large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_02_belloc_64kb_15
large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_02_belloc_64kb
English
7264
In this early phase, moreover, the Press was necessarily highly diverse. One man could print and sell profitably a thousand copies of his version of a piece of news, of his opinions, or those of his clique. There were hundreds of other men who, if they took the pains, had the means to set out a rival account and a rival opinion. IN THIS EARLY PHASE MOREOVER THE PRESS WAS NECESSARILY HIGHLY DIVERSE ONE MAN COULD PRINT AND SELL PROFITABLY A THOUSAND COPIES OF HIS VERSION OF A PIECE OF NEWS OF HIS OPINION OR THOSE OF HIS CLIQUE THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF OTHER MEN WHO IF THEY TOOK THE PAINS HAD THE MEANS TO SET OUT A RIVAL ACCOUNT AND A RIVAL OPINION
er 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. 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. 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 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
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