A journalist is he who has capacity to steal other people's ideas and phrases

Dear readers, bear with me this week as well with some interesting and illuminating excerpts from the book, "If no news, send rumors", penned by Stephan Bates. I hope you all will enjoy it. By the way, do not forget to read the headline used in this column with what I have done here politely. Nevertheless, the headline used here has not emanated from my brain…..Shouldn't the marvelous headline apply on myself as well? What you say shall be final for me. This much I can assure you all. Now enjoy the snippets compiled from the said book.

Last Word:

On June 24, 1968, the lead story in New Hampshire's Concord Daily Monitor, written by editor James M. Langley, began: "I died late yesterday afternoon. It is not unusual for a newspaperman to write his own obituary in advance, but they usually do so anonymously. I prefer the more honest autobiography, even on so sad an occasion (for me)." Langley had written the obituary two years earlier, and instructed his staff to publish it when he died.

Dream Leads:

Media scholar William L. Rivers once asked \Washington correspondents what leads they would most like to write. The responses included:

Richard Valeriani, NBC Reporter: "I have just returned from death, and I can report to you that…"

Dan Rather, CBS Reporter: A way was found today that insures that people will be unfailingly kind to other people."

Les Whitten, former assistant to Jack Anderson: "Jesus Christ, whose second coming has been promised for almost two thousand years, landed at Washington National Airport secretly today and confided his plans exclusively to this reporter."

Ralph de Toledano, columnsit: "Standing solemnly before an equally solemn audience on the steps of the Capitol, Ralph de Toledano took the oath of office as president of the United States.

Local Angle:

# On a San Fernando Valley radio station, where management had ordered that every newscast open with a local story, one newscast began: "Two high-speed trains collided today between Tokyo and Osaka, Japan. There were 123 people killed and several hundred have been injured. But there were no Valley residents on board."

Remarks:

# "The only qualities essential for real success in journalism are ratlike cunning, a plausible manner, and a little literary ability…The capacity to steal other people's ideas and phrases—that one about ratlike cunning was invented by my colleague Murray Sayre—is also invaluable."—Nicholas Tomalin, London, Sunday Times writer

Women on Television:

# "Well, if it's gossip you want, that's why we have a woman here". —Daniel Schorr introducing Lesley Stahl during CBS Evening News coverage of the Watergate hearings.

# "With rape so predominant in the news lately, it is well to remember the words of Confucius: "If rape is inevitable, lie back and enjoy it".—Tex Antoine opening the weather segment of the new on New York's WABC, 1976: the public response caused the station to take him off the air.

Competition to make news:

In 1986 the KGB arrested an American reporter in Moscow, Nicholas Daniloff of U.S. News & World Report, and charged him with spying. Before the Soviets released him, the story dominated front pages for weeks. Daniloff became a national hero. The magazine's owner, Mort Zuckerman, and its editor, David Gergen, became evening-news regulars. At a rival newsmagazine, jealous employees posted a sign:; "KGB! Next time, take one of ours".

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