Begged quiet journalist to take advantage (7)
I believe the answer is:
pleaded
'begged' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'quiet journalist to take advantage' is the wordplay.
'quiet' becomes 'p' (music symbol for 'piano', ie soft or quiet).
'journalist' becomes 'ed' (short for editor).
'to take' means one lot of letters goes inside another (inserted letters are taken in).
'advantage' becomes 'lead' (lead is a kind of advantage).
'p'+'ed'='ped'
'ped' going around 'lead' is 'PLEADED'.
(Other definitions for pleaded that I've seen before include "Made an emotional appeal" , "Appealed or requested earnestly" , "Begged" .)