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 Post subject: ... he told the pretentious organization
PostPosted: Wed Jan 29, 2003 2:53 am 
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Joined: Fri Jun 07, 2002 12:01 am
Posts: 840
Location: Ashland, Ore.
Something that has always rubbed me the wrong way is a quote that precedes "told The Associated Press."<p>Pardon my colorful metaphor, but if this is an AP story, no shit.<p>At my last paper, we left those things in -- at the same time, we absolutely refused to use "told the Daily News-Record." The only time it came up was when a reporter had a one-on-one interview with (Virginia) Gov. Mark Warner. The consensus decision was that it didn't really matter to whom he gave the quote, so long as the quote was there for us to use.<p>At my current paper, I was told on day one to change every "told The Associated Press" to "said" (not to reopen an old thread). This seems reasonable, and it sometimes means an extra graf at the end of the AP story.<p>How do your papers handle such constructions?


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 Post subject: Re: ... he told the pretentious organization
PostPosted: Wed Jan 29, 2003 2:55 am 
I take out the "told the Associated Press." The reader doesn't care.


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 Post subject: Re: ... he told the pretentious organization
PostPosted: Wed Jan 29, 2003 5:49 am 
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Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2002 12:01 am
Posts: 1775
Location: Baltimore
would be useful attribution if the story were NOT an AP story. otherwise, use our buddy, "said."<p>[ January 29, 2003: Message edited by: Wayne Countryman ]</p>


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 Post subject: Re: ... he told the pretentious organization
PostPosted: Wed Jan 29, 2003 3:08 pm 
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Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2002 12:01 am
Posts: 476
Location: Twin Cities
Then there's the "said in an interview" or "said in a press conference." Unless there is a particular need to highlight the way a person said something (such as "said in a statement through his lawyer") I usually make those a plain "said" as well.


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 Post subject: Re: ... he told the pretentious organization
PostPosted: Thu Jan 30, 2003 10:37 am 
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Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2002 12:01 am
Posts: 3135
Location: Albuquerque, N.M. USA
And don't forget "told reporters."<p>Isn't that usually how quotes end up in the paper?


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