---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The whole notion of journalism being an…"
description: "\"The whole notion of journalism being an institution whose fundamental purpose is to educate and inform and even, one might say, elevate, has altered un..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ab/tom-stoppard-437_altered_the-whole-notion-of-journalism-being-an_452486.png"
---

#  The whole notion of journalism being an institution whose…

![“The whole notion of journalism being an institution whose fundamental purpose is to educate and inform and even, one might say, elevate, has altered under commercial pressure, perhaps, into a different kind of purpose, which is to divert and distract and entertain.” quote by Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ab/tom-stoppard-437_altered_the-whole-notion-of-journalism-being-an_452486.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ab/tom-stoppard-437_altered_the-whole-notion-of-journalism-being-an_452486.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ab/tom-stoppard-437_altered_the-whole-notion-of-journalism-being-an_452486.png)

> “The whole notion of journalism being an institution whose fundamental purpose is to educate and inform and even, one might say, elevate, has altered under commercial pressure, perhaps, into a different kind of purpose, which is to divert and distract and entertain.”

[Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Commercial pressures have shifted journalism from educating to entertaining and distracting audiences.

**In simple terms:** Journalism now often aims to entertain rather than inform.

Key Takeaway

Recognize media bias and seek diverse sources.

Themes

media commercialism education entertainment truth

Mood

cynical critical concerned

Type

analytical critical observational

When to use this quote

- news consumption
- media literacy
- critical thinking
- public discourse
- advertising influence

Key Concepts

Journalism public sphere media economics

Questions to Reflect On

- How does commercial pressure affect news credibility?
- What can individuals do to prioritize informative journalism?

A Different Perspective

Entertainment focus can undermine informed citizenship.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Altered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/altered/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Different kinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-kinds/) [Distract Entertain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distract-entertain-3945806/) [Educate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educate/) [Elevate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elevate/) [Fundamental Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamental-purpose-585448/) [Fundamentals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamentals/) [Institutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/institutions/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Journalism Institution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism-institution-3945804/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Notion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notion/) [Notion Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notion-journalism-3945805/) [Pressure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pressure/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Purpose Educate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose-educate-1162272/) [Whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole/)

## Related quotes

> [Our purpose is to educate as well as to entertain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-mayfield/our-purpose-is-to-educate-as-well-as-to-entertain/)

[Curtis Mayfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-mayfield/)

> [The fundamental purpose of Marxism is the total control of a population under the belief that individualism and free markets lead to great disparities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-fundamental-purpose-of-marxism-is-the-total-control-of-a/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [Are there so many fascinating, exciting things to do or so many challenges pressing down upon you that it is hard to keep focused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-g-scott/are-there-so-many-fascinating-exciting-things-to-do-or-so-many/)

[Richard G. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-scott/)

> [The fundamental purpose of the artist is the same as that of a scientist: to state a fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-read/the-fundamental-purpose-of-the-artist-is-the-same-as-that-of-a/)

[Herbert Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-read/)

> [Conscious of our many problems, I seek today to lay a foundation to our public policy. My fundamental purpose is to devote my term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-edison/conscious-of-our-many-problems-i-seek-today-to-lay-a-foundation-to/)

[Charles Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-edison/)

> [O ye children of men! The fundamental purpose animating the Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests and promote the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baha-u-llah/o-ye-children-of-men-the-fundamental-purpose-animating-the-faith-of/)

[Bahá'u'lláh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baha-u-llah/)

> [“One powerful method for getting at purpose is the five whys. Start with the descriptive statement We make X products or We deliver X…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/one-powerful-method-for-getting-at-purpose-is-the-five-whys-start/)

[James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/)

> [The fundamental purpose of a novel like Count Julian is to achieve the unity of object and means of representation, the fusion of treason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-goytisolo/the-fundamental-purpose-of-a-novel-like-count-julian-is-to-achieve/)

[Juan Goytisolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-goytisolo/)

> [“The fundamental purpose of storytelling is to pass the time, which is infinite, slow, and weighs heavy in our hands. When the first storyteller,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/the-fundamental-purpose-of-storytelling-is-to-pass-the-time-which-is/)

[Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/)

> [If your basic premise about the fundamental purpose of our government is that it must provide for the common defense, then no other position…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-nickles/if-your-basic-premise-about-the-fundamental-purpose-of-our-government/)

[Don Nickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-nickles/)

> [The fundamental purpose of government is to protect its citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/the-fundamental-purpose-of-government-is-to-protect-its-citizens/)

[Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/)

> [The fundamental purpose of design thinking is to produce something that does not now exist. And so it is with integrative thinking - in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-martin/the-fundamental-purpose-of-design-thinking-is-to-produce-something/)

[Roger Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-martin/)

> [The most fundamental purpose of government is defense, not empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/the-most-fundamental-purpose-of-government-is-defense-not-empire/)

[Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/)

> [The fundamental purpose of school is learning, not teaching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dufour/the-fundamental-purpose-of-school-is-learning-not-teaching/)

[Richard DuFour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dufour/)

> [There are sections of the film that I don't love. There are moments that really lift and elevate, and then there are parts that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hedges/there-are-sections-of-the-film-that-i-don-t-love-there-are-moments/)

[Peter Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hedges/)

## More by Tom Stoppard

> [If I wanted to change the world, the last thing I would do is write a play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/if-i-wanted-to-change-the-world-the-last-thing-i-would-do-is-write-a/)

[Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/)

> [If you want to change something by Tuesday, theater is no good. Journalism is what does that. But, if you want to just alter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/if-you-want-to-change-something-by-tuesday-theater-is-no-good/)

[Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/)

> [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/)

[Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/)

> [After all these years, I definitely associate having a pen in my hand with having an ashtray just out of eye line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/after-all-these-years-i-definitely-associate-having-a-pen-in-my-hand/)

[Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/)

> [The universe is deterministic all right, just like Newton said, I mean it's trying to be, but the only thing going wrong is people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/the-universe-is-deterministic-all-right-just-like-newton-said-i-mean/)

[Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/)

> [For me, human rights simply endorse a view of life and a set of moral values that are perfectly clear to an eight-year-old child.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/for-me-human-rights-simply-endorse-a-view-of-life-and-a-set-of-moral/)

[Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/)

> [“What is an artist? For every thousand people there's nine hundred doing the work, ninety doing well, nine doing good, and one lucky bastard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/what-is-an-artist-for-every-thousand-people-there-s-nine-hundred/)

[Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/)

> [Dying is not romantic, and death is not a game which will soon be over... Death is not anything... death is not... It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/dying-is-not-romantic-and-death-is-not-a-game-which-will-soon-be-over/)

[Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/)

> [I'm not interested in clothes; I just like them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/i-m-not-interested-in-clothes-i-just-like-them/)

[Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/)

> [For 10 years of my life, 3 times a day, I thanked the Lord for what I was about to receive and thanked him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/for-10-years-of-my-life-3-times-a-day-i-thanked-the-lord-for-what-i/)

[Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/)

> [You should not translate for more than two hours at a time. After that, you lose your edge, the language becomes clumsy, rigid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/you-should-not-translate-for-more-than-two-hours-at-a-time-after-that/)

[Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/)

> [No matter how imperfect things are, if you've got a free press everything is correctable, and without it everything is concealable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/no-matter-how-imperfect-things-are-if-you-ve-got-a-free-press/)

[Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/)

> [We must be born with an intuition of mortality. Before we know the word for it. Before we know that there are words. Out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/we-must-be-born-with-an-intuition-of-mortality-before-we-know-the/)

[Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/)

> [Eternity's a terrible thought. I mean, where's it all going to end?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/eternity-s-a-terrible-thought-i-mean-where-s-it-all-going-to-end/)

[Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/)

> [There is truth and falsehood in a comma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/there-is-truth-and-falsehood-in-a-comma/)

[Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/)

[Explore all 559 Tom Stoppard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/)

## More Altered quotes

> [Geometry, which should only obey Physics, when united with it sometimes commands it. If it happens that the question which we wish to examine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-le-rond-d-alembert/geometry-which-should-only-obey-physics-when-united-with-it-sometimes/)

[Jean le Rond d'Alembert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-le-rond-d-alembert/)

> [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/)

[Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/)

> [A new constitution should be more amendable. A needlessly confusing system of courts should be altered to produce an arrangement that would be simple,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-edison/a-new-constitution-should-be-more-amendable-a-needlessly-confusing/)

[Charles Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-edison/)

> [“I want to know how it feels to be altered by life”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-morton/i-want-to-know-how-it-feels-to-be-altered-by-life/)

[Kate Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-morton/)

> [Thus all things altered. Nothing dies. And here and there the unbodied spirit flies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/thus-all-things-altered-nothing-dies-and-here-and-there-the-unbodied/)

[Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/)

> [The patterns of activity of neurons in sensory areas can be altered by patterns of attention. Experience coupled with attention leads to physical changes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-merzenich/the-patterns-of-activity-of-neurons-in-sensory-areas-can-be-altered/)

[Michael Merzenich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-merzenich/)

> [ \[New York\] is a city largely based on great skyscrapers, and they will always be the essence of New York. That won't change, just… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/new-york-is-a-city-largely-based-on-great-skyscrapers-and-they-will/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [Cumulatively, American society is sliding toward a new form of 'authoritarian democracy'. Elections continue, free speech is generally protected, institutions operate in accordance with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/cumulatively-american-society-is-sliding-toward-a-new-form-of/)

[Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/)

> [Thousands of years of ideological, philosophical and practical decisions were made. They altered the surface of the earth, the coordinates of our souls. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/thousands-of-years-of-ideological-philosophical-and-practical/)

[Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/)

> [The ethic behind songs of conscience doesn't change, even though the issues are altered from generation to generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-yarrow/the-ethic-behind-songs-of-conscience-doesn-t-change-even-though-the/)

[Peter Yarrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-yarrow/)

> [Historic changes and challenges. Breakthroughs in human knowledge and opportunity. And yet, for vast numbers across the globe, the daily realities have not altered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/historic-changes-and-challenges-breakthroughs-in-human-knowledge-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Neither situations nor people can be altered by the interference of an outsider. If they are to be altered, that alteration must come from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-bottome/neither-situations-nor-people-can-be-altered-by-the-interference-of/)

[Phyllis Bottome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-bottome/)

> [Pain nourishes courage. You can't be brave if you've only had wonderful things happen to you. Pain is inevitable. Misery is optional. Physical pain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara/pain-nourishes-courage-you-can-t-be-brave-if-you-ve-only-had/)

[Barbara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara/)

> [Selectively pick a teacher, one that you respect, not just someone who can talk with wonderful poetic figures about enlightenment, but someone who has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/selectively-pick-a-teacher-one-that-you-respect-not-just-someone-who/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [Technology has altered the way music sounds, how it’s composed and how we experience it. It has also flooded the world with music. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/technology-has-altered-the-way-music-sounds-how-it-s-composed-and-how/)

[David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/)

[Browse all 328 Altered quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/altered/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The whole notion of journalism being an institution whose fundamental purpose is to educate and inform and even, one might say, elevate, has altered under commercial pressure, perhaps, into a different kind of purpose, which is to divert and distract and entertain.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Tom Stoppard"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/the-whole-notion-of-journalism-being-an-institution-whose-fundamental/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Altered"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/the-whole-notion-of-journalism-being-an-institution-whose-fundamental/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ab/tom-stoppard-437_altered_the-whole-notion-of-journalism-being-an_452486.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ab/tom-stoppard-437_altered_the-whole-notion-of-journalism-being-an_452486.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ab/tom-stoppard-437_altered_the-whole-notion-of-journalism-being-an_452486.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The whole notion of journalism being an institution whose fundamental purpose is to educate and inform and…” — Tom Stoppard",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Tom Stoppard",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The whole notion of journalism being...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/the-whole-notion-of-journalism-being-an-institution-whose-fundamental/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/the-whole-notion-of-journalism-being-an-institution-whose-fundamental/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
