Launching the Reader's Guide to Journalists

Why did the writer use that word? Why did the cable crew emphasize that angle over another? Why is that story played where it is? If you're a journalist, you can figure out what they were thinking, but if you're not, much of journalism can look like a Pollock painting. 

From time to time, I'm rolling out the Reader's Guide to Journalists, so that one day, when we've all been replaced by social media and cable gossip, readers can rise up and begin cloning real, honest-to-God journalists. 

From my journalist and ex-journalist friends, I solicit further rules, for which — observing one of the Rules — you'll get proper credit. If we can crowdsource this, we might be able to help confused readers and viewers of the distant future revive our craft.

The Reader's Guide to Journalists | Submit a rule