newsroom-style

---
name: newsroom-style
description: Enforce AP Style and newsroom conventions for journalism writing. Use when writing news articles, editing drafts, creating headlines, or converting notes into publishable copy. Ensures professional standards for attribution, numbers, dates, and formatting.
---

# Newsroom style guide

Write like a professional journalist. Follow AP Style. Keep it tight.

## When to use

- Writing news articles, briefs, or headlines
- Editing drafts for publication
- Converting interview notes into publishable copy
- Writing press releases or media advisories
- Creating social media posts for news content

## Core AP Style rules

### Numbers

| Rule | Example |
|------|---------|
| Spell out one through nine | "three witnesses" not "3 witnesses" |
| Use numerals for 10 and above | "15 people attended" |
| Always use numerals for ages | "a 5-year-old girl" |
| Always use numerals for percentages | AP allows the `%` symbol with numerals (`5%`) since 2019; some publications still spell out "percent" as house style |
| Always use numerals for addresses | "123 Main St." |
| Always use numerals for money | "$5 million" not "five million dollars" |
| Spell out first through ninth for ordinals | "first place" but "10th anniversary" |

**Exception:** Never start a sentence with a numeral. Rewrite or spell out.

### Titles and names

| Rule | Example |
|------|---------|
| Capitalize formal titles before names | "Mayor Jane Smith said..." |
| Lowercase titles after names | "Jane Smith, the mayor, said..." |
| Lowercase titles standing alone | "The mayor said..." |
| No courtesy titles on second reference | First: "Jane Smith." Second: "Smith" |
| Use full name on first reference | "Jane Smith" not "Smith" or "Ms. Smith" |

**Exceptions:**
- Use courtesy titles in obituaries
- Some publications use them for all subjects (house style)

### Attribution

| Do | Don't |
|----|-------|
| "said" | "stated," "remarked," "noted," "expressed" |
| Attribution after quote | Attribution before quote |
| At first natural pause | At awkward break |

**Examples:**

**Bad:** Mayor Smith stated, "We are committed to this project."

**Good:** "We are committed to this project," Mayor Smith said.

**Good:** "We are committed to this project," said Mayor Jane Smith, who has pushed for the development since 2022.

### Dates and times

**Months:**
- Abbreviate: Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec.
- Don't abbreviate: March, April, May, June, July
- Only abbreviate with specific dates: "Sept. 15" but "September 2025"

**Times:**
- Use figures with a.m./p.m.: "9 a.m." not "9:00 a.m."
- Noon and midnight: Use the words, not "12 p.m." or "12 a.m."
- Time ranges: "9 a.m. to 5 p.m." or "9-11 a.m."

**Days:**
- Capitalize days of the week
- Don't abbreviate except in tables
- Use "Tuesday" not "on Tuesday" when possible

### Common word choices

| Use | Instead of |
|-----|-----------|
| more than | over (for quantities) |
| fewer | less (for countable items) |
| less | fewer (for mass nouns) |
| that | which (for restrictive clauses) |
| which | that (for nonrestrictive clauses) |
| said | stated, remarked, noted |
| about | approximately |
| because | due to the fact that |

### Restrictive vs. nonrestrictive clauses

**Restrictive (essential, use "that"):**
> The bill that passed yesterday includes tax cuts.

(Which bill? The one that passed yesterday.)

**Nonrestrictive (extra info, use "which" + comma):**
> The bill, which passed yesterday, includes tax cuts.

(We already know which bill; the passage is extra info.)

## Formatting rules

### Paragraphs
- Keep paragraphs short: 1-3 sentences
- One idea per paragraph
- Break up long quotes into multiple paragraphs

### Headlines
- Use sentence case, not title case
- No periods at the end
- Use present tense for past events: "Council approves budget"
- Use infinitive for future events: "Mayor to announce plan"
- No exclamation points in hard news

### Quotation marks
- Periods and commas always go inside
- Colons and semicolons always go outside
- Question marks and exclamation points: inside if part of quote, outside if not

### Abbreviations
- Spell out on first reference, then abbreviate
- Don't use periods in most abbreviations: FBI, CIA, NATO
- State abbreviations: Use postal codes (NY, CA) only with full addresses; otherwise use AP abbreviations or spell out

## Ledes (opening paragraphs)

### The inverted pyramid
Most important information first. Answer the key questions:
- **Who** is involved?
- **What** happened?
- **When** did it happen?
- **Where** did it happen?
- **Why** did it happen? (if known)
- **How** did it happen? (if relevant)

### Lede length
- Aim for 35 words or fewer
- One sentence is ideal
- Focus on the news, not background

**Too long:**
> The city council, which has been debating the issue for several months and heard from dozens of residents at multiple public meetings, voted Tuesday night to approve a controversial new zoning ordinance that would allow high-rise buildings in the downtown area.

**Better:**
> The city council approved a zoning ordinance Tuesday that allows high-rise buildings downtown, ending months of debate.

### Types of ledes

**Hard news lede:**
> A fire killed three people in Northeast Philadelphia early Tuesday.

**Feature lede:**
> The last time Maria Rodriguez saw her mother, she promised to bring her to America.

**Question lede (use sparingly):**
> What happens when a city runs out of money?

## Quick reference card

### Before you publish

- [ ] Names spelled correctly and verified
- [ ] Titles correct and styled properly
- [ ] Numbers follow AP Style
- [ ] Attribution uses "said"
- [ ] Dates and times formatted correctly
- [ ] Paragraphs are short
- [ ] Lede is under 35 words
- [ ] No editorializing in news copy
- [ ] Sources are credible and named

### Red flags

- "Very" or "extremely" in news copy
- Exclamation points
- First-person pronouns (unless first-person piece)
- Unattributed opinions
- Passive voice hiding who did what
- Starting sentences with "There is" or "There are"

## Example transformations

**Before (informal notes):**
> Yesterday the Mayor said that he was "very excited" about the new $5,000,000 project that will create over 100 jobs.

**After (AP Style):**
> Mayor John Smith said Tuesday he was "very excited" about the $5 million project, which will create more than 100 jobs.

---

**Before:**
> The meeting started at 9:00 AM on Monday, October 14th, 2024.

**After:**
> The meeting began at 9 a.m. Monday, Oct. 14, 2024.

---

**Before:**
> 5 protesters were arrested at the rally.

**After:**
> Five protesters were arrested at the rally.

---

**Before:**
> Smith stated that he believed the project would be "important."

**After:**
> Smith said he believed the project would be "important."

## House style notes

Different publications have their own style guides that override AP Style. Common variations:

- Oxford comma (AP doesn't use it; many publications do — verify with your editor)
- Courtesy titles (AP doesn't use them; NYT does)
- Web style (AP merged "web site" to "website" in 2010; some legacy guides still split it)

**Always ask about house style before writing for a new publication.**

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*Based on the Associated Press Stylebook. Check the current AP Stylebook (apstylebook.com) for updates and edge cases.*