large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_07_belloc_64kb_15
large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_07_belloc_64kb
English
7264
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. 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
 a certain timid support. My point is, then, that the idea of the Press as "an organ of public opinion," that is, "an expression of the general thought and will," is not _only_ hypocritical, though it is _mainly_ so. There is still something in the claim. A generation ago there was more, and a couple of generations ago there was more still. Even to-day, if a large paper went right against the national will in the matter of the present war 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. RMITTED ITSELF A CERTAIN TIMID SUPPORT MY POINT IS THEN THAT THE IDEA OF THE PRESS AS AN ORGAN OF PUBLIC OPINION THAT IS AN EXPRESSION OF THE GENERAL THOUGHT AND WILL IS NOT ONLY HYPOCRITICAL THOUGH IT IS MAINLY SO THERE IS STILL SOMETHING IN THE CLAIM A GENERATION AGO THERE WAS MORE AND A COUPLE OF GENERATIONS AGO THERE WAS MORE STILL EVEN TODAY IF A LARGE PAPER WENT RIGHT AGAINST THE NATIONAL WILL IN THE MATTER OF THE PRESENT 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
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