In a world where everyone is a publisher, no one is an editor and that is the danger that we face today.
Scott PelleyRead
Twitter, Facebook and Reddit, that’s not journalism. That's gossip. Journalism was invented as an antidote to gossip.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the distinction between journalism and gossip, highlighting the role of journalism in providing factual information.
Scott Pelley draws a clear line between journalism and the casual sharing of information found on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit. He suggests that true journalism serves a crucial purpose in society by providing verified and trustworthy information, which counters the often misleading and sensational nature of gossip prevalent on these platforms. This statement underscores the importance of rigorous journalistic standards in an age where misinformation can spread rapidly online.
Themes
JournalismGossipTruthMediaInformation
In practice
Example use cases
In a college course on media ethics, one might use this quote to illustrate the importance of discerning between credible journalism and social media discourse.
More from Scott Pelley
All quotes →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 it, journalism is one of the pillars on which our society is perched.
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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 public possesses. And that is where we come in.
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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 good as the quality of the information that the public possesses and that is where we come in.
Scott PelleyRead
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