A newspaper is lumber made malleable. It is ink made into words and pictures. It is conceived, born, grows up and dies of old age in a day.
—Jim Bishop (1907–87) American Author, Journalist, Columnist
Though it be honest, it is never good to bring bad news.—Give to a gracious message a host of tongues; but let ill tidings tell themselves when they be felt.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Headlines twice the size of the events.
—John Galsworthy (1867–1933) English Novelist, Playwright
I always turn to the sports pages first, which records people’s accomplishments. The front page has nothing but man’s failures.
—Earl Warren (1891–1974) American Judge, Politician, Governor
In the case of news, we should always wait for the sacrament of confirmation.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
It is not true that virtually all news in a totalitarian state is false.
—Konrad Zuse (1910–95) German Engineer, Inventor
False history gets made all day, any day; the truth of the new is never on the news.
—Adrienne Rich (1929–2012) American Poet, Essayist
I believe in equality for everyone, except reporters and photographers.
—Allen Ginsberg (1926–97) American Poet, Activist
He comes, the herald of a noisy world, news from all nations lumbering at his back; a messenger of grief perhaps to thousands, and a joy to some.
—William Cowper (1731–1800) English Anglican Poet, Hymn writer
A journalist is a grumbler, a censurer, a giver of advice, a regent of sovereigns, a tutor of nations. Four hostile newspapers are more to be feared than a thousand bayonets.
—Napoleon I (1769–1821) Emperor of France
They are so filthy and bestial that no honest man would admit one into his house for a water-closet doormat.
—Charles Dickens (1812–70) English Novelist
News is what a chap who doesn’t care much about anything wants to read. And it’s only news until he’s read it. After that it’s dead.
—Evelyn Waugh (1903–66) British Novelist, Essayist, Biographer
I believe in equality for everyone, except reporters and photographers.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing, but newspapers.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
Newspapers always excite curiosity. No one ever puts one down without the feeling of disappointment.
—Charles Lamb (1775–1834) British Essayist, Poet
The first bringer of unwelcome news hath but a losing office.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
I well believe it, to unwilling ears;None love the messenger who brings bad news.
—Sophocles (495–405 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
If you don’t read the newspaper, you are uninformed; if you do read the newspaper, you are misinformed.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Ill news is winged with fate, and flies apace.
—John Dryden (1631–1700) English Poet, Literary Critic, Playwright
Newsmen believe that news is a tacitly acknowledged fourth branch of the federal system. This is why most news about government sounds as if it were federally mandated—serious, bulky and blandly worthwhile, like a high-fiber diet set in type.
—P. J. O’Rourke (1947–2022) American Journalist, Political Satirist
The advertisements are the most truthful part of a newspaper.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
Early in life I had noticed that no event is ever correctly reported in a newspaper.
—George Orwell (1903–50) English Novelist, Journalist
News is that which comes from the North, East, West and South, and if it comes from only one point on the compass, then it is a class ; publication and not news.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Journalism is popular, but it is popular mainly as fiction. Life is one world, and life seen in the newspapers another.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
I’ll give anything for a good copy now, be it true or false, so it be news.
—Ben Jonson (1572–1637) English Dramatist, Poet, Actor
To a philosopher all news, as it is called, is gossip, and they who edit and read it are old women over their tea.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
Don’t be afraid to make a mistake, your readers might like it.
—William Randolph Hearst (1863-1951) American Newspaper Publisher, Tycoon
I hate newspapermen. They come into camp and pick up their camp rumors and print them as facts. I regard them as spies, which, in truth, they are. If I killed them all there would be news from Hell before breakfast.
—William Tecumseh Sherman (1820–91) American Military Leader, Businessperson, Educator
People have this illusion that all over the world, all of the time, all kinds of fantastic things are happening. When in fact, over most of the world nothing is happening.
—David Brinkley (1920–2003) American TV Personality
A good newspaper is a nation talking to itself.
—Arthur Miller (1915–2005) American Playwright, Essayist
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