A QUOTATION REGARDING CONTROLLED NEWS John Swinton, the former Chief of Staff of the the New York Times, called by his peers, "The Dean of His Profession," was asked in 1953 to give a toast before the NY Press Club; and this is what he said. After reading it, think about what he said. "There is no such thing at this date of the world's history, in America, as an independent press. You know it and I know it. There is not one of you that dares to write his honest opinions, and if you did, you know beforehand that it would never appear in print. I am paid weekly for keeping my opinions out of the paper I am connected with. Others of you are paid similar salaries for similar things, and any of you who would be so foolish as to write honest opinions would be out on the streets looking for another job. If I allowed my honest opinions to appear in one issue of my paper, before twenty-four hours my occupation would be gone. The business of journalists is to destroy truth; to pervert; to vilify; to fawn at the feet of mammon, and to sell his country and his race for his daily bread. You know it and I know it and what folly is this toasting an independent press? We are tools and vassals for rich men behind the scenes. We are the jumping jacks, they pull the strings and we dance. Our talents, our possibilities and our lives are all the property of other men. We are intellectual prostitutes." (emphasis added) Richard M. Cohen, Senior Producer of CBS political news, stated:
"We are going to impose our agenda on the coverage by dealing with issues and subjects that we choose."
Richard Salant, former President of CBS News:
"Our job is to give people not what they want, but what we decide they ought to have."
NOTE: All of the above quotes came from page 29, Economic Solutions, Peter Kershaw, Quality Press, Boulder, Colorado http://www.pymander.com/AETHEREAL/quotes.htm |
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