Associated Press editor Tom Kent sent out a memo late last week with new guidance on how -- under AP Style -- reporters should refer to the mosque proposed for lower Manhattan.

(You can read the memo here and Kent's discussion of the memo on Facebook.)

Bottom line: It is NOT the "ground zero mosque" and the site under question has been used for prayers for some time already.

The site of the proposed Islamic center and mosque is not at ground zero, but two blocks away in a busy commercial area. We should continue to say it’s “near” ground zero, or two blocks away.

Kent added: Read more »

This was passed on from the SPJ Ethics Committee to a few others outside the committee who are concerned about ethical jouranlism and who have a sense of humor.

Journalism Warning Labels

It seems a bit strange to me that the media carefully warn about and label any content that involves sex, violence or strong language — but there's no similar labelling system for, say, sloppy journalism and other questionable content.

There is even a template for Americans to make their own copies on Avery lables #5160. Click here to download the PDF template.

Last Friday CBS News did a story about how Americans are craving different spices. NPR did the same story two weeks earlier.

At the time of the NPR piece I did a blog entry here (Getting a local story from international seasonings) and on my personal blog (A spicy nation — and why. Local-Global stories waiting to happen) urging journalists to look at the local-global connection.

And still, with such a fun topic and with two major news organizations looking at it, no one has bothered to look at the local connection. Naturally, I have another rant about this lack of imagination at my site, NPR gets there ahead of CBS, but where are the local stories. Read more »

Sometimes we just need a little humor to get us through the day.

And we all live and die by deadlines.

Oops. The weather is not cooperating.

DC SPJ has to cancel its annual picnic.