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The Free Press Review

Hilaire Belloc wrote a thoughtful book about countering the Establsihment Press(The Capitalist Press as he calls it) with a Free Press that was not subject to control by advertisers and Press Barons. Belloc wrote this book c 1917, but his remarks still apply. In fact, if anything, the Establishment Press is exponentially worse 90 years later when the appearance of this book.

Belloc begins this short study with comments on why advertisers pollute "news." Editors and journalists often write to please advertisers even though these same editors and journalists will not use that is advertised since many of the products they plug in their newspapers are harmful to health and safety. The reason why journalists and editors of the Establishment Press is that the advertisers subsidize the Establishment Press, and the editors lose their their self respect and ethical standards to keep the rich subsidies they get.

Belloc does not stop with advertisers. His comments re Press Barons are worth noting. Belloc accuses Press Barons and their cohorts of using newspapers to make or break political figures. Lying journalists can write sordid stories of political figures' personal lives whether or not they are true. The fact that Press Barons get their editors and journalists to lie is not important. As long as a scandal, whether true or not, is published, such a story can destroy a public figure. Press Barons can focus on a political nobody and make his career by favorable attention. Or these same news mogols can ignore a public figure and end his career.

Belloc also makes a case of Press Barons either suppressing knowledge of events or distorting such knowledge. The Establishment Press can fabricate stories and ignore important events. These problems should appear all too familiar to anyone who has sense.

Yet, Belloc offers solutions to these problems. Belloc offers the Free Press as an alternative. An honest Free Press faces hurdles such as lack of advertising subsidies, complete boycott by the Establishment Press, and legal challenges. Yet, Belloc argues that the Free Press can survive. Belloc's criticisms of the Free Press is specialization. Those who edit or write for the Free Press have so many smaller publications that they have a coordination problem. Smaller editors are too focused and often present solid reporting. However, their extreme conclusions often distort their work.

In spite of these criticisms, Belloc has hope. Belloc thinks that the Free Press has the advantage of propaganda which readers may want to offset the lying of the Establishment. Smaller Free Press editors may benefit at the exposure of truth when the Establishment is caught concealing the truth. Belloc also thinks that Press Barons and their poltical cronies may suffer the wrath of readers when they discover the abuse of power and irresponsible rule.

The obsticles that the Free Press may face are not enough to supress their work. Advertising boycotts, legal challanges, blackout from the Establishment, etc. are not enough to ruin the Free Press. Belloc argues that the Free Press will use men who have knowledge, who can write coherently/concisely, and whose work has permament appeal. An example is the Establishments' screaming headline which may get immediate attention. However, the distorted events and bad writing commenting on the headline make such journalism easily forgotten. On the other hand, the small Free Press avoids the screaming headline with solid writing based on knowledge, clear thinking, and good reading which are much more permanent in peoples' memory banks.

Finally, Belloc cites, among others, G.K. Chesterton as an editor of the Free Press. Very few if any can remember the journalistic hacks of the Establishment Press, but learned men and women know of G.K. Chesterton. Those men and women who write and have self respect will not sell their soul to the Establishment press.

This reviewer has one minor criticism. Belloc presents his case very well. However, he could have embellished this book with specific details. For example, he could have named some of the Press Barons and poltical figures whom he condemns. Doing so would have supported his thesis.

THE FREE PRESS is an important book. Many Westerners know their Press Barons lie or are too cowardly to publish the truth. One reviewer remarked that the interneat may be the modern Free Press which is why so many government fluknies want to investigagte it. The fact that so much knowledge can be read on the internet may be a sign that the Establishment Press will either have to change or be exposed for their lying. One can hope that Belloc that the Free Press can overcome the Establishment Press.

The Free Press Overview

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: upon a foundation of free speech, and of the prose which it begets. Those who prefer to sell themselves or to be cowed gain, as a rule, not even that ephemeral security for which they betrayed their fellows ; meanwhile, they leave to us the only solid and permanent form of political power, which is the gift -of mastery through persuasion. JUN 2 5 1918 Printed in Great Britain by UNWIN BROTHERS, LIMITED, THE GRESHAM PRESS, WOKING AND LONDON Authority, Liberty and Function in the Light of the War By RAMIRO DE MAEZTU Crown 8vo. 4l. 6d. net. Postage 5d. " One of the most stimulating and interesting essays in political science that the war has produced."—Land and Water, Practical Pacifism and its Adversaries : "Is it Peace, Jehu?" By Dr. SEVERIN NORDENTOFT With An Introduction By G. K. CHESTERTON Crown 8vo. 4s. 6d. net. Postage 5d. " A striking indictment of German rule by representatives of oppressed- peoples."—The Times. After-War Problems By The Late EARL OF CROMER, VISCOUNT HALDANE, The BISHOP OF EXETER, Prof. ALFRED MARSHALL, And Others Edited By William Harbutt Dawson Demy 8vo. Second Impression. 5s. 6d. net. Postage 6d " Valuable, clear, sober, and judicial."—The Times. "Will be very helpful to thoughful persons."—Morning Post. " A book of real national importance, and of which the value may very- well prove to be incalculable."—Daily Telegraph. chapter{Section 4By GEORGE D. HERRON Crown 8vo. 2s. 6d. net. Postage t " He says some magnificent things magnificently "—New Witness. Democracy After the Wai Crown 8vo. By J. A. HOBSON 4s. 6d. It is the writer's object to indicate the nature of the struggle wb will confront the public of this country for the achievement of polit and industrial democracy when the war is o...

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Customer Reviews

Worthy Read - KSim - Lake Forest, CA
Great essay. Should be required reading in school to help unsuspecting generations understand that the main stream media has an agenda that is not based on delivering factual unbiased journalism. The fact that this essay was published over 100 years ago adds emphasis to how long this problem has existed and will serve as an example of how the media has shaped politics vs. the people that vote for the politicians.

Prophetic - bookscdsdvdsandcoolstuff - USA
Rarely have there been two authors as prophetic as G.K. Chesterton and Hillaire Belloc. That their books are still so relevant to so many today is testimony to their enduring greatness. Both these men are thoroughly Catholic authors, and it is this clear headed world view that leads directly to their timelessness.

The Free Press really and truly did shock me. I have known "traditional Catholics" who hate what I, as a Catholic loyal to Vatican II, stand for. Often they quote Belloc or other writers to back up their claims. They often attack ideas like freedom of expression, freedom of religion, etc. etc.

More often than not, when I go to the source materials, I see that the arguments they make rarely hold water. Here too, we see the same. Hillaire Belloc is a great defender of the notion of a free and independent press. He defends advocacy journalism because journals with a clear bias don't pretend to lack bias, so the reader can think about claims critically. He defends FREEDOM to write and think.

He is absolutely prophetic about the profit motive driving modern journalism and the lack of objectivity that causes. One wonders what he would have thought about the blogosphere! Given the content of this book I think he would have been supportive of much it stands for.

This was an amazing read. Heartily recommended.

Prophetic, Brilliant Belloc! - Michael Tozer - Bloomingdale, IL United States
Hilaire Belloc wrote this wonderful and terribly important little book way back in 1918. But its message resonates loud and clear even today. Within this excellent manuscript, Belloc describes an essential fact little known, then and now: Newspapers cost more to print than their unit sales price. So, how do newspapers stay in business, and even prosper? They are subsidized by advertising.

And herein lies the story. Advertising is controlled by the great capitalist fortunes. Therefore these great capitalist fortunes control the press. This is is a lesson that modern folks really need to consider well. Duped by the corporate press, now the mainstream media, they are somehow convinced that the media is populist. Nothing could be further from the truth. The media serves the needs of its controllers, the wealthy.

Belloc also provided rich content relative to a truly free press. This then existed due to the efforts of such as Belloc, and his great friend, G.K. Chesterton. And, in a way, it exists even today with newsletters of specific interest and very important internet web sites, like antiwar.com and lewrockwell.com. Belloc even provides extraordinary insights relative to the insightful usage and evaluation of such aspects of the free press that again resonate even today.

This is, in my opinion, one of Belloc's most important books. And that is saying quite a lot, for I have thus far been privileged to read well more than twenty of the great man's books. It is strongly recommended. Take care. And God bless.

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Wednesday, September 1, 2010