large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_07_belloc_64kb_2
large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_07_belloc_64kb
English
7264
We must, therefore, guard ourselves against the conception that the great modern Capitalist Press is _merely_ a channel for the propagation of such news as may suit its proprietors, or of such opinions as they hold or desire to see held. Such a judgment would be fanatical, and therefore worthless. WE MUST THEREFORE GUARD OURSELVES AGAINST THE CONCEPTION THAT THE GREAT MODERN CAPITALIST PRESS IS MERELY A CHANNEL FOR THE PROPAGATION OF SUCH NEWS AS MAY SUIT ITS PROPRIETORS OR OF SUCH OPINIONS AS THEY HOLD OR DESIRE TO SEEHOLD SUCH A JUDGMENT WOULD BE FANATICAL AND THEREFORE WORTHLESS
r it would be ruined, and papers which supported in 1914 the Cabinet intrigue to abandon our Allies at the beginning of the war have long since been compelled to eat their words. For the strength of a newspaper owner lies in his power to deceive the public and to withhold or to publish at will hidden things: his power in this terrifies the professional politicians who hold nominal authority: in a word, the newspaper owner controls the professional politician because he can and does blackmail the professional politician, especially upon his private life. But if he does not command a large public this power to blackmail does not exist; and he can only command a large public--that is, a large circulation--by interesting that public and even by flattering it that it has its opinions reflected--not created--for it. The power of the Press is not a direct and open power. It depends upon a trick of deception; and no trick of deception works if the trickster passes a certain degree of cynicism. T WAR IT WOULD BE RUINED AND PAPERS WHICH SUPPORTED IN NINETEEN FOURTEEN THE CABINET INTRIGUE TO ABANDON OUR ALLIES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR HAVE LONG SINCE BEEN COMPELLED TO EAT THEIR WORDS FOR THE STRENGTH OF A NEWSPAPER OWNER LIES IN HIS POWER TO DECEIVE THE PUBLIC AND TO WITHHOLD OR TO PUBLISH AT WILL HIDDEN THINGS HIS POWER IN THIS TERRIFIES THE PROFESSIONAL POLITICIANS WHO HOLD NOMINAL AUTHORITY IN A WORD THE NEWSPAPER OWNER CONTROLS THE PROFESSIONAL POLITICIANS BECAUSE HE CAN AND DOES BLACKMAIL THE PROFESSIONAL POLITICIAN ESPECIALLY UPON HIS PRIVATE LIFE BUT IF HE DOES NOT COMMAND A LARGE PUBLIC HIS POWER TO BLACKMAIL DOES NOT EXIST AND HE CAN ONLY COMMAND A LARGE PUBLIC THAT IS A LARGE CIRCULATION BY INTERESTING THAT PUBLIC AND EVEN BY FLATTERING IT THAT IT HAS ITS OPINIONS REFLECTED NOT CREATED FOR IT THE POWER OF THE PRESS IS NOT A DIRECT AND OPEN POWER IT DEPENDS UPON A TRICK OF DECEPTION AND NO TRICK OF DECEPTION WORKS IF THE TRICKSTER PASSES A CERTAIN DEGREE OF CYNICISM
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