--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why does one never hear of government…" description: "\"Why does one never hear of government funding for the preservation and encouragement of comic strips, girlie magazines and TV soap operas? Because thes..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/john-updike-396_audience_why-does-one-never-hear-of-government-fu_327894.png" --- # Why does one never hear of government funding for the… ![“Why does one never hear of government funding for the preservation and encouragement of comic strips, girlie magazines and TV soap operas? Because these genres still hold the audience they were created to amuse and instruct.” quote by John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/john-updike-396_audience_why-does-one-never-hear-of-government-fu_327894.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/john-updike-396_audience_why-does-one-never-hear-of-government-fu_327894.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/john-updike-396_audience_why-does-one-never-hear-of-government-fu_327894.png) > “Why does one never hear of government funding for the preservation and encouragement of comic strips, girlie magazines and TV soap operas? Because these genres still hold the audience they were created to amuse and instruct.” [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques the lack of public support for popular media that still serves its original purpose of entertaining and teaching audiences. **In simple terms:** Popular media still entertains and instructs, yet lacks government funding. Key Takeaway Advocate for public support of culturally valuable media. Themes media funding popular culture public policy education entertainment Mood critical analytical skeptical Type commentary opinion When to use this quote - government arts grants - media literacy programs - community sponsorships - educational broadcasting Key Concepts cultural economics media studies public good Questions to Reflect On - How should societies value entertainment versus high art? - What criteria determine cultural funding? A Different Perspective Funding decisions often prioritize high art over mass appeal, overlooking societal impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic/) [Comic strips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic-strips/) [Encouragement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encouragement/) [Genre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genre/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government funding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-funding/) [Opera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opera/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Preservation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preservation/) [Soap operas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soap-operas/) ## Related quotes > [ They \[NPR\] are, of course, Nazis. They have a kind of Nazi attitude. They are the left wing of Nazism. These guys don't want… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/they-npr-are-of-course-nazis-they-have-a-kind-of-nazi-attitude-they/) [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) > [“...but instead of the can-do spirit we now have the can-do-with-some-government-funding spirit. And it's hard to get an inspirational heart-warmer out of that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-steyn/but-instead-of-the-can-do-spirit-we-now-have-the-can-do-with-some/) [Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/) > [After-school tutoring programs, care for the elderly, shelters for the homeless, disaster relief work, and a variety of other services would all benefit from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/after-school-tutoring-programs-care-for-the-elderly-shelters-for-the/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [I was taking a lot of eyedrops three times a day and I realized I should have it checked out, that's when I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-tomei/i-was-taking-a-lot-of-eyedrops-three-times-a-day-and-i-realized-i/) [Marisa Tomei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-tomei/) > [In France, it is television that pays for films to be made and I received all of my funding from TV: two television channels,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-bercot/in-france-it-is-television-that-pays-for-films-to-be-made-and-i/) Emmanuelle Bercot > [The Spiral Gallery may happen, too. It is not dependent on government funding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-libeskind/the-spiral-gallery-may-happen-too-it-is-not-dependent-on-government/) [Daniel Libeskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-libeskind/) > [I am opposed to abortion and to government funding of abortions. We should not spend state funds on abortions because so many people believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/i-am-opposed-to-abortion-and-to-government-funding-of-abortions-we/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [If the government is funding itself at 2 per cent, you know, how much are you going to pay savers if you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-patricia-botin/if-the-government-is-funding-itself-at-2-per-cent-you-know-how-much/) [Ana Patricia Botin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-patricia-botin/) > [Unfortunately, too often the media doesn't ask the simple question: Why did elected leaders wait until the 11th hour to address government funding we've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-meadows/unfortunately-too-often-the-media-doesn-t-ask-the-simple-question-why/) [Mark Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-meadows/) > [We need to show why the government should be funding science and how that funding delivers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-walport/we-need-to-show-why-the-government-should-be-funding-science-and-how/) [Mark Walport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-walport/) > [Government funding that's coming from the United States is making a huge difference on the ground in the developing world. It's really palpable -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melinda-gates/government-funding-that-s-coming-from-the-united-states-is-making-a/) [Melinda Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melinda-gates/) > [The truth is that development of public transport facilities needs government funding or cheap loans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sucheta-dalal/the-truth-is-that-development-of-public-transport-facilities-needs/) [Sucheta Dalal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sucheta-dalal/) > [We have had government funding for new media since the early '80s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-da-rimini/we-have-had-government-funding-for-new-media-since-the-early-80s/) [Francesca Da Rimini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-da-rimini/) > [It is not true that I oppose government funding of the arts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/it-is-not-true-that-i-oppose-government-funding-of-the-arts/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [Silicon Valley, after all, feeds off the existence of computers, the internet, the IT systems, satellites, the whole of micro electronics and so on,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/silicon-valley-after-all-feeds-off-the-existence-of-computers-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More by John Updike > [Life is a roller coaster, you have your ups and downs unless you fall off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/life-is-a-roller-coaster-you-have-your-ups-and-downs-unless-you-fall/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [Children are not a zoo of entertainingly exotic creatures, but an array of mirrors in which the human predicament leaps out at us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/children-are-not-a-zoo-of-entertainingly-exotic-creatures-but-an/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [I assume my stance, and take back the club, low, slowly; at the top, my eyes fog over, and my joints dip and swirl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/i-assume-my-stance-and-take-back-the-club-low-slowly-at-the-top-my/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [The New England spirit does not seek solutions in a crowd; raw light and solitariness are less dreaded than welcomed as enhancers of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/the-new-england-spirit-does-not-seek-solutions-in-a-crowd-raw-light/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [I imagine most of that stuff on the information highway is roadkill anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/i-imagine-most-of-that-stuff-on-the-information-highway-is-roadkill/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [Families, doing everything for each other out of imagined obligation and always getting in each other's way, what a tangle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/families-doing-everything-for-each-other-out-of-imagined-obligation/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [“The fucking world is running out of gas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/the-fucking-world-is-running-out-of-gas/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [The theme of old age doesn't seem to fascinate Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/the-theme-of-old-age-doesn-t-seem-to-fascinate-hollywood/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [“The mind cannot fall asleep as long as it watches itself. Only when the mind moves unwatched and becomes absorbed in images that tug…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/the-mind-cannot-fall-asleep-as-long-as-it-watches-itself-only-when/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [“it was somehow wonderful of her to be, in every detail, herself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/it-was-somehow-wonderful-of-her-to-be-in-every-detail-herself/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [In fiction, imaginary people become realer to us than any named celebrity glimpsed in a series of rumored events, whose causes and subtler ramifications…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/in-fiction-imaginary-people-become-realer-to-us-than-any-named/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [“Her hair had been going gray as long as he could remember; she bundled it behind in a bun held with hairpins that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/her-hair-had-been-going-gray-as-long-as-he-could-remember-she-bundled/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [Possession diminishes perception of value, immediately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/possession-diminishes-perception-of-value-immediately/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [I can't bear to finish things, beyond a certain point they get heavy. There's something so dead about a finished painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/i-can-t-bear-to-finish-things-beyond-a-certain-point-they-get-heavy/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [“Some people find fall depressing, others hate spring. I've always been a spring person myself. All that growth, you can feel Nature groaning, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/some-people-find-fall-depressing-others-hate-spring-i-ve-always-been/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) [Explore all 592 John Updike quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. 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