--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He who attacks the fundamentals of the…" description: "\"He who attacks the fundamentals of the American broadcasting industry attacks democracy itself.\" — William S. Paley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc4/william-s-paley-50454_attacks_he-who-attacks-the-fundamentals-of-the-a_199161.png" --- # He who attacks the fundamentals of the American… ![“He who attacks the fundamentals of the American broadcasting industry attacks democracy itself.” quote by William S. Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc4/william-s-paley-50454_attacks_he-who-attacks-the-fundamentals-of-the-a_199161.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc4/william-s-paley-50454_attacks_he-who-attacks-the-fundamentals-of-the-a_199161.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc4/william-s-paley-50454_attacks_he-who-attacks-the-fundamentals-of-the-a_199161.png) > “He who attacks the fundamentals of the American broadcasting industry attacks democracy itself.” [William S. Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-paley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Attacking core broadcast values threatens democratic discourse and informed citizenry. **In simple terms:** Undermining broadcasting harms democracy. Key Takeaway Protect broadcasting standards. Themes media democracy freedom Mood cautionary analytical Type commentary reflective When to use this quote - policy debates - media regulation - journalism ethics - civic education Key Concepts public sphere information integrity Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards preserve both media freedom and democratic health? - How can audiences critically assess broadcast content? A Different Perspective Balancing regulation with free speech is complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Broadcasting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/broadcasting/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Humorous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humorous/) [Industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industry/) ## Related quotes > [I know I had been successful in football. I had been successful in broadcasting. I didn't think that anything could touch me. I thought,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summerall/i-know-i-had-been-successful-in-football-i-had-been-successful-in/) [Pat Summerall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summerall/) > [I've always been fascinated with radio and broadcasting. I did fake radio shows as a kid, where I was a DJ and stuff like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-aukerman/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-with-radio-and-broadcasting-i-did-fake/) [Scott Aukerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-aukerman/) > [Also I'm a part of the people that I've worked with in baseball that have been so great to me, Mr. Earl Mann of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-harwell/also-i-m-a-part-of-the-people-that-i-ve-worked-with-in-baseball-that/) [Ernie Harwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-harwell/) > [There has been sexism in broadcasting for a very long time. Fortunately when I started in broadcasting there wasn't because nobody had thought of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rippon/there-has-been-sexism-in-broadcasting-for-a-very-long-time/) [Angela Rippon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rippon/) > [I've always tried to keep in mind that I'm in grass-roots country and I'm grass-roots-born and -reared. I don't use the so-called 'sophisticated approach'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-brickhouse/i-ve-always-tried-to-keep-in-mind-that-i-m-in-grass-roots-country-and/) [Jack Brickhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-brickhouse/) > [Being an Olympic Medalist was a team effort. So I am honored to be a part of CBS Sports' WE NEED TO TALK cast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dara-torres/being-an-olympic-medalist-was-a-team-effort-so-i-am-honored-to-be-a/) [Dara Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dara-torres/) > [I was in Christian broadcasting back in the 1970s. 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But I got into broadcasting by accident, if you will, because I needed money to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-trebek/originally-i-think-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-but-i-got-into/) [Alex Trebek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-trebek/) > [Broadcasting is definitely in my cards for the future, and I'm determined to work hard at it - to perfect it and create my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apolo-ohno/broadcasting-is-definitely-in-my-cards-for-the-future-and-i-m/) [Apolo Ohno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apolo-ohno/) > [A reality that is electronic... Once everybody's got a computer terminal in their home, to satisfy all their needs, all the domestic needs, there'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-ballard/a-reality-that-is-electronic-once-everybody-s-got-a-computer-terminal/) [J. G. Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-ballard/) > [The broadcasting industry definitely has changed, and I'm talking about young broadcasters who come along today, they really feel like they have to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-nantz/the-broadcasting-industry-definitely-has-changed-and-i-m-talking/) [Jim Nantz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-nantz/) > [I like interaction. I like engagement. My favorite part of Twitter is really the mentions and interacting with people. It's rarely just the broadcasting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-cain/i-like-interaction-i-like-engagement-my-favorite-part-of-twitter-is/) [Will Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-cain/) > [I work because I love it. It's a projection of myself. It allows me to express my enthusiasm for music and film using the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gambaccini/i-work-because-i-love-it-it-s-a-projection-of-myself-it-allows-me-to/) [Paul Gambaccini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gambaccini/) ## More by William S. Paley > [White lies always introduce others of a darker complexion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-paley/white-lies-always-introduce-others-of-a-darker-complexion/) [William S. Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-paley/) > [Television, I would say, isn't an advertising medium. It's a selling medium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-paley/television-i-would-say-isn-t-an-advertising-medium-it-s-a-selling/) [William S. Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-paley/) > [In what way can a revelation be made but by miracles? In none which we are able to conceive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-paley/in-what-way-can-a-revelation-be-made-but-by-miracles-in-none-which-we/) [William S. Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-paley/) > [God has been pleased to prescribe limits to his power and to work out his ends within these limits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-paley/god-has-been-pleased-to-prescribe-limits-to-his-power-and-to-work-out/) [William S. Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-paley/) > [What is public history but a register of the successes and disappointments, the vices, the follies and the quarrels of those who engage in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-paley/what-is-public-history-but-a-register-of-the-successes-and/) [William S. Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-paley/) > [What we are doing is satisfying the American public. That's our job. I always say we have to give most of the people what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-paley/what-we-are-doing-is-satisfying-the-american-public-that-s-our-job-i/) [William S. Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-paley/) [Explore all 7 William S. Paley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-paley/) ## More Attacks quotes > [The way I look at it is, cancer research is absolutely nonpartisan. Cancer is very democratic in the sense that it attacks people regardless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-koch/the-way-i-look-at-it-is-cancer-research-is-absolutely-nonpartisan/) [David H. Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-koch/) > [I personally felt that his ad hominen attacks on British architects were not the sort of thing a Prince of Wales should be doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-holden/i-personally-felt-that-his-ad-hominen-attacks-on-british-architects/) [Anthony Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-holden/) > [The administration of George W. Bush, emboldened by the Sept. 11 attacks and the backing of a Republican Congress, has sought to further extend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-feldman/the-administration-of-george-w-bush-emboldened-by-the-sept-11-attacks/) [Noah Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-feldman/) > [If nothing else, the cyber attacks that occurred during the 2016 presidential election have laid bare the very real vulnerabilities that exist across our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/if-nothing-else-the-cyber-attacks-that-occurred-during-the-2016/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) > [We've had Saudis and Jordanians and Pakistanis who have - and Syrians - who have been involved in armed attacks against coalition forces in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-armitage/we-ve-had-saudis-and-jordanians-and-pakistanis-who-have-and-syrians/) [Richard Armitage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-armitage/) > [“At the same time that we see a massive deployment of wireless radiation, we see the most violent attacks on modern society.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/at-the-same-time-that-we-see-a-massive-deployment-of-wireless/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [At sleepovers I would have panic attacks trying to break it to girls that they didn't want to kiss me without outing myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/io-tillett-wright/at-sleepovers-i-would-have-panic-attacks-trying-to-break-it-to-girls/) [iO Tillett Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/io-tillett-wright/) > [I knew I was having a panic attack. 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But for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-can-t-gather-the-intelligence-we-need-to-foil-future-attacks-if-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Less than a year after the Sept. 11 attacks, al-Qaida attacks were continuing: the firebombing of a synagogue in Tunisia in April, a bomb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-dedman/less-than-a-year-after-the-sept-11-attacks-al-qaida-attacks-were/) [Bill Dedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-dedman/) Browse all 291 Attacks quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "He who attacks the fundamentals of the American broadcasting industry attacks democracy itself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William S. 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