large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_12_belloc_64kb_17
large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_12_belloc_64kb
English
7264
3 The third group of disabilities, as I have said, attaches to the economic weakness of the Free Press. THREE THE THIRD GROUP OF DISABILITIES AS I HAVE SAID ATTACHES TO THE ECONOMIC WEAKNESS OF THE FREE PRESS
 papers I have named would long survive a loss of their present editorship. There might possibly be one successor; there certainly would not be two; and the result is that the effect of these organs is sporadic and irregular. In the same connection you have the disability of a restricted audience. There are some men (and I count myself one) who will read anything, however much they differ from its tone and standpoint, in order to obtain more knowledge. I am not sure that it is a healthy habit. At any rate it is an unusual one. Most men will only read that which, while informing them, takes for granted a philosophy more or less sympathetic with their own. The Free Press, therefore, so long as it springs from many and varied minorities, not only suffers everywhere from an audience restricted in the case of each organ, but from preaching to the converted. It does get hold of a certain outside public which increases slowly, but it captures no great area of public attention at any one time.  TO SEE HOW ANY OF THE PAPERS I HAVE NAMED WOULD LONG SURVIVE A LOSS OF THEIR PRESENT EDITORSHIP THERE MIGHT POSSIBLY BE ONE SUCCESSOR THERE CERTAINLY WOULD NOT BE TWO AND THE RESULT IS THAT THE EFFECT OF THESE ORGANS IS SPORADIC AND IRREGULAR IN THE SAME CONNECTION YOU HAVE THE DISABILITY OF A RESTRICTED AUDIENCE THERE ARE SOME MEN AND I COUNT MYSELF ONE WHO WILL READ ANYTHING HOWEVER MUCH THEY DIFFER FROM ITS TONE AND STANDPOINT IN ORDER TO OBTAIN MORE KNOWLEDGE I AM NOT SURE THAT IT IS A HEALTHY HABIT AT ANY RATE IT IS AN UNUSUAL ONE MOST MEN WILL ONLY READ THAT WHICH WHILE INFORMING THEM TAKES FOR GRANTED A PHILOSOPHY MORE OR LESS SYMPATHETIC WITH THEIR OWN THE FREE PRESS THEREFORE SO LONG AS IT SPRINGS FROM MANY AND VARIED MINORITIES NOT ONLY SUFFERS EVERYWHERE FROM AN AUDIENCE RESTRICTED IN THE CASE OF EACH ORGAN BUT FROM PREACHING TO THE CONVERTED IT DOES GET HOLD OF A CERTAIN OUTSIDE PUBLIC WHICH INCREASES SLOWLY BUT IT CAPTURES NO GREAT AREA OF PUBLIC ATTENTION AT ANY ONE TIME
large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_12_belloc_64kb
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