I went back to the States and started at a small newspaper in Riverside County, California, covering the police; I was making $280 a week covering the police.

Quote by John Pomfret

Topics: John Pomfret Quotes

A lot of times when we work overseas we tend to put the experience of...

A lot of times when we work overseas we tend to put the experience of...

I think to a certain extent in Bosnia and among the Hutus in Rwanda and...

I think to a certain extent in Bosnia and among the Hutus in Rwanda and...

My main form of transportation at that time was a bicycle, because bicycles could move...

My main form of transportation at that time was a bicycle, because bicycles could move...

One of the problems that we have as American journalists is that we bring the...

One of the problems that we have as American journalists is that we bring the...

I was posted to China in the summer of 1988, which was the greatest time...

I was posted to China in the summer of 1988, which was the greatest time...

Good journalism, I think, represents life and if you try to organize something too neatly...

Good journalism, I think, represents life and if you try to organize something too neatly...

When you do a job like this you have to like having cold sweat on...

When you do a job like this you have to like having cold sweat on...

I've been shot at on numerous occasions.

I've been shot at on numerous occasions.

Srebrenica was a horrendous war crime and it had to be uncovered.

Srebrenica was a horrendous war crime and it had to be uncovered.

Working overseas is more difficult in that it's much more complicated to get people to...

Working overseas is more difficult in that it's much more complicated to get people to...

The desire to become a journalist came really because I very much like living abroad,...

The desire to become a journalist came really because I very much like living abroad,...

I was fourteen when Kissinger made his secret trip to China, and then there was...

I was fourteen when Kissinger made his secret trip to China, and then there was...

And when they do spin out of control there are important ramifications that affect America,...

And when they do spin out of control there are important ramifications that affect America,...

Stanford had no journalism program so I just learned by doing, effectively.

Stanford had no journalism program so I just learned by doing, effectively.

The work is a calling. It demands that type of obsession.

The work is a calling. It demands that type of obsession.

For me the much more significant question is what did the Americans do, if anything,...

For me the much more significant question is what did the Americans do, if anything,...

The one indication that I got that I was doing the right job in Bosnia...

The one indication that I got that I was doing the right job in Bosnia...

I had my life threatened by Bosnian Serbs on numerous occasions.

I had my life threatened by Bosnian Serbs on numerous occasions.

Whereas with foreign coverage there's a much broader disconnect between you and your audience.

Whereas with foreign coverage there's a much broader disconnect between you and your audience.

In some ways the domestic reporting is a lot easier because Americans will talk to...

In some ways the domestic reporting is a lot easier because Americans will talk to...