A reader reminds me of the press baron, Lord Copper, in Evelyn Waugh’s “Scoop,” still one of the best ever portraits of journalism still around. The Lord, who owns the newspaper, The Beast, instructs his correspondents on his policy toward covering war:
With regard to Policy, I expect you already have your own views. I never hamper my correspondents in any way. What the British public wants first, last and all the time is News. Remember that the Patriots are in the right and are going to win. The Beast stands by them four-square. But they must win quickly. The British public has no interest in a war which drags on indecisively. A few sharp victories, some conspicuous acts of personal bravery on the Patriot side, and a colourful entry into the capital. That is the Beast Policy for the war.
If only he owned the New York Times. (His true heir, of course, does own Fox News Channel.)
The Dish 