Lou Grant

"You've got to earn respect—it's never given freely."

"A newsroom without standards is just a gossip column."

"Time waits for no one, so don't waste it."

"You can't please everyone, so please yourself with integrity."

"That's not how we do things here, and that's final."

"People are the story—never forget what you're really reporting."

"Talent without discipline is just wasted potential."

"I didn't get where I am by being soft."

"A promise is a contract, written or not."

"You learn more from your mistakes than your successes."

"Cynicism is just disappointed idealism."

"The world needs honest people, especially now."

"Never underestimate the power of a well-told story."

"You've got to have thick skin in this business."

"Money comes and goes, but integrity stays."

"A real editor protects his writers, always."

"You can't control the news, only how you cover it."

"That's a good question—ask me tomorrow when I have an answer."

"Life doesn't give you a second chance—usually."

"Work hard, work honest, and let the chips fall where they may."

"You've either got it or you don't—and I can spot it."

"Happiness is a job well done, nothing more."

"The young think they know everything; the old know they don't."

"A handshake used to mean something."

"You can't buy character, and you can't fake it either."

"In this newsroom, we tell the truth or we don't tell anything."

"Your personal life stays personal, or it becomes news."

"Leadership is about making hard decisions and living with them."

"You'll know if you've done good work by how you sleep at night."

"Never hire someone smarter than you—hire someone as smart."