large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_06_belloc_64kb_17
large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_06_belloc_64kb
English
7264
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. 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
this country to-day. Its full development has come on us suddenly and taken us by surprise in the midst of a terrible war. It was undreamt of but a few years ago. It is already to-day the capital fact of our whole political system. A Prime Minister is made or deposed by the owner of a group of newspapers, not by popular vote or by any other form of open authority. No policy is attempted until it is ascertained that the newspaper owner is in favour of it. Few are proffered without first consulting his wishes. Many are directly ordered by him. We are, if we talk in terms of real things (as men do in their private councils at Westminster) mainly governed to-day, not even by the professional politicians, nor even by those who pay them money, but by whatever owner of a newspaper trust is, for the moment, the most 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.  CHAPTER SIX OF THE FREE PRESS BY HILAIRE BELLOC RECORDING BY SHAME MC
large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_06_belloc_64kb
file
download/librilight/large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_06_belloc_64kb.flac