--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The country is only as strong as its…" description: "\"The country is only as strong as its journalism - that's the way democracies work. The higher the quality of the information, the better informed the e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/526/scott-pelley-22805_country_the-country-is-only-as-strong-as-its-jou_2147358.jpg" --- # The country is only as strong as its journalism - that's… ![“The country is only as strong as its journalism - that's the way democracies work. The higher the quality of the information, the better informed the electorate is and the better the government runs.” quote by Scott Pelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/526/scott-pelley-22805_country_the-country-is-only-as-strong-as-its-jou_2147358.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/526/scott-pelley-22805_country_the-country-is-only-as-strong-as-its-jou_2147358.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/526/scott-pelley-22805_country_the-country-is-only-as-strong-as-its-jou_2147358.jpg) > “The country is only as strong as its journalism - that's the way democracies work. The higher the quality of the information, the better informed the electorate is and the better the government runs.” [Scott Pelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pelley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A free press is essential for a healthy democracy because informed citizens make better decisions, leading to effective governance. **In simple terms:** Good journalism strengthens democracy. Key Takeaway Support and protect independent media. Themes democracy journalism information citizen engagement Mood concerned hopeful Type political informative When to use this quote - elections - policy debates - media literacy programs Key Concepts media freedom public discourse accountability Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure media independence? - What role does media literacy play? A Different Perspective Quality information alone cannot fix systemic bias. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Democracies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracies/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Electorate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/electorate/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) ## Related quotes > [Democracies succeed or fail based on their journalism. America is strong because its journalism is strong. That is how democracies work. They're only as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pelley/democracies-succeed-or-fail-based-on-their-journalism-america-is/) [Scott Pelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pelley/) > [America is strong because its journalism is strong. That's how democracies work. They're only as good as the quality of the information that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pelley/america-is-strong-because-its-journalism-is-strong-that-s-how/) [Scott Pelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pelley/) > [I've made the comment that democracies work slower than dictatorships. That's a true thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gosling/i-ve-made-the-comment-that-democracies-work-slower-than-dictatorships/) [James Gosling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gosling/) > [I don't think we can have democracies that work where most of the people are not benefiting economically, where most of the people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/i-don-t-think-we-can-have-democracies-that-work-where-most-of-the/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [If you have an informed electorate, it makes great choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/if-you-have-an-informed-electorate-it-makes-great-choices/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [The best defense of democracy is an informed electorate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-best-defense-of-democracy-is-an-informed-electorate/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Without an informed electorate, politicians will continue to use the bottom billion merely for photo opportunities, rather than promoting real transformation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-collier/without-an-informed-electorate-politicians-will-continue-to-use-the/) [Paul Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-collier/) > [The weakness in a model in which one assumes that the electorate gets what it needs from Bill Clinton is that our system doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hall-jamieson/the-weakness-in-a-model-in-which-one-assumes-that-the-electorate-gets/) [Kathleen Hall Jamieson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hall-jamieson/) > [An informed electorate is foundational to the future of this Republic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-cawthorn/an-informed-electorate-is-foundational-to-the-future-of-this-republic/) [Madison Cawthorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-cawthorn/) > [A properly functioning democracy depends on an informed electorate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-properly-functioning-democracy-depends-on-an-informed-electorate/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [If we don't have an informed electorate we don't have a democracy. So I don't care how people get the information, as long as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/if-we-don-t-have-an-informed-electorate-we-don-t-have-a-democracy-so/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [Reading builds the educated and informed electorate so vital to our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-henry/reading-builds-the-educated-and-informed-electorate-so-vital-to-our/) [Brad Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-henry/) > [If you just believe in our democracy, and you want an informed electorate, public schools are in your interest, and I think our country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-best/if-you-just-believe-in-our-democracy-and-you-want-an-informed/) [Charles Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-best/) > [I believe in an informed electorate, and we need to teach our children to become informed enough to have opinions on world issues or,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/i-believe-in-an-informed-electorate-and-we-need-to-teach-our-children/) [Daniel Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/) > [A vital democracy requires an informed electorate, civil discourse, and bold thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-o-meara-sanders/a-vital-democracy-requires-an-informed-electorate-civil-discourse-and/) [Jane O'Meara Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-o-meara-sanders/) ## More by Scott Pelley > [The American people can always be trusted with the information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pelley/the-american-people-can-always-be-trusted-with-the-information/) [Scott Pelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pelley/) > [Journalists are getting big stories wrong, over and over again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pelley/journalists-are-getting-big-stories-wrong-over-and-over-again/) [Scott Pelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pelley/) > [I wonder at what point do you stop doing what you think is right and you start doing what the majority of the American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pelley/i-wonder-at-what-point-do-you-stop-doing-what-you-think-is-right-and/) [Scott Pelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pelley/) > [You have to take risks on policy. You can't be a politician, wringing your hands, worried about what the public opinion polls are saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pelley/you-have-to-take-risks-on-policy-you-can-t-be-a-politician-wringing/) [Scott Pelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pelley/) > [The quality of life in America is dependent on the quality of the journalism. Most people don't realize that, but if you think about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pelley/the-quality-of-life-in-america-is-dependent-on-the-quality-of-the/) [Scott Pelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pelley/) > [Never before in human history has more information been available to more people. But at the same time, never before in human history has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pelley/never-before-in-human-history-has-more-information-been-available-to/) [Scott Pelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pelley/) > [ If I do an interview with \[Holocaust survivor\] Elie Wiesel, am I required as a journalist to find a Holocaust denier? ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pelley/if-i-do-an-interview-with-holocaust-survivor-elie-wiesel-am-i/) [Scott Pelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pelley/) > [That's gossip. Journalism was invented as an antidote to gossip.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pelley/that-s-gossip-journalism-was-invented-as-an-antidote-to-gossip/) [Scott Pelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pelley/) > [Never before in human history has more bad information been available to more people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pelley/never-before-in-human-history-has-more-bad-information-been-available/) [Scott Pelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pelley/) > [Most people don't realize that two-thirds of the federal budget is Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and the Pentagon. The U.S. government is an insurance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pelley/most-people-don-t-realize-that-two-thirds-of-the-federal-budget-is/) [Scott Pelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pelley/) > [I'm always trying to get those interviews that are impossible to get, because they are the ones that are most interesting to the audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pelley/i-m-always-trying-to-get-those-interviews-that-are-impossible-to-get/) [Scott Pelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pelley/) > [Not a lot of people watch cable news, they just don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pelley/not-a-lot-of-people-watch-cable-news-they-just-don-t/) [Scott Pelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pelley/) > [No one ever wanted to hire me. Ever. I've never been recruited anywhere. I have beat my head against every wall, at every place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pelley/no-one-ever-wanted-to-hire-me-ever-i-ve-never-been-recruited-anywhere/) [Scott Pelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pelley/) > [If you're first, no one will ever remember. If you're wrong, no one will ever forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pelley/if-you-re-first-no-one-will-ever-remember-if-you-re-wrong-no-one-will/) [Scott Pelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pelley/) > [There is no democracy without journalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pelley/there-is-no-democracy-without-journalism/) [Scott Pelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pelley/) [Explore all 27 Scott Pelley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pelley/) ## More Country quotes > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [It's very nice to be a rebel saying, 'I stand on my principles,' but if in fact that's not going to have any impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/it-s-very-nice-to-be-a-rebel-saying-i-stand-on-my-principles-but-if/) [Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [That's what this country is. It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/) [Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/) > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > ['Lovecraft Country' is reclaiming all these pulp genres for people of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/lovecraft-country-is-reclaiming-all-these-pulp-genres-for-people-of/) [Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) [Browse all 29,881 Country quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The country is only as strong as its journalism - that's the way democracies work. 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