--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I started as a print reporter. I’m a…" description: "\"I started as a print reporter. I’m a journalist and that’s what I do. My function is an anchorperson, but it’s in a journalism context, and gravitas an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/jim-lehrer-10656_journalism_i-started-as-a-print-reporter-i-m-a-jour_407810.png" --- # I started as a print reporter. I’m a journalist and that’s… ![“I started as a print reporter. I’m a journalist and that’s what I do. My function is an anchorperson, but it’s in a journalism context, and gravitas and coats and ties and haircuts and all that sort of stuff, I’ll leave to others. My thing is just to do my job the best way I know how and as I say…” quote by Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/jim-lehrer-10656_journalism_i-started-as-a-print-reporter-i-m-a-jour_407810.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/jim-lehrer-10656_journalism_i-started-as-a-print-reporter-i-m-a-jour_407810.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/jim-lehrer-10656_journalism_i-started-as-a-print-reporter-i-m-a-jour_407810.png) > “I started as a print reporter. I’m a journalist and that’s what I do. My function is an anchorperson, but it’s in a journalism context, and gravitas and coats and ties and haircuts and all that sort of stuff, I’ll leave to others. My thing is just to do my job the best way I know how and as I say I’m very fortunate to be able to do it the way I want to do it.” [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A journalist emphasizes focusing on the craft of reporting rather than external symbols of authority, valuing authenticity over appearance. **In simple terms:** Focus on doing the job well, not on appearances. Key Takeaway Prioritize substance over style. Themes journalism authenticity professionalism Mood serious inspirational Type statement reflective When to use this quote - newsrooms - media training - public speaking - career development Key Concepts media ethics personal integrity career focus Questions to Reflect On - What habits keep you grounded in your work? - How do you balance professionalism with personal style? A Different Perspective Appearance can distract from core responsibilities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Journalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalist/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Reporter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reporter/) [Reporters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reporters/) ## Related quotes > [I have been a print reporter my whole career. It's all I ever wanted to be. I specialize in political profiles. I have probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-been-a-print-reporter-my-whole-career-it-s-all-i-ever-wanted/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [I started as a print reporter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/i-started-as-a-print-reporter/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [I used to be a print reporter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-schieffer/i-used-to-be-a-print-reporter/) [Bob Schieffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-schieffer/) > [It is one of the paradoxes of journalism: The more servile a reporter is toward his sources, the more authoritative he can appear in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ferguson/it-is-one-of-the-paradoxes-of-journalism-the-more-servile-a-reporter/) Andrew Ferguson > [I'm a liberal, I was born a liberal, I'll be one 'til I die, what else should a reporter be when you see so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/i-m-a-liberal-i-was-born-a-liberal-i-ll-be-one-til-i-die-what-else/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [Donald Trump has come on a lot and I think one of the hardest parts of my job is digging down beyond their talking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-bartiromo/donald-trump-has-come-on-a-lot-and-i-think-one-of-the-hardest-parts/) [Maria Bartiromo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-bartiromo/) > [I've always thought of myself as a reporter. When people ask why I don't stop writing, I say, 'Look at what's happening in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-brooks/i-ve-always-thought-of-myself-as-a-reporter-when-people-ask-why-i-don/) [Gwendolyn Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-brooks/) > [After nine or 10 years of being interviewed, you start wanting to team up with the reporter and get the job done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-travolta/after-nine-or-10-years-of-being-interviewed-you-start-wanting-to-team/) [John Travolta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-travolta/) > [Maybe it has something to do with being a reporter for a long time that I don't look to newspapers and television and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/maybe-it-has-something-to-do-with-being-a-reporter-for-a-long-time/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [My first film role was a reporter. It's funny, because my father was a news reporter. I always thought there was something strange about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jacobson/my-first-film-role-was-a-reporter-it-s-funny-because-my-father-was-a/) [Peter Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jacobson/) > [I think as an investigative reporter I had tough standards, but I don't think of myself as a tough person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-abramson/i-think-as-an-investigative-reporter-i-had-tough-standards-but-i-don/) [Jill Abramson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-abramson/) > [No reporter of my generation, whatever his genius, ever really rated spats and a walking stick until he had covered both a lynching and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/no-reporter-of-my-generation-whatever-his-genius-ever-really-rated/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Every newspaper editor says the heart of the paper is the reporter - which is true - except for the pay!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-germond/every-newspaper-editor-says-the-heart-of-the-paper-is-the-reporter/) [Jack Germond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-germond/) > [I decided very early that I was going to be a reporter, that I would not cheer for the team. I don't denigrate people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-harwell/i-decided-very-early-that-i-was-going-to-be-a-reporter-that-i-would/) [Ernie Harwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-harwell/) > [Having small children and being an investigative reporter would seem like a difficult mix, but it worked well for me. I was often working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-abramson/having-small-children-and-being-an-investigative-reporter-would-seem/) [Jill Abramson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-abramson/) ## More by Jim Lehrer > [I always wear blue shirts and I like wine or purple ties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/i-always-wear-blue-shirts-and-i-like-wine-or-purple-ties/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [There's always a germ of truth in just about everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/there-s-always-a-germ-of-truth-in-just-about-everything/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [No two people see things the same way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/no-two-people-see-things-the-same-way/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [Best I can do for them is to give them every piece of information I can find and let them make the judgments. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/best-i-can-do-for-them-is-to-give-them-every-piece-of-information-i/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [The shouting and opinion and jokes don't exist if there isn't first a story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/the-shouting-and-opinion-and-jokes-don-t-exist-if-there-isn-t-first-a/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [On a daily basis there are some huge ones that are, sure, from time to time, but it is helping the reader sort through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/on-a-daily-basis-there-are-some-huge-ones-that-are-sure-from-time-to/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [We have increasingly fewer and fewer journalists who have any military experience and understand what life is like in the military and in combat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/we-have-increasingly-fewer-and-fewer-journalists-who-have-any/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [As I say, I'm a discourse advocate. What form it comes is less important to me than the fact that there is discourse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/as-i-say-i-m-a-discourse-advocate-what-form-it-comes-is-less/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [The death rate among Marines in Iraq has been more than double that of the other services.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/the-death-rate-among-marines-in-iraq-has-been-more-than-double-that/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [I'm in the reporting part of journalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/i-m-in-the-reporting-part-of-journalism/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [A skill required to be president is to explain to the American people any given thing they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/a-skill-required-to-be-president-is-to-explain-to-the-american-people/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [Those who know me know I won't hesitate to turn around and point someone out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/those-who-know-me-know-i-won-t-hesitate-to-turn-around-and-point/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [Let me be clear: Despite Roger Clemens' statements to the contrary, I never injected Roger Clemens, or anyone else, with lidocaine or B-12.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/let-me-be-clear-despite-roger-clemens-statements-to-the-contrary-i/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [People can get their news any way they want. 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So I don't care how people get the information, as long as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/if-we-don-t-have-an-informed-electorate-we-don-t-have-a-democracy-so/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) [Explore all 64 Jim Lehrer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) ## More Journalism quotes > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Having small children and being an investigative reporter would seem like a difficult mix, but it worked well for me. I was often working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-abramson/having-small-children-and-being-an-investigative-reporter-would-seem/) [Jill Abramson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-abramson/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [One lesson to learn is that the press and the broadcasters are not neutral. And it seems we have to learn it each time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-loach/one-lesson-to-learn-is-that-the-press-and-the-broadcasters-are-not/) [Ken Loach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-loach/) > [If you want to change something by Tuesday, theater is no good. Journalism is what does that. But, if you want to just alter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/if-you-want-to-change-something-by-tuesday-theater-is-no-good/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Newspapers have an extraordinary amount of local content, including real estate listings and restaurant reviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimbal-musk/newspapers-have-an-extraordinary-amount-of-local-content-including/) [Kimbal Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimbal-musk/) > [If, for instance, they have heard something from the postman, they attribute it to a semi-official statement; if they have fallen into conversation with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/if-for-instance-they-have-heard-something-from-the-postman-they/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [In essence, I see the value of journalism as resting in a twofold mission: informing the public of accurate and vital information, and its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/in-essence-i-see-the-value-of-journalism-as-resting-in-a-twofold/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [It’s a shameful moment for U.S. media when it insists on being subservient to the grotesque propaganda agencies of a violent, aggressive state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-shameful-moment-for-u-s-media-when-it-insists-on-being/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Drill in exact translation is an excellent way of disposing the mind against that looseness and exaggeration with which the sensationalists have corrupted our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-weaver/drill-in-exact-translation-is-an-excellent-way-of-disposing-the-mind/) [Richard M. Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-weaver/) > [People think they're getting objective information, but they're not. They're getting news wrapped up in opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-samuels/people-think-they-re-getting-objective-information-but-they-re-not/) [Lynn Samuels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-samuels/) [Browse all 8,189 Journalism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I started as a print reporter. I’m a journalist and that’s what I do. My function is an anchorperson, but it’s in a journalism context, and gravitas and coats and ties and haircuts and all that sort of stuff, I’ll leave to others. 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