Quotes About Media

Here are a couple of quotes concerning "The Media" that I thought were appropriate and "timely", even though they were written almost 100 yrs apart and almost 50 years ago today. It amazes me as to how little and how slowly we change as people compared to how quickly technology changes...........................PEACE.......................Scott



The first duty of the press is to obtain the earliest and most correct
intelligence of the events of the time, and instantly, by disclosing
them, to make them the common property of the nation. The statesman
collects his information secretly and by secret means; he keeps back
even the current intelligence of the day with ludicrous precautions The
Press lives by disclosures For us, with whom publicity and truth are the
air and light of existence, there can be no greater disgrace than to
recoil from the frank and accurate disclosure of facts as they are. -
Robert Lowe, editorial, London Times, 1851.

TIME DELAY JOURNALISM
http://www.counterpunch.com/cockburn12172005.html

___________________________________________________________________

One of the basic troubles with radio and television news is that both
instruments have grown up as an incompatible combination of show
business, advertising and news. Each of the three is a rather bizarre
and demanding profession. And when you get all three under one roof, the
dust never settles. The top management of the networks with a few
notable exceptions, has been trained in advertising, research, sales or
show business. But by the nature of the corporate structure, they also
make the final and crucial decisions having to do with news and public
affairs. Frequently they have neither the time nor the competence to do
this. It is not easy for the same small group of men to decide whether
to buy a new station for millions of dollars, build a new building,
alter the rate card, buy a new Western, sell a soap opera, decide what
defensive line to take in connection with the latest Congressional
inquiry, how much money to spend on promoting a new program, what
additions or deletions should be made in the existing covey or clutch of
vice-presidents, and at the same time-- frequently on the same long
day--to give mature, thoughtful consideration to the manifold problems
that confront those who are charged with the responsibility for news and
public affairs. - Edward R. Murrow, 1958