large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_06_belloc_64kb_14
large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_06_belloc_64kb
English
7264
If I am rich enough to set up a big rotary printing press and print in a million copies of a daily paper the _news_ that the Pope has become a Methodist, or the _opinion_ that tin tacks make a very good breakfast food, my newspaper containing such news and such an opinion would obviously not touch the general thought and will at all. IF I AM RICH ENOUGH TO SET UP A BIG ROTARY PRINTING PRESS IN PRINT IN A MILLION COPIES OF A DAILY PAPER THE NEWS THAT THE POPE HAS BECOME A METHODIST OR THE OPINION THAT TIN TAX MAKE A VERY GOOD BREAKFAST FOOD MY NEWSPAPER CONTAINING SUCH NEWS AND SUCH AN OPINION WOULD OBVIOUSLY NOT TOUCH THE GENERAL THOUGHT AND WILL AT ALL
 unscrupulous and the most ambitious. How did such a catastrophe come about? That is what we must inquire into before going further to examine its operation and the possible remedy. VI During all this development of the Press there has been present, _first_, as a doctrine plausible and arguable; _next_, as a tradition no longer in touch with reality; _lastly_, as an hypocrisy still pleading truth, a certain definition of the functions of the Press; a doctrine which we must thoroughly grasp before proceeding to the nature of the Press in these our present times. This doctrine was that the Press was an _organ of opinion_--that is, an expression of the public thought and will. Why was this doctrine originally what I have called it, "plausible and arguable"? At first sight it would seem to be neither the one nor the other. A man controlling a newspaper can print any folly or falsehood he likes. _He_ is the dictator: not his public. _They_ only receive. Yes: but he is limited by his public.  CHAPTER SIX OF THE FREE PRESS BY HILAIRE BELLOC RECORDING BY SHAME MC LEAN DURING ALL THIS DEVELOPMENT OF THE PRESS THERE HAS BEEN PRESENT FIRST AS A DOCTRINE PLAUSIBLE AND ARGUABLE NEXT AS A TRADITION NO LONGER IN TOUCH WITH REALITY LASTLY AS AN HYPOCRISY STILL PLEADING TRUTH A CERTAIN DEFINITION OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE PRESS A DOCTRINE WHICH WE MUST THOROUGHLY GRASP BEFORE PROCEEDING TO THE NATURE OF THE PRESS IN OUR PRESENT TIMES THIS DOCTRINE WAS THAT THE PRESS WAS AN ORGAN OF OPINION THAT IS AN EXPRESSION OF THE PUBLIC THOUGHT AND WILL WHY WAS THIS DOCTRINE ORIGINALLY WHAT I HAVE CALLED IT PLAUSIBLE AND ARGUABLE AT FIRST SIGHT IT WOULD SEEM TO BE NEITHER ONE NOR THE OTHER A MAN CONTROLLING A NEWSPAPER CAN PRINT ANY FOLLY OR FALSEHOOD HE LIKES HE IS THE DICTATOR NOT HIS PUBLIC THEY ONLY RECEIVE YES BUT HE IS LIMITED BY HIS PUBLIC
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