Change the style guides. 3 percent is NOT the same as 3.0 percent

Change the style guides. 3 percent is NOT the same as 3.0 percent

I am so sick of news organizations making this error. Here’s some text that from an article about inflation that appeared in the New York Times Friday. The Personal Consumption Expenditures index climbed 3 percent in the year through June, data released Friday showed, in line with what economists had expected. That was a slowdown from 3.8…

What we can learn from 8 New York Times columnists saying they were wrong

What we can learn from 8 New York Times columnists saying they were wrong

As a person who once made his living making predictions, I’m fascinated by how public figures speak about what they were wrong about. The New York Times created a natural exercise in studying that when it published eight “I was wrong” columns by its regular columnists on Sunday. And we learned that like all humans,…

The New York Times says Accenture gets $500m for Facebook moderation. Why is this news?

The New York Times says Accenture gets $500m for Facebook moderation. Why is this news?

Yesterday, the New York Times published a piece called “The Silent Partner Cleaning Up Facebook for $500 Million a Year.” Was it actually news, and should it change anything? What’s the news here? Here’s what’s in the article, most of which is far from shocking. Much of it repeats the revelations in an excellent exposé…

The Rationalist Papers (5): Big hat, no cattle
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The Rationalist Papers (5): Big hat, no cattle

Who is Donald Trump? Who is Joe Biden? What are their accomplishments, and how can we view their character? We may have more information about these two candidates than we’ve ever had in any other presidential election — especially with the recent information that the New York Times revealed about President Trump’s tax filings. Just…

As you read news, be hyper-aware of passive voice headlines
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As you read news, be hyper-aware of passive voice headlines

The New York Times tweeted this over the weekend: At this moment in time, there are hidden stories in the choices that headline writers write. An active voice headline tells who did what. Two of these headlines are passive. A passive voice headline tells what happened, but hides the who. Minneapolis: A photographer was shot…

Inside the New York Times Editorial Board presidential endorsement
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Inside the New York Times Editorial Board presidential endorsement

What follows is a transcript of a secret recording of the meeting last week of the New York Times Editorial Board as it discussed who it will endorse for President in 2020. Moderator: Okay, everyone, settle down. We have a momentous responsibility today. As you know, all the best people who are deciding who to…

Note to FedEx: schoolyard taunts are a poor PR strategy
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Note to FedEx: schoolyard taunts are a poor PR strategy

On Sunday, the New York Times published a critique of the way that the shipper FedEx cut its federal tax bill to zero. Rather than defending itself, FedEx lashed out at the finances of the Times. While such tactics may be working for politicians, they’re no way for a public company to behave. Here’s the…