An old maxim

Posted by ESC on April 09, 2003

In Reply to: An old maxim posted by Mei on April 09, 2003

: Hi,

: Anyone konws the meaning of the follwing maxim:

: To borrow an old maxim, the news media are assumed to be afflicting the powerful while, at the same time, comforting the afflicted.

: Thanks a lot.

I found this on the Quoteland.com site:

"Th' newspaper does ivrything f'r us. It runs th' polis foorce an' th' banks, commands th' milishy, controls th'ligislachure, baptizes th' young, marries th' foolish, comforts th' afflicted, afflicts th' comfortable, buries th' dead an' roasts thim aftherward."
-Finley Peter Dunne, "Mr. Dooley's Opinions", 1900

Journalists are supposed to be neutral. But I guess you could say they are suppose to champion the cause of the average man/woman or the working class (the afflicted) and expose the wrong-doing of the rich and powerful (the comfortable).

• Journalism & strong drink ESC 04/09/03