILL COVERED BUT A COMPARATIVELY SMALL CIRCLE WHEN DISTRIBUTION WAS DIFFICULT AND WHEN THE AUDIENCE ADDRESSED WAS ALSO SELECT AND IN SOME MEASURE ABLE TO CRITICIZE WHATEVER WAS PRESENTED TO IT BUT THOUGH PRESENT THEY HAD NO GREAT FORCE FOR THE ADVENTURE OF A NEWSPAPER WAS LIMITED
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