PRESIDENT COOLIDGE SPEAKS TO EDITORS; SAYS WE HAVE THE BEST NEWSPAPERS IN THE WORLD
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On January 18, 1925, The Sunday Star reports on President Calvin Coolidge's address last evening to the American Society of Newspaper Editors*.
The President said...
"The pathway to success in American journalism lies in the avoidance of propaganda, the separation of news policies from business motives and continued appeal to the idealism of the American people."
Mr. Coolidge believes the United States has "the best newspapers in the world."
The key question, according to the President, is are our newspapers "trying to serve the public interests?"
President Coolidge continued...
"Wherever the cause of liberty is making its way, one of its highest accomplishments is the guarantee of the freedom of the press."
He spoke of the importance of our citizens being "correctly informed" under a system of free government.
The President continued...
"We rely greatly upon the information and judgments of experts. Unfortunately, not all experts are to be trusted as entirely disinterested."
*ASNE, founded in 1922, was a membership organization for editors, producers & directors of journalistic departments. In 2019 it merged with Associated Press Media Editors to form the News Leaders Assn.
JFK+50 NOTE
Historically, the American press has been highly partisan & has been described in some cases as "organs of political parties." There is a large segment of our society today who believe "the media" are left-leaning.
According to a 2013 study, American journalists identifying as left-leaning (Democratic) made up 28.1% of the survey, those identifying as right-leaning (Republican) made up 12.9% while those identifying as middle-of-the-road (Independent) made up 43.8%.
In the early 1960s there was a cigarette commercial which asked, "Are you smoking more but enjoying it less?" When JFK was asked about his view of the press in a news conference, he answered, "I'm reading more but enjoying it less."
SOURCE
"President Warns Editors To Avoid Propaganda Evil," The Sunday Star, January 18, 1925, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/
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