---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everything in journalism is about the…"
description: "\"Everything in journalism is about the detail that makes the whole, the attempts to reproduce speech patterns while not actually quoting the whole thing..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28f/neil-gaiman-29_communication_everything-in-journalism-is-about-the-de_2039440.jpg"
---

#  Everything in journalism is about the detail that makes…

![“Everything in journalism is about the detail that makes the whole, the attempts to reproduce speech patterns while not actually quoting the whole thing the person said.” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28f/neil-gaiman-29_communication_everything-in-journalism-is-about-the-de_2039440.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28f/neil-gaiman-29_communication_everything-in-journalism-is-about-the-de_2039440.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28f/neil-gaiman-29_communication_everything-in-journalism-is-about-the-de_2039440.jpg)

> “Everything in journalism is about the detail that makes the whole, the attempts to reproduce speech patterns while not actually quoting the whole thing the person said.”

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

## About This Quote

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

Journalism focuses on selective details that shape narratives, often omitting full context.

**In simple terms:** Journalists pick parts of speech to tell a story.

Key Takeaway

Seek full context beyond headlines.

Themes

journalism detail truth interpretation

Mood

critical skeptical

Type

analytical reflective

When to use this quote

- reading news
- checking sources
- critical analysis
- media literacy

Key Concepts

media studies communication theory ethics

Questions to Reflect On

- What details might be omitted in a headline?
- How can readers verify completeness?

A Different Perspective

Selective quoting can mislead; full transparency is rare.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Patterns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patterns/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/)

## Related quotes

> [Journalism makes you think fast. You have to speak to people in all walks of life. Especially local journalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/journalism-makes-you-think-fast-you-have-to-speak-to-people-in-all/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [You can't just reprise the news. You have to have journalism that makes a point and you have to be in sync with your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-pearlstine/you-can-t-just-reprise-the-news-you-have-to-have-journalism-that/)

[Norman Pearlstine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-pearlstine/)

> [When Trump says fake news, he means journalism that makes points with which he disagrees, usually about him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/when-trump-says-fake-news-he-means-journalism-that-makes-points-with/)

[Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/)

> [“Liberty,” boomed Wednesday, as they walked to his car, “is a bitch who must be bedded on a mattress of corpses.” “Yeah?” said Shadow.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/liberty-boomed-wednesday-as-they-walked-to-his-car-is-a-bitch-who-2/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [..in that moment i realize how much i love the little everyday routines of my life..the details that are my life's special pattern, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/in-that-moment-i-realize-how-much-i-love-the-little-everyday-routines/)

[Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/)

> [Photography has an amazing ability to capture the fine detail of surface textures. But far too often these intricate patterns are loved by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-tress/photography-has-an-amazing-ability-to-capture-the-fine-detail-of/)

[Arthur Tress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-tress/)

> [“The novel used to feed our search for meaning. Quoting Bill. It was the great secular transcendence. The Latin mass of language, character, occasional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/the-novel-used-to-feed-our-search-for-meaning-quoting-bill-it-was-the/)

[Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

> [Quoting E. B. White is the easiest way I know of to fool people into thinking that I am perceptive, witty, and wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-behrens/quoting-e-b-white-is-the-easiest-way-i-know-of-to-fool-people-into/)

[Peter Behrens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-behrens/)

> [“Those who are quoting Justin Bieber are ruining this site.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-munn/those-who-are-quoting-justin-bieber-are-ruining-this-site/)

Michael Munn

> [How could believers, people who regard themselves as true Muslims, get on those planes, quoting the words of God delivered through the Prophet to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/how-could-believers-people-who-regard-themselves-as-true-muslims-get/)

[Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/)

> [When life is rosy, we may slide by with knowing about Jesus, with imitating him and quoting him and speaking of him. But only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-eareckson-tada/when-life-is-rosy-we-may-slide-by-with-knowing-about-jesus-with/)

[Joni Eareckson Tada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-eareckson-tada/)

> [“The nice thing about life is that it's filled with second chances. Quoting Bill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/the-nice-thing-about-life-is-that-it-s-filled-with-second-chances/)

[Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

> [As a journalist, your words are regularly read by lots of people, but they're not your words: they're someone else's. You're quoting people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/as-a-journalist-your-words-are-regularly-read-by-lots-of-people-but/)

[Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/)

> [I don't know Beyoncé, but I have the impression that she's sincere, that she really is a feminist and wanted to put the word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/i-don-t-know-beyonc-but-i-have-the-impression-that-she-s-sincere-that/)

[Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/)

> [Filmmakers get into trouble when they're watching too many DVDs and quoting all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mangold/filmmakers-get-into-trouble-when-they-re-watching-too-many-dvds-and/)

[James Mangold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mangold/)

## More by Neil Gaiman

> [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Like all sentient beings, Fat Charlie had a weirdness quotient. For some days the needle had been over in the red, occasionally banging jerkily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/like-all-sentient-beings-fat-charlie-had-a-weirdness-quotient-for/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Shadow crawled across the floor to the yellow foam-rubber pad and climbed onto it, pulling the thin blanket over himself, and closed his eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/shadow-crawled-across-the-floor-to-the-yellow-foam-rubber-pad-and/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [ “\[T\]hey could not help being amused every time another little human believed itself the center of its world, as each of us does.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/t-hey-could-not-help-being-amused-every-time-another-little-human/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [So many things to see, people to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/so-many-things-to-see-people-to-do/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.’ – Ben Franklin,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/three-may-keep-a-secret-if-two-of-them-are-dead-ben-franklin/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [You need more than a beginning if you're going to start a book. If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [You can tell the date of an old science fiction novel by every word on the page. Nothing dates harder and faster and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-tell-the-date-of-an-old-science-fiction-novel-by-every-word/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“The quickest way is sometimes the longest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-quickest-way-is-sometimes-the-longest/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“They were spells, spelled with words to make worlds, waiting for me, in the pages of books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/they-were-spells-spelled-with-words-to-make-worlds-waiting-for-me-in/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [Finish what you're writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/finish-what-you-re-writing-whatever-you-have-to-do-to-finish-it/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [What do stars do? They shine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-do-stars-do-they-shine/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“What," asked Mr Croup, "do you want?" "What," asked the Marquis de Carabas, a little more rhetorically, "does anyone want?" "Dead things," suggested Mr…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-asked-mr-croup-do-you-want-what-asked-the-marquis-de-carabas-a/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [You get on with your own life. Lettie gave it to you. You just have to grow up and try and be worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-get-on-with-your-own-life-lettie-gave-it-to-you-you-just-have-to/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Eyes will not see you. Minds will not hold you. Where you are is nothing and nobody”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/eyes-will-not-see-you-minds-will-not-hold-you-where-you-are-is/)

[neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

[Explore all 2,526 Neil Gaiman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

## More Communication quotes

> [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/)

[Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/)

> [The problem posed by indirect speech acts is the problem of how it is possible for the speaker to say one thing and mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/the-problem-posed-by-indirect-speech-acts-is-the-problem-of-how-it-is/)

[John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/)

> [We should have a conversation when we hang up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/we-should-have-a-conversation-when-we-hang-up/)

[Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/)

> [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [A poet is wounded into speech, and he examines these wounds, meticulously, to discover how to heal them. The bad poet harangues at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/a-poet-is-wounded-into-speech-and-he-examines-these-wounds/)

[Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/)

> [“To engage in dialogue is to serve others via whatever is real inside you; to engage in debate is to ultimately serve the illusions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oli-anderson/to-engage-in-dialogue-is-to-serve-others-via-whatever-is-real-inside/)

[Oli Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oli-anderson/)

> [What it comes down to for me is this: Will the technologies of communication in our culture, serve to enlighten us and help us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/what-it-comes-down-to-for-me-is-this-will-the-technologies-of/)

[Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/)

> [In dialogue, there is opposition, yes, but no head-on collision. Smashing heads does not open minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/in-dialogue-there-is-opposition-yes-but-no-head-on-collision-smashing/)

[Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/)

> [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/)

[Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/)

> [I've been in a serious conversation with one of my children, and a fan has come up. I've been in a public bathroom and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-reddy/i-ve-been-in-a-serious-conversation-with-one-of-my-children-and-a-fan/)

[Helen Reddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-reddy/)

> [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/)

[Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/)

> [Disability, in general, hasn't been included in the conversation about inclusivity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-winston-george/disability-in-general-hasn-t-been-included-in-the-conversation-about/)

[Jason Winston George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-winston-george/)

> [“Women will be at least 50 percent of the communications community workforce … from executive suite to interns. Why? The “integrated” agency will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoram-wind/women-will-be-at-least-50-percent-of-the-communications-community/)

Yoram Wind

> [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/)

[Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/)

[Browse all 21,506 Communication quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Everything in journalism is about the detail that makes the whole, the attempts to reproduce speech patterns while not actually quoting the whole thing the person said.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Neil Gaiman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/everything-in-journalism-is-about-the-detail-that-makes-the-whole-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Communication"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/everything-in-journalism-is-about-the-detail-that-makes-the-whole-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28f/neil-gaiman-29_communication_everything-in-journalism-is-about-the-de_2039440.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28f/neil-gaiman-29_communication_everything-in-journalism-is-about-the-de_2039440.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28f/neil-gaiman-29_communication_everything-in-journalism-is-about-the-de_2039440.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Everything in journalism is about the detail that makes the whole, the attempts to reproduce speech patterns…” — Neil Gaiman",
                "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": "Neil Gaiman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Everything in journalism is about the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/everything-in-journalism-is-about-the-detail-that-makes-the-whole-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/everything-in-journalism-is-about-the-detail-that-makes-the-whole-the/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
