They put me on the shift where they thought I could do the least harm, midnight to eight in the morning. Although the hours were lousy, they were perfect for an apprentice reporter.
Meaning of the quote
The quote is explaining that Andrea Mitchell, who was a journalist in training, was given the shift from midnight to 8 a.m. because her employers believed she would be less likely to cause problems during those hours. Although the hours were not ideal, they were perfect for an apprentice reporter like Andrea who was just starting out in the field.
About Andrea Mitchell
Andrea Mitchell is an American television journalist and commentator who works for NBC News in Washington, D.C. She is NBC News’ chief foreign affairs and chief Washington correspondent, and anchors the daily news program ‘Andrea Mitchell Reports’ on MSNBC. In 2019, Mitchell was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Emmy for her journalistic work.
More quotes from Andrea Mitchell
When I entered college, it was to study liberal arts. At the University of Pennsylvania, I studied English literature, but I fell in love with broadcasting, with telling stories about other people’s exploits.
American television anchor
Someday perhaps I’ll have to get a grownup job… but for now I’m having too much fun being a reporter.
American television anchor
Finally, I told them I’d drop out of the management program if they’d give me an entry-level job in the newsroom for union wages, about fifty dollars a week.
American television anchor
They put me on the shift where they thought I could do the least harm, midnight to eight in the morning. Although the hours were lousy, they were perfect for an apprentice reporter.
American television anchor
All they expected me to do was rip and read the wire ‘leads,’ without doing any original reporting. It was pretty basic, but gave me a taste of how to combine my love of politics and broadcasting.
American television anchor
As kids, we traded ‘I like Ike’ and ‘All the way with Adlai’ buttons in elementary school.
American television anchor
It was a presidential election year, and as a member of a consortium of Ivy League radio stations, we participated in ‘network’ coverage of election night.
American television anchor
Once again, no one in charge had given any thought to the possibility that a woman would be involved.
American television anchor
Philadelphia reflected the national turmoil over race and the Vietnam War, often exploding on my watch.
American television anchor
When it came to political power, blacks need not apply. Add to this steaming stew the growing tensions over the Vietnam War and the movement for civil rights, and you had plenty of elements to fire the imagination of a novice journalist.
American television anchor