"News is so often a report of conflict, an account of problems, a thing of the day and even of the minute, that sometimes I think we make the background darker and the shadows deeper than they actually are"
- Arthur Hays Sulzberger
About this Quote
This quote by Arthur Hays Sulzberger speaks with the tendency of news outlets to focus on the unfavorable aspects of the world. He suggests that news is frequently a report of dispute, an account of problems, and a thing of the day. This indicates that news outlets typically concentrate on the most instant and mind-blowing stories, rather than the larger picture. Sulzberger suggests that this concentrate on the unfavorable can result in an exaggeration of the darkness of the world. He indicates that the world is not as dark as it is typically portrayed in the news, and that news outlets ought to concentrate on the positive elements of the world also. This quote speaks to the power of the media to shape popular opinion and the importance of presenting a well balanced view of the world.
"I weep for the liberty of my country when I see at this early day of its successful experiment that corruption has been imputed to many members of the House of Representatives, and the rights of the people have been bartered for promises of office"