A Conservative Applauds the Monitor

You call yourself a conservative. Fine. You know what you believe about man, his communities, and their government. You know what candidates you like in the next election and where you stand on the issues. But tell me this, my friend: What does your conservatism have to say about journalism and the mass media?

Yes, you subscribe to the right journals, you belong to Accuracy in Media, you’ve read Efron, Herschensohn, and Kevin Phillips. You see exactly what the Times and Cronkite and the rest are trying to do to this country and you’ll be damned if you’re going to let them do it. Fine again; I’m with you. But do we realize just how largely all of our activity and concern is confined to the question of access—control, command—in an existing news industry under existing ground rules? How much it takes for granted the more basic question of process which underlies the whole system?

JA

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John K. Andrews Jr.

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You call yourself a conservative. Fine. You know what you believe about man, his communities, and their government. You know what candidates you like in the next election and where you stand on the issues. But tell me this, my friend: What does your conservatism have to say about journalism and the mass media?

Yes, you subscribe to the right journals, you belong to Accuracy in Media, you’ve read Efron, Herschensohn, and Kevin Phillips. You see exactly what the Times and Cronkite and the rest are trying to do to this country and you’ll be damned if you’re going to let them do it. Fine again; I’m with you. But do we realize just how largely all of our activity and concern is confined to the question of access—control, command—in an existing news industry under existing ground rules? How much it takes for granted the more basic question of process which underlies the whole system?