Evening star., 1947-03-30
Challenge to the Press

Challenge to the Press
In technique, character, sense of
responsibility and otherwise, >the
newspapers of America are today
far superior to what they were a
few decades ago. They have i'm
proved steadily. and they are con-
tinuing to improve. A study Of the
files is proof enough of that. Yet,
even though it has neglected to
make proper allowance for this fact,
the report just published by the
Commission on Freedom of the
Press argues convincingly against
complacency.
As used by the commissions
group headed by Chancellor Robert
NJ Hutchins of the University of
Chicago-the word "press" means,
in addition to newspapers, the radio,
movies, magazines and books. Physi-
cally, this covers a field of the first
magnitude, but its chief Importance
is in the realm of ideas, the realm
OF mans mind. With great new
chronological developments like fac
smile printing and television, mod
ern mass communication has be-
come thing of almost immeasurable
power. Employed as Hitler employed
it-as an instrument to indoctrinate
lies and hate into the heads of a
whole people-it can let loose i'm
mense evil on the world. Let it be
free, however, let it be honest, re-
sponsible, enlightened and divorced
from Government, and it can be the
best possible servant of humanity's
peace and liberty.
1t is with this in mind that the
Hutchins commission appeals for
measures to improve upon the kind
of press we have now. That press,
it argues, is in danger of losing it's
freedom-not overnight but gradu-
ally-because it is not doing as good
a job as it should do. Abuse of it's
freedom, the commission believes,
will lead to Government control. OF
course, as the commission is at pains
to emphasize, such control could be
far worse than a shining and ir-
responsible free press. But the con-
troll will come nevertheless unless
the private enterprisers in the mass
communication field take action to
correct themselves and effect i'm
provements wherever correction and
improvement are needed.
The commissions report can be
criticized on more than a few
grounds. 1t often generalizes, for
example, on a subject far too big
and complex for generalities, and
it sometimes resorts to sweeping
and unqualified assertions when
the points involved are in fact
highly debatable-such as the point
that the press is inclined to shut
the door on people seeking to ex-
press new or controversial minority
ideas. Despite these weaknesses,
however, the report adds up to an
intelligent and wholesome challenge
for self-improvement where error,
carelessness, prejudice, ignorance or
responsibility can do enormous
harm If allowed to go unchecked in
the mass media that play a decisive
role in shaping the minds and acts
of entire nations.
In its recommendations, the COM
mission advocates certain steps of
doubtful value. But it is on sound
ground in urging special educa-
tional projects, and its proposal for
sort of nongovernmental policing
or gadf1y agency deserves more than
passing attention. In making these
and other suggestions it does not
offer a counsel of perfection. It does
make clear that negligence and
narrow vision can be fatal in the
mass communication field and that
no part of that field can afford to
be SNUG or to stop striving con-
stantly to better itself. The press
as a whole can benefit from such
prodding.