--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's harder now for journalists to do…" description: "\"It's harder now for journalists to do stories about billionaires, like Peter Thiel, without having at the back of their minds the fear that maybe someb..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88a/nick-denton-16280_billionaire_it-s-harder-now-for-journalists-to-do-st_820104.jpg" --- # It's harder now for journalists to do stories about… ![“It's harder now for journalists to do stories about billionaires, like Peter Thiel, without having at the back of their minds the fear that maybe somebody deep-pocketed, you know, with limited resources is going to come after us and can my organization afford to defend me?” quote by Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88a/nick-denton-16280_billionaire_it-s-harder-now-for-journalists-to-do-st_820104.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88a/nick-denton-16280_billionaire_it-s-harder-now-for-journalists-to-do-st_820104.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88a/nick-denton-16280_billionaire_it-s-harder-now-for-journalists-to-do-st_820104.jpg) > “It's harder now for journalists to do stories about billionaires, like Peter Thiel, without having at the back of their minds the fear that maybe somebody deep-pocketed, you know, with limited resources is going to come after us and can my organization afford to defend me?” [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Journalists fear powerful billionaire subjects may retaliate, creating financial and legal pressures that can deter investigative reporting. **In simple terms:** Fear of retaliation hinders reporting on the rich. Key Takeaway Protect journalists from financial intimidation. Themes media power fear investigation Mood cautious critical Type journalistic ethical When to use this quote - reporting on billionaires - newsroom budgeting - legal defense planning Key Concepts press freedom legal risk financial pressure Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards can protect reporters? - How does fear affect story selection? A Different Perspective May overlook other barriers like editorial bias. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Billionaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/billionaire/) [Billionaires Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/billionaires-like-465265/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fear Maybe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-maybe-242758/) [Harder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harder/) [Harder Journalists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harder-journalists-465263/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Journalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalist/) [Journalists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalists/) [Journalists Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalists-stories-465264/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Limited resources](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limited-resources/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) [Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peter/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peter-thiel/) [Resources](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resources/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) ## Related quotes > [Some billionaires like cars, yachts and private jets. Others like newspapers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ross-sorkin/some-billionaires-like-cars-yachts-and-private-jets-others-like/) [Andrew Ross Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ross-sorkin/) > [It's harder and harder for journalists to get out in the field and interview Iraqis. The Web can get these voices out easily and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/it-s-harder-and-harder-for-journalists-to-get-out-in-the-field-and/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [ I'm a complete egomaniac. It makes me feel terrible to say \[being interviewed\] is hard. It's taxing in a way. Just 'cause it's a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-corddry/i-m-a-complete-egomaniac-it-makes-me-feel-terrible-to-say-being/) [Rob Corddry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-corddry/) > [Growing up homeless many times, it's always ingrained in me this fear that maybe I won't have a roof over my head or maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrishell-stause/growing-up-homeless-many-times-it-s-always-ingrained-in-me-this-fear/) [Chrishell Stause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrishell-stause/) > [We having nothing to fear but fear itself. That, and maybe getting mugged by someone wearing a "No Fear" t-shirt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-l-spiro/we-having-nothing-to-fear-but-fear-itself-that-and-maybe-getting/) [Lev L. Spiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-l-spiro/) > [Her secret fear? Maybe she didn't tried hard enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/her-secret-fear-maybe-she-didn-t-tried-hard-enough/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [With Germany conquered, the Kremlin checkmated, Japan converted, it became easier - safer - to peek around looking for someone to fear... and maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-douglas-duncan/with-germany-conquered-the-kremlin-checkmated-japan-converted-it/) [David Douglas Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-douglas-duncan/) > [When I go in front of an audience, I'll admit I sometimes have a certain amount of fear in me, because maybe the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-rushing/when-i-go-in-front-of-an-audience-i-ll-admit-i-sometimes-have-a/) [Jimmy Rushing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-rushing/) > [What will always be possible is for someone to walk into a dark room and experience a film and connect to it. And that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bujalski/what-will-always-be-possible-is-for-someone-to-walk-into-a-dark-room/) [Andrew Bujalski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bujalski/) > [“Maybe it isn’t corruption or greed that makes you cowardly. Maybe it’s not weakness, suffering, or even fear. Maybe it is love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/maybe-it-isn-t-corruption-or-greed-that-makes-you-cowardly-maybe-it-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The more absurd, the more “impossible” the question, the more profound the answers. Take, for instance, a question that serial billionaire Peter Thiel likes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/the-more-absurd-the-more-impossible-the-question-the-more-profound/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [“PayPal cofounder and Facebook board member Peter Thiel—really the only significant Silicon Valley voice to support Trump—was warned by another billionaire and longtime Trump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/paypal-cofounder-and-facebook-board-member-peter-thiel-really-the/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [“These world-class performers don’t have superpowers. The rules they’ve crafted for themselves allow the bending of reality to such an extent that it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/these-world-class-performers-don-t-have-superpowers-the-rules-they-ve/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [What would I advise an aspiring young entrepreneur? Certainly I'd say read the works of great entrepreneurs and investors like Ben Horowitz, Peter Thiel,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lonsdale/what-would-i-advise-an-aspiring-young-entrepreneur-certainly-i-d-say/) [Joe Lonsdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lonsdale/) > [Peter Thiel and I disagree on 99 percent of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ro-khanna/peter-thiel-and-i-disagree-on-99-percent-of-things/) [Ro Khanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ro-khanna/) ## More by Nick Denton > [There was a rivalry - and some pie-throwing. But that was probably because Gawker and Radar had more in common than they wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/there-was-a-rivalry-and-some-pie-throwing-but-that-was-probably/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [Your writers write these pieces about meaningless startups, meaningless apps and meaningless companies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/your-writers-write-these-pieces-about-meaningless-startups/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [Superior writers, videographers and other content makers want to work with their own kind and for their own kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/superior-writers-videographers-and-other-content-makers-want-to-work/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [I regret the stories we didn't do - the stories that we knew about and talked about but didn't have all of, so didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/i-regret-the-stories-we-didn-t-do-the-stories-that-we-knew-about-and/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [Is there Gawker ethics? I mean, I guess there's Gawker ethics. It's a dangerous thing to talk about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/is-there-gawker-ethics-i-mean-i-guess-there-s-gawker-ethics-it-s-a/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [Critics say Internet advertising suffers from limitless inventory, which depresses prices. These exclusive front-page sponsorships are not limitless. If HBO doesn't move quickly enough,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/critics-say-internet-advertising-suffers-from-limitless-inventory/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [The original idea of blog publishing was that writer and reader would be on the same level. That it would be a conversation -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/the-original-idea-of-blog-publishing-was-that-writer-and-reader-would/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [An employer would be a complete fool to let an image like college partying influence their hiring decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/an-employer-would-be-a-complete-fool-to-let-an-image-like-college/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [I've never really understood people who climb socially by sucking up. It seems like the least efficient way to climb, and also the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/i-ve-never-really-understood-people-who-climb-socially-by-sucking-up/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [I don't really mind playing tabloid monster. I always liked those characters in the old movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/i-don-t-really-mind-playing-tabloid-monster-i-always-liked-those/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [Apple makes beautiful products. I own a Mac Pro, a Mac Book, a Mac Mini, an iPad, an iPhone, pretty much the entire collection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/apple-makes-beautiful-products-i-own-a-mac-pro-a-mac-book-a-mac-mini/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [I think straight couples have a schedule: You're together for two years and then there's the 'where is this going?' question, which wouldn't necessarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/i-think-straight-couples-have-a-schedule-you-re-together-for-two/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [Web media needs to move to TV metaphor - with full-screen imagery and other content interrupted with full-screen ads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/web-media-needs-to-move-to-tv-metaphor-with-full-screen-imagery-and/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [Google demotes search results that don't get clicked on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/google-demotes-search-results-that-don-t-get-clicked-on/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [The most interesting comments, they don't come from people with Klout scores. They don't come from people with a history on our sites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/the-most-interesting-comments-they-don-t-come-from-people-with-klout/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) [Explore all 40 Nick Denton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) ## More Billionaire quotes > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [“The candidate who billed himself as a billionaire—ten times over—refused even to invest his own money in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/the-candidate-who-billed-himself-as-a-billionaire-ten-times-over/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [“In general, poor is polite and rich is rude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/in-general-poor-is-polite-and-rich-is-rude/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [If I could set a world record, it would be that I have 150 business partners, all with thriving businesses of their own that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-corcoran/if-i-could-set-a-world-record-it-would-be-that-i-have-150-business/) [Barbara Corcoran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-corcoran/) > [A government run by billionaires for billionaires is an affront to freedom and morality and humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/a-government-run-by-billionaires-for-billionaires-is-an-affront-to/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [The reaction of weak management to weak operations is often weak accounting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-reaction-of-weak-management-to-weak-operations-is-often-weak/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [“People don’t make too much money around here, but what comes with that is a different definition of what it means to be well-off.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-oyeyemi/people-don-t-make-too-much-money-around-here-but-what-comes-with-that/) [Helen Oyeyemi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-oyeyemi/) > [The biggest risk is not taking any risk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/the-biggest-risk-is-not-taking-any-risk/) [Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/) > [Message to the billionaire class: You can't have it all!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/message-to-the-billionaire-class-you-can-t-have-it-all/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [Every decision I make is, 'How is this helping me become a billionaire?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/draymond-green/every-decision-i-make-is-how-is-this-helping-me-become-a-billionaire/) [Draymond Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/draymond-green/) > [“A Debt Problem Is, At Its Core, a Budgeting Problem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-pace/a-debt-problem-is-at-its-core-a-budgeting-problem/) [Natalie Pace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-pace/) > ['I don't need brains,' says the billionaire contemptuously. 'I'm brainy enough myself!' The broker cries out in desperation, 'What, in heaven's name, do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/i-don-t-need-brains-says-the-billionaire-contemptuously-i-m-brainy/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [I know a lot of people in the city, at all levels, horizontally and vertically - and that to me is a privilege, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandar-hemon/i-know-a-lot-of-people-in-the-city-at-all-levels-horizontally-and/) [Aleksandar Hemon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandar-hemon/) > [As a result of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, American democracy is being undermined by the ability of the Koch brothers and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/as-a-result-of-the-citizens-united-supreme-court-decision-american/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I believe in a society where all people do well. Not just a handful of billionaires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anderson-cooper/i-believe-in-a-society-where-all-people-do-well-not-just-a-handful-of/) [Anderson Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anderson-cooper/) [Browse all 356 Billionaire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/billionaire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's harder now for journalists to do stories about billionaires, like Peter Thiel, without having at the back of their minds the fear that maybe somebody deep-pocketed, you know, with limited resources is going to come after us and can my organization afford to defend me?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nick Denton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/it-s-harder-now-for-journalists-to-do-stories-about-billionaires-like/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Billionaire" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/it-s-harder-now-for-journalists-to-do-stories-about-billionaires-like/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88a/nick-denton-16280_billionaire_it-s-harder-now-for-journalists-to-do-st_820104.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88a/nick-denton-16280_billionaire_it-s-harder-now-for-journalists-to-do-st_820104.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88a/nick-denton-16280_billionaire_it-s-harder-now-for-journalists-to-do-st_820104.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's harder now for journalists to do stories about billionaires, like Peter Thiel, without having at the…” — Nick Denton", "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": "Nick Denton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's harder now for journalists to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/it-s-harder-now-for-journalists-to-do-stories-about-billionaires-like/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/it-s-harder-now-for-journalists-to-do-stories-about-billionaires-like/#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 } } ] } ```