WIST Quotations

Ivins, Molly -- Essay (1990-02), “Mimic Men,” Mother Jones

Dave — Wed, 06 Aug 2025 19:00:23 +0000

The most disturbing development among the Washington press corps is a collective amnesia about the purpose of a newspaper — which is to gather news. The mortal sins of the press have always been our sins of omission, not our sins of commission, no matter what you may have heard about bias, hubris, or anything else. It is the stories we don’t get, the ones we miss, pass over, fail to recognize, don’t pick up on, that will send us to hell.

Molly Ivins (1944–2007) American writer, political columnist [Mary Tyler Ivins]
Essay (1990-02), “Mimic Men,” Mother Jones
(Source)

Collected in Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She? (1991).

Snicket, Lemony -- The Vile Village, ch. 1 (2001)

Dave — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 18:21:10 +0000

A newspaper, as I’m sure you know, is a collection of supposedly true stories written down by writers who either saw them happen or talked to people who did. These writers are called journalists, and like telephone operators, butchers, ballerinas, and people who clean up after horses, journalists can sometimes make mistakes.

Lemony Snicket (b. 1970) American author, screenwriter, musician (pseud. for Daniel Handler)
The Vile Village, ch. 1 (2001)
(Source)

Sinclair, Upton -- The Brass Check, ch. 38 “Owning the Press” (1919)

Dave — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 22:02:45 +0000

The methods by which the “Empire of Business” maintains its control over journalism are four: First, ownership of the papers; second, ownership of the owners; third, advertising subsidies; and fourth, direct bribery. By these methods there exists in America a control of news and of current comment more absolute than any monopoly in any other industry.

Upton Sinclair (1878–1968) American writer, journalist, activist, politician
The Brass Check, ch. 38 “Owning the Press” (1919)
(Source)

Fairlie, Henry -- “Can You Believe Your Eyes?” Horizon (Spring 1967)

Dave — Fri, 31 Mar 2017 21:55:58 +0000

Life is not made up of dramatic incidents — even the life of a nation. It is made up of slowly evolving events and processes, which newspapers, by a score of different forms of emphasis, can reasonably attempt to explore from day to day. But television news jerks from incident to incident. For the real world of patient and familiar arrangements, it substitutes an unreal world of constant activity, and the effect is already apparent in the way which the world behaves. It is almost impossible, these days, to consider any problem or any event except as a crisis; and, by this very way of looking at it, it in fact becomes a crisis.

Henry Fairlie (1924–1990) British journalist and social critic
“Can You Believe Your Eyes?” Horizon (Spring 1967)

Brewster, Kingman -- “The Enduring American Press” symposium, Harvard (30 Oct 1964)

Dave — Wed, 09 Nov 2016 05:01:45 +0000

While the spoken word can travel faster, you can’t take it home in your hand. Only the written word can be absorbed wholly at the convenience of the reader.

Kingman Brewster, Jr. (1919–1988) American educator, diplomat
“The Enduring American Press” symposium, Harvard (30 Oct 1964)

Jefferson, Thomas -- Letter (1787-01-16) to Edward Carrington

Dave — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:44:18 +0000

The basis of our governments being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.

Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American political philosopher, polymath, statesman, US President (1801–09)
Letter (1787-01-16) to Edward Carrington
(Source)

Jefferson, Thomas -- Letter (1807-06-14) to John Norvell

Dave — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:01:10 +0000

Perhaps an editor might begin a reformation in some such way as this. divide his paper into 4. chapters, heading the 1st. Truths. 2d. Probabilities. 3d. Possibilities. 4th. Lies. The 1st. chapter would be very short, as it would contain little more than authentic papers, and information from such sources as the editor would be willing to risk his own reputation for their truth. The 2d. would contain what, from a mature consideration of all circumstances, his judgment should conclude to be probably true. This however should rather contain too little than too much. The 3d. & 4th. should be professedly for those readers who would rather have lies for their money than the blank paper they would occupy.

Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American political philosopher, polymath, statesman, US President (1801–09)
Letter (1807-06-14) to John Norvell
(Source)