Fisher Ames Quotes

The power of the periodical press is second only to that of the people.

Whatever may be said about the power of the press, it is undeniable that it can set the entire public thinking and talking about any topic ...

If there is any truth to my parenting the dreamwork movement, it comes from the power of the press.

Ever since Gutenberg, every dynasty, every political leader, every major religion, has recognized that to control the media is to have a powerful instrument for controlling the values and behavior of a population.

The reactionaries are in possession of force, in not only the army and police, but in the press and schools.

What matters to the press matters perforce to politicians.

You would think that people who are so powerful would not be so upset by little knocks in the press.

Avoid both infatuation with or resentment of the press.

Theodore Roosevelt owes more to newspapers than any other man of his time, or possibly of any other time.

I have tried to write about this matter without any improper bias, but of course we are all cowards about newspapers who tyrannize over us all.

If those in charge of our society – politicians, corporate executives, and owners of press and television – can dominate our ideas, they will be secure in their power. They will not need soldiers patrolling the streets. We will control ourselves.

There are those who blame the Press, but in this I think they are mistaken. The Press is such as the public demands, and the public demands bad newspapers because it has been badly educated.

We suffer quite as much from exaggerated, hysterical, and untruthful statements in the press as from any wrongdoing by businessmen or politicians.

The media have entered government as a revolutionary force.

Politics is power, and communications is power,

We are here to unlearn the teachings of the church, state, and our education system.

In the White House, I had influence. At Breitbart, I had power.

The press has met their Waterloo, and it's Obama.

Now, I bow to nobody when it comes to estimating the influence of 'This Week.'

I'd like to say I'd like to be as big as a Gwen or a Madonna, but I think those days of achieving that level are over. The media is bringing everybody down.

Today enormous effort goes into convincing the American public that we're just consumers of media manipulation and sound-bites and spin doctors. That we care only about ourselves, money, and stuff. That acting out of passion and conviction doesn't make a difference. But all history shows that it does.

People continually ask me, "Why does the media do what it does? Why are they so obviously self-destructive? Why are they so obviously predictable? Why is the media so obviously biased? Do they not see how other people see?" No, they don't. But then again, they don't care, folks.

All media work us over completely.

I suppose I'm qualified to some degree to speak about the nature of contemporary media, as that's where I currently work. People, I think have been beyond trained - coded to not anticipate change; to think that change is implausible. Almost weaned off. It had to be a revolution bred out of us.

I used to believe that we could change the media. I was as naive as anybody.