Randy Michaels may be the CEO of the Tribune Company but its obvious that he’s an editor at heart. All editors have certain words and phrases they prohibit; being able to prevent writers (including oneself) from abusing the language is one of the perks of the job. But Michaels may have set a new standard for editorial micro-management. In an edict issued to the anchors and reporters on WGN-AM radio that contained a list of 119 “forbidden ‘newsspeak’ words and phrases.”
The list, which is both enviable and insane, includes not only the usual prohibition against redundancies (5 a.m. in the morning, at this point in time) and clichés (clash with police, in harm’s way) but also phrases that are commonly used both on the radio (we’ll be right back, stay tuned, time for a break) and in news broadcast (authorities, campaign trail, officials).
Here is the complete list:
• “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 the break
• After these commercial messages
• 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 lecturn) [sic]
• 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%
• Going forward
• Gunman, especially lone gunman
• Guys
• Hunnert when you mean hundred
• Icon
• In a surprise move
• In harm’s way
• In other news
• In the wake of (unless it’s a boating story)
• Incarcerated
• Informed sources say . . .
• Killing spree
• Legendary
• Lend a helping hand
• Literally
• Lucky to be alive
• Manhunt
• Marred
• Medical hospital
• Mother of all (anything)
• Motorist
• Mute point. (It’s moot point, but don’t say that either)
• Near miss
• No brainer
• Officials
• Our top story tonight
• 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
• Welcome back everybody
• We’ll be back
• Went terribly wrong
• We’re back
• White stuff
• World class
• You folks
The best part is that they are “to report any on-air infractions by their co-workers, making sure to note the precise time and date on ‘bingo cards’ he provided that contain a random assortment of Michaels’ forbidden words.” I wonder if after ratting on their co-workers, employees get a bonus for filling up their card.
March 10th, 2010 | 12:47 pm
I’m not sorry to see “speaking out” banned. Every time I hear that someone is going to “speak out” I cringe.
March 10th, 2010 | 1:38 pm
I am sorry not to see “breaking his/her silence” which has gained recent currency, probably as a replacement for “speaking out”. Though, I still remember with a smile, the full-page New York Times ad claiming for a particular clergyman, “I have been silenced!” when he had only been called on the carpet for disobedience. Maybe “called on the carpet” should be there too.
March 10th, 2010 | 2:02 pm
I’d love to never again see “stuns” used for any sports victory?
March 10th, 2010 | 3:03 pm
Unfortunately “sucks” is creeping into the journalistic mainstream. I wish it wouldn’t.
March 10th, 2010 | 3:10 pm
Except for the redundancies, it isn’t the words, but the improper or ignorant use of them that is the problem.
Why not simply employ better educated anchors and reporters who also have long attention spans? In the news business, visual appeal and quick cleverness has long trumped thoughtful analysis which originates from an educated source. Shallow amusement long ago replaced well-read and considered depth.
Read a newspaper from 1940 and then read one from 2000. Watch an episode of “Firing Line” from the 1960′s and then watch anything on any of the cable news networks now. You’ll see what I mean. It isn’t just the vocabulary that has taken a nosedive; the concepts are just as empty.
Bedrock has been replaced by sand because sand is cheaper to deliver and requires less effort to receive.
March 10th, 2010 | 3:56 pm
No using “bare naked, close proximity, manhunt, or shower activity”? I guess WGN reporters won’t be reporting on the Rahm Emanuel vs. Rep. Eric Massa MSNBC’s Lock Up moment in the Congressional Locker Room…
March 10th, 2010 | 4:35 pm
You are right, Steve – “sucks,” unless you are talking about vacuums, babies or a few other specific things, it totally disgusting and totally overused. (am I the only faint-hearted and prim individual who remembers why “sucks” is meant as a negative word?)
I am disappointed to think that “you folks” is an umbrella term that would also include “you guys.” I always say “you guys;” whether I am addressing my family, my children’s friends or any of my multitude of middle-aged female friends. They’re all “you guys.”
While I’m venting, how about “sweet” as a one word exclamation of happiness?
March 10th, 2010 | 7:08 pm
I agree completely on “sucks.” I see that and hear that all the time and it makes me want to scream.
And how about “pled guilty”? I think it is “pleaded guilty.” But something catches on and there is no stopping it.
I am also sick of “transparency.”
On the other hand, about “laud” and “free,” maybe they are overused as headline words because they are short and convenient. But they are not incorrect. “Laud” is kind of a nice old-fashioned word. I think we have bigger problems than that.
March 10th, 2010 | 7:39 pm
I was very disappointed not to see “breaking news” on the list. That has got to be the most overused phrase on television news and the internet news sites.
March 12th, 2010 | 9:49 am
One of my favorite phrases is “total disaster”.
Every little thing that happens…could be a bad hair day…but it’s a total disaster. I mean, how many “total” disasters could there be?
March 13th, 2010 | 4:18 am
Those phrases that commonly are used in radio broadcasts truly are “newspeak” and/or “radiospeak.”
When someone on a radio station says, “We’ll be right back,” the message to the audience is, “Let’s all go take a break.” Given that Time Spent Listening is a crucial measurement of a radio station’s success, encouraging listeners to leave is not a good idea.
Same with “time for a break.”
As for “stay tuned”:
As a radio talent coach, I constantly urge personalities and newscasters to use the language “real people” (i.e., listeners) use.
What’s wrong with deliberately uttering words and phrases that listeners never say or hear in their daily lives? It makes the radio station seem much less relevant to those daily lives.
Links
Blogs
Find Us
Contact