I don't think there will ever be a permanent truce, but I believe the media needs to be more careful and be willing to count to 10 before rushing on the air or into print.
Bob WoodwardRead
Newspapers that are truly independent, like The Washington Post, can still aggressively investigate anyone or anything with no holds barred.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of independent journalism in holding power accountable without restrictions.
Bob Woodward highlights the critical role of independent newspapers, such as The Washington Post, in conducting fearless investigations. This independence allows them to scrutinize individuals and institutions rigorously, ensuring that the truth prevails and that the public remains informed without bias or censorship.
Themes
IndependenceJournalismInvestigationTransparencyAccountability
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be cited in a speech about the importance of press freedom.
More from Bob Woodward
All quotes βThere's hostility to lying, and there should be.
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The legislator learns that when you talk a lot, you get in trouble. You have to listen a lot to make deals.
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The central dilemma in journalism is that you don't know what you don't know.
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I'm not going to name some of my colleagues who are very well-known for their television presentation, but they wouldn't know new information or how to report a story if it came up and bit them.
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Using these unnamed sources, if done properly, carefully and fairly, provides more accountability in government.
Bob WoodwardRead
Similar quotes
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
I joined the 'Times' in 1972, and I came with the mark of Cain on me because I was clearly against the war. But my editor, Abe Rosenthal, he hired me because he liked stories. He used to come to the Washington bureau and almost literally pat me on the head and say, 'How is my little Commie today? What do you have for me?'
Seymour HershRead
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.
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We cannot make good news out of bad practice.
Edward R. MurrowRead
In the normal course of things, journalists want their story, and as soon as they are through with it, they pack their cameras and go. That was never the impression that David Astor gave when you were interviewed by him. It was far deeper than that.
Winnie Madikizela-MandelaRead
Give news a little more time, and don't request that they also, in their news time, entertain. We're not entertainers. We're journalists. And we need more time to do our job well.
Walter CronkiteRead