Journalism, the World and the Future
Discussion of the future of journalism from GMU
This week Tribune Co. CEO Randy Michaels, got down and dirty in the editing process.
He issued a memo of 119 words and phrases he no longer wanted used on the company’s radio station, WGN.
It really is hard to argue with him over the use of most of these trite and useless phrases. I wonder, however, why it took the CEO to step in and make the language of the journalists concise and precise. Isn’t that the job of the front-line editor?
My pet peeves on the list:
- Utilize instead of use
- Completely destroyed
- Eye Rack or Eye Ran
- Literally
We can all be better writers and journalists by paying attention to our words and remembering our job is to be precise and concise.
| Flee” meaning “run away” | “Good” or “bad” news | “Laud” meaning “praise” |
| “Seek” meaning “look for” | “Some” meaning “about” | “Two to one margin” . . .“Two to one” is a ratio, not a margin.A margin is measured in points. It’s not a ratio. |
| “Yesterday” in a lead sentence | “Youth” meaning “child” | 5 a.m. in the morning |
| After these commercial messages | After the break | Aftermath |
| All of you | Allegations | Alleged |
| Area residents | As expected | At risk |
| At this point in time | Authorities | Auto accident |
| Bare naked | Behind bars | Behind closed doors |
| Behind the podium (you mean lectern) | Best kept secret | Campaign trail |
| Clash with police | Close proximity | Complete surprise |
| Completely destroyed, completely abolished, completely finished or any other completely redundant use | Death toll | Definitely possible |
| Diva | Down in (location) | Down there |
| Dubbaya when you mean double you | Everybody(when referring to the audience) | Eye Rack or Eye Ran |
| False pretenses | Famed | Fatal death |
| Fled on foot | Folks | Giving 110% |
| Gunman, especially lone gunman | Going forward | Guys |
| Hunnert when you mean hundred | Icon | In a surprise move |
| In the wake of (unless it’s a boating story) | In other news | In harm’s way |
| Informed sources say . . . | Incarcerated | Killing spree |
| Legendary | Literally | Lend a helping hand |
| Lucky to be alive | Manhunt | Marred |
| Mother of all (anything) | Medical hospital | Motorist |
| Mute point. (It’s moot point, but don’t say that either) | Near miss | No brainer |
| Our top story tonight | Officials | Out in (location) |
| Out there | Over in | Pedestrian |
| Perfect storm | Perished | Perpetrator |
| Plagued | Really | Reeling |
| Reportedly | Seek | Senseless murder |
| Shots rang out | Shower activity | Sketchy details |
| Some (meaning about) | Some of you | Sources say . . . |
| Speaking out | Stay tuned | The fact of the matter |
| Those of you | Thus | Time for a break |
| To be fair | Torrential rain | Touch base |
| Under fire | Under siege | Underwent surgery |
| Undisclosed | Undocumented alien | Unrest |
| Untimely death | Up in (location) | Up there |
| Utilize (you mean use) | Vehicle | We’ll be right back |
| Welcome back | We’ll be back | Welcome back everybody |
| Went terribly wrong | We’re back | White stuff |
| World class | You folks |
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