Are the Press themselves to blame for the supposed death of the "free press"?

Question

The Press are now complaining that the days of the free press are over.

But aren't they themselves to blame for continually going with the "non-stories" to sell extra copies.

Stories that involve invented scandel rather than true investigative journalism.

Or must the pubic shoulder some of the blame, after all "We" buy them.

Answer 1

I'm with Black Baruch on this one. In Amsterdam, you can have full s*x for 15 euros, or you can have it for free if you do it with your own wife.

Answer 2

No.

Don't think so.

Decode this lyrics "Calling inter-planetary craft"

Just reporting in the twilight zone.

Luke 6.39-40,41-45,46-49

What do you think?

Answer 3

I'm with Duirmuid on this one.

I don't believe there ever has been such a thing as 'free press'. For a start, the newspaper owners have control over what is, or isn't printed,  and the laws of the land place restrictions on what can be reported.

The general public must shoulder a large amount of the blame for the fact that the 'Red Tops' are the papers that prosper (I hesitate to call them 'newspapers' as the only items in them that you can ever depend on as being true, are the date of issue, and the price on the front page).

Having said that, I was surprised that the 'News of the World' lost it's case today. I understood the hiring, or use of prostitutes was illegal, and that it would have been in the public interest to expose how the law had been broken in this case.

Answer 4

Yes.....freedom of the press is OK when they tell the truth, half truths and downright lies to sell newspapers is despicable and a once admired occupation (Journalism) now looks seedy and perverted

Answer 5

*looks up* If I promise never to be spanked by more than four prostitutes at once, please can I have Max Mosley's job?

Answer 6

I would question the term free press.

Has there ever been a truly free press!

Papers have to sell to make money to keep going to pay their staff etc. True investigative journalism is time consuming and expensive and sometimes downright dangerous to journalists' lives.

The dross (run of the mill "non-stories")  pays for the other.

Answer 7

What I don't understand is, why would anyone with five s*x workers at his disposal want to be spanked?

Answer 8

In a nutshell, if you cannot say what you believe to be true then you are not free.

By "you" I mean everyone, including members of the press.

Had your question been "Did the News of the World fabricate in order to sell copies?" then my answer would have been different.

Had your question been "Should the press be allowed to describe accurately the character of any individual who profits from us?" then I'd have said "Yes".

Had your question been "Should I give a monkey's about a federation that prefers to be presided over by someone who likes to be spanked by five prostitutes, with or without striped clothing?" then I'd have said that the entire FIA can take a long walk on a short pier, just so long as it doesn't take a penny of the public's money with it and just so long as it doesn't attempt to influence anyone on the way.