INFLUENCE OF THE PRESS.

Evening Star, Issue 14003, 9 March 1909, Page 3

INFLUENCE OF THE PRESS.

The third of a series of lectirres on journalism in Trinity College, Dublin, was delivered by .Mr H. W. Massingham, editor of the 'Nation,' whose subject was "The Duty of the Press.' Alluding to the halfpenny newspaper, Mr Massingham said thai in London and in nearly every European capital we were being reduced bv degrees to two types—the halfpenny daily and the penny weekly paper. The founders of the new journalism had formed in the people a de-siro for romantic cqlor and movement, while showing no inlelreafc m political -work or organisation. Sensationalism, variety entertainment, and the application of the art of the photographer formed the features of the new daily paper. The organisers of the- Harmsworth newspapers took care to create the newspaper habit, just like the tobacco or the snuff-taking hauit. The new journalism was tempted to go very near to direct interference with the process of justice. To-dav trial by newspaper accompanied, and, 'so far, a's influencing men's minds was concerned, might almost overshadow, trial by jurv. In a recent murder trial in London this method came near to actual intimidation of the jury. A newspaper was the greater for the variety of impressions it transmitted to its readers. The journalist's business was not to make life moral, but to make it interesting; to furnish raw material for preacher and moralist to use. The general interests of a newspaper did not really make for war. Wars had long ceased to pay the newspaper proprietor. He would gladly exchange a" new Napoleon for Miss Charlesworth or a never-dvin"-Sherlock Holmes. The trumpery side ol the Press must soonor or later go. ,or we could not afford to keep it. Mr Birrell (Irish Secretary), in proposing a vote of thanks to Mr Massingham, said the question how far one is influenced bv the journal he reads was a difficult one to answer. At the last General Election the party which succeeded beyond its wildest expectations, with perhaps even an inconvenient measure of success, was the party which was opposed by the whole Press of the country. One "could count on the fingers of one hand all the powerful papers that espoused the triumphant cause. In England and Scotland the Press, day and night, was opposed to the party which swept the polls. This showed that the power of the Press was subject to occasional maTked limitations. He was once in a large factoiy in Manchester, where there hundreds of men in a room. Running round the room was a bench on which were arranged issues of the local paper. The moment the clock struck each man left his work and took up his copy of the paper to see whether or not his horse had won. Each man had to have a paper to himself. It wa.s impossible to associate a thing of that sort with intellectual journalism. The newspaper should be educational. It should teach as well as tickle humanity. He was sorry that the Press was subservient to party. He never felt so virtuous or so refined* as when he had a newspaper in his hands.—(Laughter.)