Benefits Quote by Arthur Hays Sulzberger
“Freedom of the press, or, to be more precise, the benefit of freedom of the press, belongs to everyone – to the citizen as well as the publisher… The crux is not the publisher’s ‘freedom to print’; it is, rather, the citizen’s ‘right to know.’”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Editorial on press freedom, New York Times, 1930s
Press freedom is valuable because it ensures citizens’ right to be informed, not just publishers’ ability to print.
In simple terms: Citizens need the right to know.
Key Takeaway
Protect the public’s right to information.
Themes
freedom of press
citizen rights
transparency
Mood
concerned
hopeful
Type
political
informative
When to use this quote
- journalism
- government oversight
- education
- media literacy
Key Concepts
democracy
accountability
public sphere
Questions to Reflect On
- How can citizens verify information?
- What responsibilities do publishers have?
A Different Perspective
The public may still be misinformed despite free press.
![“No citizen has any right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training; it is part of his profession as a citizen to keep himself in good condition... [It is] a disgrace for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and the strength of which his body is capable.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/53a/anonymous-1_amateur_no-citizen-has-any-right-to-be-an-amateu_830020.jpg)
![“We [journalists] tell the public which way the cat is jumping. The public will take care of the cat.” quote by Arthur Hays Sulzberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9e1/arthur-hays-sulzberger-27725_care_we-journalists-tell-the-public-which-way_1520044.jpg)
![“[The Dalai Lama] told me some years ago, "I've made every concession to China, and I've been as open and tolerant as I could, and still things get worse in Tibet." If you look at it from one point of view, as he himself says, his monastic position of forbearance and nonviolence hasn't reaped any…” quote by Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9fe/pico-iyer-1252_benefits_the-dalai-lama-told-me-some-years-ago-i_678.jpg)
