Latest news with #StyleGuide
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Wonder why the Beacon Journal does certain things? Check out the USA TODAY Network Style Guide
I often get questions from readers about why the Beacon Journal does certain things the way we do. Why does a physician get the "Dr." courtesy title but not someone who earned a doctor of philosophy? When do reporters agree to not name a source? And why is a pamphlet is a flyer, not a flier? The answer is we follow accepted journalism style — and now I'm happy to be able to share our style guide with you. The USA TODAY Network, which includes the Akron Beacon Journal and Record-Courier, on April 10 launched its USA TODAY Network Style Guide, a tool to help our journalists uphold our commitment to clarity, accuracy, consistency and transparency in journalism. We're also offering this free tool for our community, including students, teachers, bloggers and anyone with a passion for writing. Michael McCarter, vice president Opinion Group and Standards and Ethics for the USA TODAY Network, explains in the forward that this new style guide "is an evolving document that empowers us to communicate with clarity, accuracy and respect to foster trust and understanding." "We sincerely hope the style guide will be used and referenced in the spirit it was intended: to establish a uniting tool that provides simple guidance regarding language to enable consistency and clarity as we deliver on our mission of serving and empowering our communities," McCarter wrote. Of course, the USA TODAY Network Style Guide is just that — a guide. There still will be questions not addressed in the style guide that local editors consider while taking into account the communities we serve. For example, is that patch of grass between the sidewalk and street a tree lawn or devil strip? Anyone in Akron knows the answer to this question. (Devil strip, obviously.) Curious to see the answers to the questions I posed above or other style questions? You can check out the USA TODAY Network Style Guide at And, as always, I welcome your questions and feedback. Send me an email at cpowell@ or call 330-996-3902. Cheryl Powell is executive editor for the Akron Beacon Journal and regional editor for the USA TODAY Network North Ohio region. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: USA TODAY Network launches style guide
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge Refuses to Order AP Back Into White House Press Pool Amid Trump Spat Over ‘Gulf of America'
A judge on Monday refused to grant the Associated Press immediate access to the White House press pool, amid an ongoing dispute over President Trump's renaming of the Gulf of Mexico. Judge Trevor McFadden, a Trump appointee, denied the AP's motion for a temporary restraining order. But he will later consider a request for a preliminary injunction. More from Variety AP Sues Trump White House Officials Over 'Gulf of America' Ban on News Organization Hunter Schafer's New Passport Lists Her Gender as 'Male' After Trump Executive Order: 'I Am Never Going to Stop Being Trans. F-- This Administration' George Clooney Says Biden 'Was Terrible at Explaining' the World Economy, Warns of CBS News Settling With Trump: 'It Has a Chilling Effect on the Press' For the last two weeks, the White House has barred AP reporters from accessing events in the Oval Office and the East Room. The organization's White House press credentials have not been revoked, but its reporters have been excluded from areas covered by the 13-member pool, which also includes Air Force One. According to the AP, the judge found that the AP had not demonstrated it is suffering 'irreparable harm' — a requirement to obtain a restraining order. But he also said that the White House move to target one organization is 'problematic.' The judge also warned the government the case law on press access 'is uniformly unhelpful to the White House,' and advised that it may want to reconsider is position. The White House responded with a statement declaring 'victory against the Associated Press.' 'As we have said from the beginning, asking the President of the United States questions in the Oval Office and aboard Air Force One is a privilege granted to journalists, not a legal right,' the White House said. 'We stand by our decision to hold the Fake News accountable for their lies, and President Trump will continue to grant an unprecedented level of access to the press. This is the most transparent Administration in history.' The AP filed a lawsuit on Friday, arguing that the move is retaliation for the organization's refusal to adopt Trump's new name, the Gulf of America, in lieu of the traditional name. The organization argued that Trump is seeking to compel speech in violation of the First Amendment. The AP sought a temporary restraining order that would immediately restore access to pooled events while the case is pending. In response, the Justice Department argued that the AP has not been prevented from covering White House events because its reporters are able to rely on the reporting from other members of the pool. Trump issued an executive order on Jan. 20 renaming the body of water the Gulf of America. The AP refused to adopt that name in its influential Style Guide, noting that other countries that surround the gulf have not gone along with it, and that the body of water has been called the Gulf of Mexico for 400 years. 'The Associated Press will refer to it by its original name while acknowledging the new name Trump has chosen,' the outlet declared. 'As a global news agency that disseminates news around the world, the AP must ensure that place names and geography are easily recognizable to all audiences.' The decision rankled the White House. On Feb. 14, Taylor Budowich, the deputy chief of staff, wrote on X that the AP had chosen to ignore the gulf's 'lawful geographic name.' 'This decision is not just divisive, but it also exposes the Associated Press' commitment to misinformation,' Budowich said. The White House Correspondents Association has traditionally determined the pool assignment, which has included an AP reporter and photographer among the 13 members. In opposing the restraining order, the DOJ lawyers argued that the president can choose whom to afford special access. 'Just as the President need not furnish a personal interview to all journalistic comers, the President hasdiscretion to decide who will have special media access to exclusive events within the Oval Office,' they wrote. The DOJ also argued that the AP is being treated like the majority of outlets that cover the White House, which do not participate in the pool. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Grammy Predictions, From Beyoncé to Kendrick Lamar: Who Will Win? Who Should Win? What's Coming to Netflix in February 2025
