The Associated Press’s decision to capitalize “Black” is not a scientific rule, but it’s a sensible change based on history, usage and popular sentiment.
Category Archives: journalism
Do you know where your most important readers are?
I’m trying to write more in February, and besides what I’ll write for work, I’ll also be writing about one of the few things I know about: digital media. What do I do? In short, I get the right information, at the right time, to the right audiences. And I’d like to help media, inContinue reading “Do you know where your most important readers are?”
Paywalls are fine, but let’s make them more shareable
I’m trying to write more in February, and besides thing I’ll write for work, I’ll also be writing about one of the few things I know about: digital media. What do I do? In short, I get the right information, at the right time, to the right audiences. And I’d like to help media, inContinue reading “Paywalls are fine, but let’s make them more shareable”
Make my work a habit, please
It’s clear by now that pageviews and “likes” are not what keep publications alive. Our best bet is to become a habit, where people make room in their lives for what we do.
How Bill Walsh influenced me from afar
Bill Walsh was a great copy editor whose most important contribution — in a life cut far too short — was to teach editor and writers how to think. I’m one of those beneficiaries.
Truth and lies and faulty memories and Brian Williams
Brian Williams isn’t just in a journalism crisis; he’s demonstrating how leaders can be corrupted by their own hubris.
Society’s quality-control problem with editing
Depleted newsrooms are every day illustrating what a lack of copy editing does — a slow sapping of quality and quality control. It doesn’t mean no news is gathered or that the language is destroyed, but the effect might be more insidious. Only the most able-eyed and loudest notice, and their noise is often dismissedContinue reading “Society’s quality-control problem with editing”
The laziness of "localizing" news stories
As local and metro newspapers have lost relevance (and staff) outside of their immediate geographic areas, they’ve tried to substitute actually being there with “localizing.” Sometimes, it has relevance, such as when there’s an indigenous population in the area (although the paper should be covering them regularly if they want them as readers, right?), orContinue reading “The laziness of "localizing" news stories”
2 resources for learning the language of nuclear
The nuclear industry is like any other: It has its own terminology, with degrees of usefulness. Some terms are more accurate and precise, while others just sound nicer.But amid the unfortunate and continuing problems with Japan’s nuclear reactors, it might be good to double-check what you’re writing or editing. After all, the problems with Japan’sContinue reading “2 resources for learning the language of nuclear”
Necrophilia-inducing typos and other editing links: A roundup
Yeah, that headline had better bring results, or I’m going to be upset. Anyways, what’s happening in the world of copy editing, editing and journalism at large: Word Grrls notes how one missing letter on a book-seller’s site goes from the sassy, if cliche, “Dead Sexy” to the disturbingly niche “Dead Sex.” Unless that meansContinue reading “Necrophilia-inducing typos and other editing links: A roundup”
James daSilva 