Media Quotes of the Week: From Mail bashes internet giants and Wikipedia to NUJ blasts Newsquest over Newport subbing hub closure

Daily Mail in a leader: "How much longer can the arrogant, filth-spreading, fake newsmongering, tax-dodging, small firm-destroying, terror-abetting internet giants remain above the law?...Yet any newspaper that published the kind of filth freely available on the internet would instantly be hauled before the courts or the independent regulator, IPSO, which has the power to impose huge fines...they suck revenue from the responsible, law-abiding media – driving many local newspapers to the wall, thereby leaving court cases and council decisions increasingly unreported."

Guy Adams in the Daily Mail on Wikipedia: "It has declared that the Daily Mail — one of the most popular mainstream newspapers published in any Western democracy — is somehow too ‘unreliable’ to be included on its site. In an era where the term ‘fake news’ is increasingly used as a desperate slur, with Donald Trump applying it to CNN, the BBC and any major outlet that tends to disgruntle him, it’s tempting to suggest that both Wikipedia and The Guardian are guilty, in this deeply disturbing saga, of creating what might be regarded as false news. More worrying, this ban has set a dangerous precedent, raising profoundly troubling questions about free speech and censorship in the online era."

Mexican journalists, writers and publishers in a letter to US colleagues via Pen-International: "At this time of an unprecedented, relentless assault on the free press of the United States by the Trump administration, we Mexican journalists, writers, and publishers stand in solidarity with you as you do your crucial work. For decades you have stood by us as successive governments and criminal gangs have targeted our press and assassinated our journalists for doing work in the public interest – uncovering crimes and corruption. And so many times we have only known the truth about our own country by reading the stories followed and uncovered in the US press. We urge you to continue to uphold freedom of expression as your society, institutions, and values depend upon it.You have stood with us during the darkest hours of press freedom in Mexico and, although we never could believe this day would come, we now stand with you."

Washington Post media columnist Margaret Sullivan: "Trump’s admiration for Putin becomes even more troubling when paired with his own moves to stamp out independent journalism through disparagement, denial of access, favoritism and blacklisting."

Tom Hanks in a note to White House journalist along with the gift of an espresso machine, reported by Sky News: "Keep up the good fight for truth, justice and the American way. Especially for the truth part."

Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell in a Guardian interview: “Jeremy Corbyn is trying to transform our society so that it is radically more equal, radically more fair, radically more democratic. The whole media establishment [is] owned by people whose power is entrenched. They are trying to destroy a socialist who is trying to transfer power from the establishment to the people. That is their job to do. The oligarchs are protecting their power base...The Guardian became part of the New Labour establishment and, as a result of that, you feel dispossessed because your people are no longer in power.”

Kevin O'Sullivan in The New European on Piers Morgan: "Piers is a shameless self-publiciser. An opportunist whose colourful career could never have happened if he wasn’t an egotist with levels of self-confidence that border on obscene. His peerless skills as the ultimate networker can sometimes look suspiciously like obsequiousness. But he is a decent man who isn’t even particularly ruthless. As an editor, he was uncomfortable with intrusive stories and during the regular financial cutbacks he hated the thought of laying off staff."

CourtNewsUK‏ @CourtNewsUK on Twitter: "The Old Bailey no longer provides court lists to the press #openjustice."

Syd Young in Press Gazette on political editor Chris Buckland: "He put down his survival to his diminutive size. 'If I had presented a bigger target I would not be here now.' he said. He went on to be political editor on many of Fleet Street’s national newspapers. He overcame alcoholism over 30 years ago with the same determination he tackled the cancer that finally got him after eight years. For a man of his height he cast a long shadow."

John Toner, NUJ national organiser for Wales, in a statement on Newsquest's decision to close its subbing hub in Newport: "The announcement is a huge blow for the staff who survived a redundancy process just a matter of months ago and now find they will lose their jobs after all. Is there another company as incompetent and brutal in equal measure? The company has shed many of its experienced and talented sub-editors on titles across the UK and has now ditched the dedicated editing team in Newport...This has been a disastrous experiment for all involved."