The Mainstream Media (MSM) pretends to be fair and objective, but there is one solid obstacle in the way of that portrayal that they cannot deny: the AP Stylebook. The guide originated in order to provide consistency in style, such as no Oxford comma. But in recent years, it has broadened to instructing journalists what words or phrases to use.
I've written about these changes previously, and in each new revision, the guide gets progressively worse (pun intended). Incredibly, the most recent version, the 57th edition spanning 2024-2026, arrogantly admits in the foreword that it has expanded from 60 pages in 1953 that covered "capitalization, punctuation, grammar and spelling," to over 500 pages that "also offer guidelines on a number of significant topics of our times."
Much of the guide consists of lectures on progressive values and why they are supposedly correct, as a justification for forcing them into the language. For example, when instructing journalists not to use the word "woke," it states, "Some people and groups, especially conservatives, now use it in a derogatory sense implying what they see as overreactions."
A lengthy section titled "Inclusive Storytelling" goes on and on about how journalists must seek quotes from diverse, underrepresented people. It provides examples, such as "[d]escribing the unique obstacles faced by gay people who came out later in life" and "[e]xplaining what has led women of color to become a growing force…" It instructs journalists to seek out "a Black female researcher focusing on vaccination rates among children, or a Latino teacher on strike in Chicago, or a gay couple struggling to make ends meet during the pandemic." Another section on "Unconscious/Implicit Bias" tells journalists to "check yourself."
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The guide says to avoid using "terrorist" or "terrorism." Instead, merely describe the actions, e.g., "massacres," "bombings," and "assassinations." A section about Christopher Columbus said he "dealt brutally" with the Native Americans.
Journalists are instructed to use "assault weapons" or "assault rifles" to describe AR-15s in headlines, "because that is how the group of firearms has become commonly known," and prohibits the correct terminology, "modern sporting rifles." There is zero discussion of how that is inaccurate because it confuses people into thinking the guns are more deadly or militaristic than they really are, and ignores the fact that the firearms community refers to them as AR-15s. And the only reason those phrases have become common is due to the MSM's constant dishonest use of them.
"Climate change" has been expanded to use "climate crisis," too, with two paragraphs explaining how it is "largely caused by human activities that emit carbon dioxide, methane and other gases…"
The words "male" and "female" are now restricted: "New guidance to avoid using male and female as modifiers that could convey assumptions about gender roles, such as male nurse, male nanny, female bodybuilder." Journalists must use "search" instead of "manhunt." Since "Frosty the Snowman" is a character's name, the guide helpfully suggests referring to it as "Frosty." Journalists can no longer refer to women as "blondes" or "brunettes," or use the words "manhole," "mankind," "manmade," "gentleman," "lady," "mistress," "hostess," or "heroine."
The French language assigns a male or female gender to all nouns. Can you imagine the difficulty in removing this? And yep, there's already a movement starting to do that.
The guide said "gender is a spectrum, not a binary construction consisting of only males and females," so avoid using language like "both genders" or "opposite sexes." "Transgender" cannot be used as a noun. Deadnaming and phrases like "biological male" are prohibited, while cisgender is acceptable.
If the phrase "gay conversion therapy" is used, "[a]lways include the disclaimer that it is discredited." "Homophobic" and "homophobia" are acceptable. LGBT is now LGBTQ since it's "more inclusive."
The guide said to "[a]void the modifier obese when possible" and instead ask people how they want to be described. The words "homeless" and "unhoused" must be avoided.
Journalists can no longer use "so-called," since it's "derogatory." Similarly, they cannot use the words "claimed," "admitted," or "conceded" since they're "judgmental."
The guide said to avoid the phrase "pro-life;" instead, use "anti-abortion" or "abortion rights," and "fetus" instead of "unborn child" or "unborn baby." The words "alcoholic," "addict," "user," "abuser," and "clean" in reference to addicts are prohibited.
Other words that are banned include "right to work," "antisemite," "Third World," "child-free," "childless," "the disabled," "the blind," "mentally ill," "illegitimate child," "special needs," "special education," "killing spree," "Indian summer," "warpath," "powwow," "circle the wagons" and "hold down the fort." The word "looters" is discouraged.
My previous articles went over how "illegal immigrant" cannot be used, and now even "unauthorized immigrant" is unacceptable. "Anchor babies," "catch and release," "self-deportation," and "chain migration" are prohibited.
In regard to race, the guide said not to use "unarmed Black man," "mixed race," "brown," "reverse discrimination," or "thug."
The guide even protects its own from the dreaded phrase "mainstream media," instructing journalists to avoid "writing in a way that implies media are monolithic."
The definition of "lawyer" was flat out wrong. It said a lawyer is "a person admitted to practice in a court system." A lawyer is merely someone who has obtained a law degree, in contrast to an attorney, who must be a member of a bar.
About the only fair guidance was prohibiting the words "X-mas," "anti-vaxxer," "climate change denier," "people with uteruses," and "birthing people." But I guarantee you future revisions will adapt those as they get more radical.
This doesn't even include all the guidance that has been omitted due to pushback, nor much of the second half of the AP Stylebook, which was all more lectures.
With this type of language construction, there is no way MSM journalists can be fair; the system is rigged against them. It's overdue for a conservative news organization to come out with a competing, fair version. Sounds like something Elon Musk could champion.
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