Quotes on Journalism

"There is a misconception that journalists can be objective. Palestinians tell me I'm objective. I think this is important because I'm an Israeli. But being fair and being objective are not the same thing. What journalism is really about --it's to monitor power and the centers of power."

-- Journalist Amira Hass of the Tel Aviv-based Ha'aretz newspaper on her works, and home, in the Israel-occupied Gaza

"When we journalists fail to get across the reality of events to our readers, we have not only failed in our job; we have also become a party to the bloody events that we are supposed to be reporting."

-- Journalist Robert Fisk, in his book The Great War for Civilisation on self-censorship at The Times of London

"Dari mbahmu!"

-- Indonesian President Soeharto angrily responded to a reporter when asked about where the funding of a housing project come from, as recalled by The Jakarta Post's Kornelius Purba. The phrase literary means, "From your grandfather!"

"I had to learn all over again that what's important for the journalist is not how close you are to power but how close you are to reality."

-- Bill Moyers in his book Moyers on America
the host of Now with Bill Moyers on PBS

"A single grain of rice can tip the scale, one man may be the difference between victory and defeat."

-- Pat Morita, as The Emperor of China, the target of a Hun kidnapping, when commending Mulan for saving him, in the Mulan animation movie