Helping set the day's agenda and deciding what we used and editing it, that was a journalistic high point. I liked reporting as well. Just doing the news - the live performance - wasn't important. Working on the desk was.
Walter CronkiteRead
My inclination, as an old-school, classically trained journalist, is not to go with a story unless I have it hard. It's not good enough to say something based on rumors that were flying around.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Credibility in journalism requires verifiable facts rather than rumors.
Wolf Blitzer emphasizes the importance of integrity and accuracy in journalism, arguing that one should not report a story without substantial proof. This reflects a deeper value in responsible reporting, where confirming facts and avoiding speculation is essential for maintaining trust with the audience.
Themes
JournalismTruthIntegrityFactsReporting
In practice
Example use cases
During a panel discussion on media ethics, one might reference this quote to highlight the value of factual reporting.
Similar quotes
Budget cuts are a sad reality in most newsrooms, and I am concerned that they reduce the collective muscle of journalists who are doing the expensive, and often dangerous, work of on-the-ground reporting.
Jill AbramsonRead
Whenever you're reporting, there's always something you can't say or write, but the questions, you always want to get as close to that line as possible. You want to ask the tough questions.
Michael HastingsRead
The Center for Public Integrity is the real thing. A group of dedicated people who remember that great journalism is about grit and guts and stamina and razor-sharp instincts. They are, thank heaven, here to stay.
Diane SawyerRead
I don't think journalism changes. It's about digging into stories and telling them well. The basic tenets of great reporting stay the same while things around it change. Technology has made reporting easier, but it has also caused job loss. Social media has increased discussion around topics, but it has its own challenges at times.
Soledad O'BrienRead
The really tough thing would have been to decide to take Woodward and Bernstein off the story. They were carrying the coal for us - in that their stories were right.
Ben BradleeRead