---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most reporters are so transactional…"
description: "\"Most reporters are so transactional rather than strategic.\" — Kara Swisher"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05e/kara-swisher-9977_journalism_most-reporters-are-so-transactional-rath_557358.jpg"
---

#  Most reporters are so transactional rather than strategic.

![“Most reporters are so transactional rather than strategic.” quote by Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05e/kara-swisher-9977_journalism_most-reporters-are-so-transactional-rath_557358.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05e/kara-swisher-9977_journalism_most-reporters-are-so-transactional-rath_557358.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05e/kara-swisher-9977_journalism_most-reporters-are-so-transactional-rath_557358.jpg)

> “Most reporters are so transactional rather than strategic.”

[Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Reporters often focus on short‑term gains instead of long‑term strategy.

**In simple terms:** Journalists prioritize transactions over strategy.

Key Takeaway

Shift reporting to strategic insight.

Themes

media journalism strategy

Mood

critical analytical

Type

commentary professional

When to use this quote

- newsrooms
- press releases
- media analysis
- public relations

Key Concepts

transactional vs strategic information value

Questions to Reflect On

- What steps can journalists take to be more strategic?
- How does strategic focus affect audience trust?

A Different Perspective

Strategic reporting may be less sensational.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Reporters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reporters/)

## Related quotes

> [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/)

> [Reporters tend to launch on what seems to be the clearest, most stark aspects of someone's life in terms of an interview.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/reporters-tend-to-launch-on-what-seems-to-be-the-clearest-most-stark/)

[Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/)

> [I always saw the best reporters as ones you hardly ever saw other than when they were back in the newsroom, writing their stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheri-bustos/i-always-saw-the-best-reporters-as-ones-you-hardly-ever-saw-other/)

[Cheri Bustos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheri-bustos/)

> [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/)

> [I respect journalism. I was always very aware of journalism from a very broad point of view, but I'd say my baptism by fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-d-arcy/i-respect-journalism-i-was-always-very-aware-of-journalism-from-a/)

[James D'arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-arcy/)

> [Political reporters and political professionals rushed to judgment against Romney because we crave clear, unambiguous story lines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-fournier/political-reporters-and-political-professionals-rushed-to-judgment/)

[Ron Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-fournier/)

> [While many people think that we as reporters are whining and that this is a time of war, we are really the conveyors of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-rose/while-many-people-think-that-we-as-reporters-are-whining-and-that/)

Judd Rose

> [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/)

> [The Huffington Post Investigative Fund's goal is to produce a broad range of investigative journalism created by both staff reporters and freelance writers, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/the-huffington-post-investigative-fund-s-goal-is-to-produce-a-broad/)

[Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/)

> [It's about being right and trying to get the facts and get the story right, and inform, you know, the readership or the viewership.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/it-s-about-being-right-and-trying-to-get-the-facts-and-get-the-story/)

[Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/)

> [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/)

> [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/)

> [I plan not to only be expressive creatively but to also be strategic in my music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/koffee/i-plan-not-to-only-be-expressive-creatively-but-to-also-be-strategic/)

[Koffee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/koffee/)

> [I believe Saddam Hussein's strategic objective was, and remains, to assert dominance over the Gulf region.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandy-berger/i-believe-saddam-hussein-s-strategic-objective-was-and-remains-to/)

[Sandy Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandy-berger/)

> [Some would call me an environmentalist. I don't know why. I reuse the water that falls in my backyard in the winter. I reuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-begley-jr/some-would-call-me-an-environmentalist-i-don-t-know-why-i-reuse-the/)

[Ed Begley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-begley-jr/)

## More by Kara Swisher

> [While it is often true that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, it seems like Yahoo's almost obsessive focus on Google is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/while-it-is-often-true-that-the-enemy-of-my-enemy-is-my-friend-it/)

[Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/)

> [I bought tiny infant onesies while still in college and compiled a killer toy collection throughout my 20s and 30s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/i-bought-tiny-infant-onesies-while-still-in-college-and-compiled-a/)

[Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/)

> [It seemed like most of the memories faded before they had time to form. And after a while, my life with my father seemed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/it-seemed-like-most-of-the-memories-faded-before-they-had-time-to/)

[Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/)

> [It's not all silliness, as interactive SXSW is filled with aggressive learning, discussing, and a whole lot of futurizing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/it-s-not-all-silliness-as-interactive-sxsw-is-filled-with-aggressive/)

[Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/)

> [I won't ever stop until you're either the biggest thing around, or you're dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/i-won-t-ever-stop-until-you-re-either-the-biggest-thing-around-or-you/)

[Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/)

> [The fact of the matter is that the true hits of AOL have always been its easy-to-use services, such as AIM, email, and Buddy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/the-fact-of-the-matter-is-that-the-true-hits-of-aol-have-always-been/)

[Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/)

> [Having a baby had always seemed the easiest and most natural thing to do, and I had never felt - even in my most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/having-a-baby-had-always-seemed-the-easiest-and-most-natural-thing-to/)

[Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/)

> [As anyone who has covered the company for any length of time knows, Yahoo's record on major decision-making has been akin to a hippie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/as-anyone-who-has-covered-the-company-for-any-length-of-time-knows/)

[Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/)

> [I used to do a lot of casual photography - back in the olden times when one used film - but it had fallen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/i-used-to-do-a-lot-of-casual-photography-back-in-the-olden-times-when/)

[Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/)

> [Our brand is sassy people ripping apart technologists, then going to a party with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/our-brand-is-sassy-people-ripping-apart-technologists-then-going-to-a/)

[Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/)

> [No matter how young you are, you're too old for SXSW.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/no-matter-how-young-you-are-you-re-too-old-for-sxsw/)

[Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/)

> [BoomTown has long been a big fan of Martha Stewart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/boomtown-has-long-been-a-big-fan-of-martha-stewart/)

[Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/)

> [Casting my fate to the heavens, quite literally, I decided to go wireless. Completely wireless. All wireless, all the time, everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/casting-my-fate-to-the-heavens-quite-literally-i-decided-to-go/)

[Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/)

> [I think things can surprise you. I mean, I loved Instagram from the minute it started, but I think it surprised a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/i-think-things-can-surprise-you-i-mean-i-loved-instagram-from-the/)

[Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/)

> [I don't have bad taste; I have no taste. I wear a lot of the things I wore in high school, but not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/i-don-t-have-bad-taste-i-have-no-taste-i-wear-a-lot-of-the-things-i/)

[Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/)

[Explore all 69 Kara Swisher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/)

## 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": "Most reporters are so transactional rather than strategic.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Kara Swisher"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/most-reporters-are-so-transactional-rather-than-strategic/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Journalism"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/most-reporters-are-so-transactional-rather-than-strategic/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05e/kara-swisher-9977_journalism_most-reporters-are-so-transactional-rath_557358.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05e/kara-swisher-9977_journalism_most-reporters-are-so-transactional-rath_557358.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05e/kara-swisher-9977_journalism_most-reporters-are-so-transactional-rath_557358.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Most reporters are so transactional rather than strategic.” — Kara Swisher",
                "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": "Kara Swisher",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Most reporters are so transactional rather...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/most-reporters-are-so-transactional-rather-than-strategic/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/most-reporters-are-so-transactional-rather-than-strategic/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
