A friendly reminder from George Orwell . . .

[markpkessinger]

Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed: everything else is public relations.

[polichick]

1. That's old-school journalism. Now we mostly have propaganda pretending...

to be journalism.

Thanks for the reminder!

[Cleita]

9. I miss that old school journalism. I think one of the best examples of it today of

the old guard is Bill Moyers and look how he has been treated and marginalized in the last fifteen years. Of course I love Amy Goodman too. But all the real journalists aren't allowed in the mainstream and those who are too honest and journalistic seem to end up dead.

[polichick]

18. I miss it too - and you are so right, it's dangerous these days.

[Electric Monk]

2. Thanks, I was trying to remember that quote recently but couldn't quite nail it down. nt

[Hydra]

3. And so much public relations lately!

Sad when John Stewart has to do serious Journalism due to the general lack.

[snagglepuss]

4. Bookmarked. Oughta be a bumpersticker.

[avaistheone1]

7. Should be.

k&r

[woo me with science]

5. Or to use another word, PROPAGANDA.

The propaganda machine is truly impressive in scope and pervasiveness, if not in quality. I wonder how much of our money pays for it.

[randome]

6. Evidence is something that stands on its own. Everything else is opinion.

[hr]
[font color="blue"][center]Birds are territorial creatures.
The lyrics to the songbird's melodious trill go something like this:
"Stay out of my territory or I'll PECK YOUR GODDAMNED EYES OUT!"[/center][/font]
[hr]

[jimlup]

8. Nice!

[ConservativeDemocrat]

10. HILARIOUS BULLSHIT

There is absolutely no evidence George Orwell ever said that. He certainly never wrote that.

The real quote is this:

“News is something somebody doesn't want printed; all else is advertising.”

It was originally attributed only to the "Editor of a Major Newspaper", later said to be William Randolph Hearst.

How about this quote instead:

“News is something is something that is actually factually true; not bullshit you just made up or passed on without even bothering to do a a ten minute google to see if it is accurate.”

It's mine. I'm rather proud of it, actually.

Please note, you don't get to claim Orwell as your own just because you want to "stand up to the man". You have to actually say things that are true. In my humble opinion, if Mr. Blair could roll over in his grave, he would be.

- C.D. Proud Member of the Reality Based Community

[randome]

11. Now THAT'S standing up to the man!

[hr]
[font color="blue"][center]Birds are territorial creatures.
The lyrics to the songbird's melodious trill go something like this:
"Stay out of my territory or I'll PECK YOUR GODDAMNED EYES OUT!"[/center][/font]
[hr]

[East Coast Pirate]

12. Uh...

“News is something is something that is actually factually true; not bullshit you just made up or passed on without even bothering to do a a ten minute google to see if it is accurate.”

It's mine. I'm rather proud of it, actually.

Glaring typos and all?

[markpkessinger]

16. So what if I'm wrong about it being attributable to Orwell?

It's still a great quote.

[cantbeserious]

13. Thank You For Sharing

eom

[East Coast Pirate]

14. It doesn't look like it was Orwell's quote.

Quote Investigator: The earliest evidence of this saying located by QI was published in 1937 in a British periodical about automobiles called “The Motor” in a section titled “You’ll Be Interested To Know”. The author used the pen name LACUNA. The saying was attributed to an unnamed editor of a major newspaper:

I think that the most accurate definition of news was the one with which the editor of a big-circulation newspaper used to placate the anxious directors when, on the morning after a big “story,” the furious protests, threatening letters and writs for libel were pouring in. “News,” he used to say, trying to get them to look at the thing philosophically, “news is what somebody does not want you to print. All the rest is advertising.”

The first cite found by QI that credited a specific person with the expression was printed many years later in 1953 when the words were attached to William Randolph Hearst.

More: http://quoteinvestigator.com/2013/01/20/news-suppress/

[markpkessinger]

15. Fair enough . . .

. . . It's a great quote in any case!

[East Coast Pirate]

17. It is.

Take the reference to Orwell out and it's still good.