“As Hitler showed us, a press suppressed does not make a recovery. As Lenin indicated, a press controlled does not revert to a critic’s role. As history reminds us, free speech surrendered is rarely recovered.”

History is once again repeating itself. We The People are on a sled of despotism at the edge of a tyrannical avalanche, all the time being cheered on in the free fall by a supporting forth branch of government (the media)

Can't improve on what Mike said.

A press bought and paid for can not be trusted to deliver.

You got it right again Mike!

Did Hitler supress the press in the 1930's or did it supress itself?

When the press becomes the 4th branch of the government it tends to control the other 3.

The central bank controls all the branches of government AND the press. You can't run a broadcasting station without funding. The press today is merely an unpaid public relations firm for the government, spoon-fed everyday instead of investigating and reporting on its abuses.

The people know instinctively not to trust a sycophantic, lap dog press. The people in the Soviet Union knew there was no truth in Pravda and no news in Isvestia as they joked. Americans know the same thing about the alphabet networks and the communist rags that pass for newspapers. That's why circulation and viewership has dropped so dramatically: people refuse to pay for lies when they can get them for free just about anywhere.

Wow!

As the New York Times shows us, a press suppressed does not make a recovery. As the Washington Post indicates a press controlled does revert to a critics role. As history reminds us, free speech has yet to be discovered.