--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My approach to newspapers was based on…" description: "\"My approach to newspapers was based on the idea that when you looked at the front page you said: 'Good heavens', when you looked at the middle page you..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/arthur-christiansen-40396_approach_my-approach-to-newspapers-was-based-on-t_2099999.jpg" --- # My approach to newspapers was based on the idea that when… ![“My approach to newspapers was based on the idea that when you looked at the front page you said: 'Good heavens', when you looked at the middle page you said: 'Holy smoke', and by the time you got to the back pagewell, I'd have to utter a profanity to show how exciting it was.” quote by Arthur Christiansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/arthur-christiansen-40396_approach_my-approach-to-newspapers-was-based-on-t_2099999.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/arthur-christiansen-40396_approach_my-approach-to-newspapers-was-based-on-t_2099999.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/arthur-christiansen-40396_approach_my-approach-to-newspapers-was-based-on-t_2099999.jpg) > “My approach to newspapers was based on the idea that when you looked at the front page you said: 'Good heavens', when you looked at the middle page you said: 'Holy smoke', and by the time you got to the back pagewell, I'd have to utter a profanity to show how exciting it was.” [Arthur Christiansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-christiansen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He humorously describes how sensational headlines become increasingly shocking as one reads deeper into a newspaper. **In simple terms:** Front page shock, back page profanity. Key Takeaway Expect escalating sensationalism. Themes journalism humor media criticism Mood ironic critical Type satirical observational When to use this quote - reading newspapers - media analysis - editorial decisions Key Concepts sensationalism tabloid culture Questions to Reflect On - How does sensationalism affect trust? - Do you enjoy escalating shock? A Different Perspective The humor may downplay serious journalistic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Approach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Holy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Newspapers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newspapers/) [Profanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profanity/) [Smoke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smoke/) ## Related quotes > [I would never accept a role that wasn't going to stretch me or challenge me in some way. I'd say Holy Smoke! probably did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-would-never-accept-a-role-that-wasn-t-going-to-stretch-me-or/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > ['Holy Smoke' is very brave because I don't think it's easy to watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/holy-smoke-is-very-brave-because-i-don-t-think-it-s-easy-to-watch/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [In some ways Holy Smoke is about people's journey to the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-campion/in-some-ways-holy-smoke-is-about-people-s-journey-to-the-heart/) [Jane Campion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-campion/) > [“I said I didn’t like tricks, I liked life as I knew it recreated on the page. He said it wasn’t possible to recreate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/i-said-i-didn-t-like-tricks-i-liked-life-as-i-knew-it-recreated-on/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [It would absolutely suck if you paid a few bucks for a book only to find that on the first page it said, 'Once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-travaglia/it-would-absolutely-suck-if-you-paid-a-few-bucks-for-a-book-only-to/) [Simon Travaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-travaglia/) > [“I don’t know what young fellows want to go in for those sort of things for?” I said. “Wars are a waste of time;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-b-edwards/i-don-t-know-what-young-fellows-want-to-go-in-for-those-sort-of/) G.B. Edwards > [I said, God, the press and people, they just really hate me and I'm really trying. Geraldine Page said, Listen to this, Tab. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/i-said-god-the-press-and-people-they-just-really-hate-me-and-i-m/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [Then I turned the page and at the top it said THINGS I MISS ABOUT M and there was a list of 15 things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/then-i-turned-the-page-and-at-the-top-it-said-things-i-miss-about-m/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [Rock music pays off. Rock music takes me on a joyride. Rock music keeps me off the hell city bus. Rock music will always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-willis/rock-music-pays-off-rock-music-takes-me-on-a-joyride-rock-music-keeps/) [Wesley Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-willis/) > [I have no desire to be hip to the latest black slang and do the stereotypical black thing. I was a Richard Pryor fan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklyn-ajaye/i-have-no-desire-to-be-hip-to-the-latest-black-slang-and-do-the/) [Franklyn Ajaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklyn-ajaye/) > [I prefer profound to profanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-minagar/i-prefer-profound-to-profanity/) [Melody Minagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-minagar/) > [“She hit us,” the woman shrieked. That was the gist of it anyway. There were a lot of unladylike words that began with “F,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/she-hit-us-the-woman-shrieked-that-was-the-gist-of-it-anyway-there/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [No parent can consistently teach faith in Christ who profanes the name of Deity. Profanity is never heard in the well-ordered home. Swearing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/no-parent-can-consistently-teach-faith-in-christ-who-profanes-the/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [If you're trying to get your point across using profanity, hurtful words, and violence, you're not getting your point across at all. Period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-re-trying-to-get-your-point-across-using-profanity-hurtful/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Notoriously outspoken, his sentences always punctuated with profanities, General George S. Patton was the epitome of what a leader should be like - or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/notoriously-outspoken-his-sentences-always-punctuated-with/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) ## More by Arthur Christiansen > [News, news, news - that is what we want. You cannot beat news in a newspaper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-christiansen/news-news-news-that-is-what-we-want-you-cannot-beat-news-in-a/) [Arthur Christiansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-christiansen/) > [Remember the people in the back streets of Derby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-christiansen/remember-the-people-in-the-back-streets-of-derby/) [Arthur Christiansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-christiansen/) > [Whenever possible print a woman's age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-christiansen/whenever-possible-print-a-woman-s-age/) [Arthur Christiansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-christiansen/) > [Good stories flow like honey. Bad stories stick in the craw. A bad story? One that cannot be absorbed on the first time of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-christiansen/good-stories-flow-like-honey-bad-stories-stick-in-the-craw-a-bad/) [Arthur Christiansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-christiansen/) > [We never waste space saying, 'On the one hand.' We just state an opinion in a Godlike voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-christiansen/we-never-waste-space-saying-on-the-one-hand-we-just-state-an-opinion/) [Arthur Christiansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-christiansen/) > [The people who lived behind those clean lace curtains in row after row of identical boxes were newspaper readers, and every word in at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-christiansen/the-people-who-lived-behind-those-clean-lace-curtains-in-row-after/) [Arthur Christiansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-christiansen/) > [Show me a contented newspaper editor and I will show you a bad newspaper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-christiansen/show-me-a-contented-newspaper-editor-and-i-will-show-you-a-bad/) [Arthur Christiansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-christiansen/) > [No matter how many media for the dissemination of news are created, there is one rule that should never be broken:TELLTHE PEOPLE!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-christiansen/no-matter-how-many-media-for-the-dissemination-of-news-are-created/) [Arthur Christiansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-christiansen/) > [ Good stories flow like honey but bad stories stick in the craw \[gullet\]. What is a bad story? It's a story that cannot be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-christiansen/good-stories-flow-like-honey-but-bad-stories-stick-in-the-craw-gullet/) [Arthur Christiansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-christiansen/) > [It was my job to interest them in everything that was happening, to make the arrival of the Daily Express each morning an event,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-christiansen/it-was-my-job-to-interest-them-in-everything-that-was-happening-to/) [Arthur Christiansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-christiansen/) [Explore all 11 Arthur Christiansen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-christiansen/) ## More Approach quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [I'm in a business where there's complete anarchy. You can't control it - you can only react to it. The control that people traditionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/i-m-in-a-business-where-there-s-complete-anarchy-you-can-t-control-it/) [Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [One of the things I regret about not putting in that book or I think it's there but I didn't really elaborate on it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/one-of-the-things-i-regret-about-not-putting-in-that-book-or-i-think/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [Ideal for the child and society in the best of times, Rudolf Steiner's brilliant process of education is critically needed and profoundly relevant now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/ideal-for-the-child-and-society-in-the-best-of-times-rudolf-steiner-s/) [Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/) > [I don't have any particular method, my approach is very simple. I try to understand the emotional graph of the character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pratik-gandhi/i-don-t-have-any-particular-method-my-approach-is-very-simple-i-try/) [Pratik Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pratik-gandhi/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everything, every part that you approach has to be somehow rooted in yourself. You have to somehow root everything so that it's not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/everything-every-part-that-you-approach-has-to-be-somehow-rooted-in/) [Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/) > [Literature transforms and intensifies ordinary language, deviates systematically from everyday speech. If you approach me at a bus stop and murmur Thou still unravished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/literature-transforms-and-intensifies-ordinary-language-deviates/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [The whole secret to mastering the game of golf - and this applies to the beginner as well as the pro - is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-palmer/the-whole-secret-to-mastering-the-game-of-golf-and-this-applies-to/) [Arnold Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-palmer/) > [The essence of Christianity...is an ever-new encounter with... the God who speaks to us, who approaches us and who befriends us!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/the-essence-of-christianity-is-an-ever-new-encounter-with-the-god-who/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Like a morning dream, life becomes more and more bright the longer we live, and the reason of everything appears more clear. What has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul/like-a-morning-dream-life-becomes-more-and-more-bright-the-longer-we/) [Jean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul/) > [What begins as a Utopian vision, always - always - ends in bloodshed. Because you have to force a utopia on a free people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gutfeld/what-begins-as-a-utopian-vision-always-always-ends-in-bloodshed/) [Greg Gutfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gutfeld/) > [The only two good words that can be said for a hurricane are that it gives sufficient warning of its approach, and that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/the-only-two-good-words-that-can-be-said-for-a-hurricane-are-that-it/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) [Browse all 3,949 Approach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My approach to newspapers was based on the idea that when you looked at the front page you said: 'Good heavens', when you looked at the middle page you said: 'Holy smoke', and by the time you got to the back pagewell, I'd have to utter a profanity to show how exciting it was.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Arthur Christiansen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-christiansen/my-approach-to-newspapers-was-based-on-the-idea-that-when-you-looked/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Approach" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-christiansen/my-approach-to-newspapers-was-based-on-the-idea-that-when-you-looked/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/arthur-christiansen-40396_approach_my-approach-to-newspapers-was-based-on-t_2099999.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/arthur-christiansen-40396_approach_my-approach-to-newspapers-was-based-on-t_2099999.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/arthur-christiansen-40396_approach_my-approach-to-newspapers-was-based-on-t_2099999.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My approach to newspapers was based on the idea that when you looked at the front page you said: 'Good…” — Arthur Christiansen", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Arthur Christiansen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-christiansen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My approach to newspapers was based...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-christiansen/my-approach-to-newspapers-was-based-on-the-idea-that-when-you-looked/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-christiansen/my-approach-to-newspapers-was-based-on-the-idea-that-when-you-looked/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```