Article 26: Whispers
This is part 26 of a series. Go to the 1st Paper for the first part.
Morning Star
Sarah Cobler
March 14, 1779
First, we must point out the lies about Jamile King. We have received many official documents on her plans for a grain dole. This would use many government and personal funds to buy grain from neighboring countries. The food would then be dispersed to the people free of charge. This would have brought the famine to an end. This was where her money and time were going. What the Daily Blurb said was out of order. It was the opposite of everything a newspaper should be.
Back to our article.
Recently, new elections have been announced. This is, of course, because public opinion has turned against those currently in power. This seems logical. Vision is structured to be a country based on the will of the people. If they revoke their support, the government must fall. Yet, things are not at all as cut and dry as all of that. Just under a month ago we were all discussing the freedom of the press and speech. We learned that one of the drawbacks of our newly granted freedoms is the influence of the rich on our news. As has been demonstrated, newspapers have been growing, not only in popularity but also in power. If you can control the newspapers, you can essentially control the course of Vision.
Our grand newspaper of the Morning Star was propositioned by LilyPad enterprises. As some of you know, our newspaper is losing popularity. We are still the number one most trusted newspaper, yet people are turning to other outlets. We have dropped to number two status, the Daily Blurb selling more issues than we do. Because of this, we have no longer been making as much money as we once did. This is where LilyPad Enterprises comes in. They offered to pay us an egregious sum if we would publish defamatory statements against the government, Jamile King in particular. We did not comply, though we did report on some of what Last Remarks said. This was a mistake.
This was why we have not published much recently. We have had internal errors and discussion. Luckily for us and our integrity, we have managed not to sell out. We remain unbiased and neutral. We hope that we may continue to do so dispute external pressures
It is possible, even likely, that this is happening all across Vision. We cannot know how many newspapers have fallen under the sway of such corporations. We may be the only ones. But, if we were propositions it is highly likely that the same thing has happened to other newspapers. We must hope that others remained sure, though it is unlikely that all did. No one can deny that newspapers and other forms of writing have had an instrumental part to play in the revolution. Last Remarks helped stir dissent among the people, while the Letters of Utopia inspired hope. If either of these were, while influencing the people, then we may have lost hope. For in the future, these corporations will be even more emboldened. If they can gain benefits, money, or lobbying ability, by subtly influencing the people, unscrupulous people will do so, and there will always be ways for the dishonest rich to influence our media. Once the doors have been opened, that cannot be shut.
If you wish to be safe, make sure to check back into the past logs of newspapers to see if they have had dealings with underhanded corporations. It may be wise to be careful of even good and the great simply for their legacy, for even the mighty may fall. If you ever see the lily-pad symbol, be careful what you are reading, for it is extremely likely that it is pushing an agenda. Be very careful of persuasive media such as the Daily Blurb. Make sure you scrutinize the media that you consume the same way you scrutinize the meat that you buy from the marker. You do not want to be the unsuspecting person that rings home infested meat for their family to eat. Always be careful. After all, we are in Vision, there could be anyone watching.
In conclusion, money and the media have irrevocably changed Vision. We must be sure of our path. There will be those cynics who say that Vision cannot be rectified and the blind who say that in Vision no harm can be done. Yet no country is perfect. But, all countries are formed off of hope, and belief. Here at Vision, we believe that we can all make a difference. Here we believe that everyone deserves a chance, to vote, to learn, to be informed, to make judgments based solely on true information.
These protests are merely a symptom of a changing Vision. It has shown how we can no longer trust our government, for even the most patient and loyal revolutionaries can be swayed. It has also brought to light the new found power of newspapers, being initiated by one. News papers have also been used to keep the public informed about the protests, as is being done in this issue.
We cannot stress how inportant it is for the press to stay neutral and to not induldge in propoganda.
Vision is changing. . .
If you have compliments, critique, or just want to start a discussion, feel free to comment below!
