“A clear sentence is no accident. Very few sentences come out right the first time, or even the third time. Remember this in moments of despair. If you find that writing is hard, it’s because… Read More
For most of the last stretch of my career, I was a senior producer with CBC News in St. John’s, and for much of that time, I frequently sent out a note to colleagues in… Read More
One of the peculiarities of journalism is hewing to a phrase that is the right usage, yet does not appear to be grammatically correct. An example is the Tim Hortons coffee chain, and another is the Sobeys supermarket chain…. Read More
“My parents were less than thrilled when they got the news. I can understand that: a life in the arts is chancy in at least a hundred ways, ninety of them financial. My mother said,… Read More
In early 1986, the British TV series Yes, Prime Minister aired a scene that remains stunningly relevant with its lessons about political manipulation, polling, media literacy and public policy. The series was a sequel to… Read More
As rock managers went, Ian Faith always looked for the best way to frame a situation … and to take advantage of a poorly worded question, too. Ian Faith, of course, never existed. Played by… Read More
“Manuscript: something submitted in haste and returned at leisure.”— Oliver Herford The quote of the day is about something freelancers will know well. It’s also, alas, a bit of an anachronism. Gifted in multiple ways… Read More
If I were to play you two slightly different versions of a radio news report, or perhaps one for television, I wonder if you could tell the difference. I bet you could. The content, structure… Read More