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The failure of a free press in most countries is usually blamed on the readers. Every nation gets the government--and the press--it deserves. This is too facile a remark. The people deserve better in most governments and press. Readers, in millions of cases, have no way of finding out whether their newspapers are fair or not, honest or distorted, truthful or colored....

George Seldes#2

JournalismMediaTruthAccountability

About this quote

What does it mean?
Blaming readers for press failure is too simple. Readers often cannot judge if newspapers are honest or distorted.
In plain terms
Readers shouldn't be blamed for bad press; they often lack info to judge quality.
What can you take from it?
Don't blame readers for poor journalism.

Where it applies

  • media consumption
  • civic discourse

Putting it to work

  • demand media transparency
  • seek diverse sources

Questions to consider

  • Who is responsible for media quality?
  • How do readers judge truth?

Another view

It downplays reader agency entirely.

More from George Seldes

  1. Never grow weary of protesting. In this sensitive business of dealing with the public which depends on faith and good will, protest is a most effective weapon.…

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  3. One of the biggest pieces of bunkum shoved down the American throat was the story of the 1929 Italian election. For this I cannot blame my colleagues.

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