Dan Rather

"Your words have power—use them carefully and thoughtfully."

"The pursuit of accuracy is a pursuit of respect for your audience."

"A good reporter sees what others miss and asks what others won't."

"Change begins when we stop accepting the way things are and start asking why."

"In the face of uncertainty, we must hold to what we know to be true."

"The craft of journalism is the craft of translation—turning complexity into clarity."

"To understand power, you must question those who hold it."

"A healthy society requires citizens who are informed and engaged."

"The best part of any job is the people you work alongside."

"Mistakes are opportunities to learn if you approach them with humility."

"In difficult times, our principles are tested and refined."

"The work of gathering news is, fundamentally, the work of human connection."

"Adversity reveals character in ways that smooth times never can."

"The greatest stories often involve ordinary people doing extraordinary things."

"To be a journalist is to be a custodian of the public conversation."

"Question authority, but do so with respect and evidence."

"The world is full of complexity that demands careful, thoughtful reporting."

"A life devoted to truth-seeking is a life well spent."

"In journalism, as in life, timing and context are everything."

"The moment you stop learning is the moment you start becoming irrelevant."

"Empathy is not weakness; it is the foundation of good reporting and good character."

"Stand for something meaningful, or you'll fall for anything."

"The penalty for speaking truth has always been high, but the cost of silence is higher."

"Every story has layers; the best reporters dig deep enough to find them."

"In a time of divisiveness, we need voices committed to bringing clarity, not chaos."

"The work of a journalist is never truly finished; there is always another story to tell."

"Greatness is not about the size of your accomplishments, but the integrity with which you pursue them."

"Keep your facts straight and your conscience clear, and nothing can touch you."

"The responsibility of the press is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable."

"Real reporting requires going to where the story is, not waiting for it to come to you."