AP’s Brendan Farrington Talks Style at Capital Chapter’s June Food for Thought
| Written by: Karen Kirksey
Award-winning Associated Press correspondent Brendan Farrington reviewed AP Stylebook changes at the FPRA Capital Chapter’s recent Food for Thought luncheon. “AP Style 2011: What’s New, What Should Pros Already Know?” was held on June 27 at the Florida Institute of CPAs.
The AP Stylebook is considered a “bible” by many journalists. According to Farrington, “The AP Stylebook is essential for what we do.” It’s a tool that’s used to make sure copy is readable. “We notice,” he told the group of mostly public relations professionals, “when we get a press release that’s not written in AP style.”
Farrington said the 2011 book has an expanded section on Social Media Guidelines, including everything from LOL (Laughing Out Loud) to ROFL (Rolling On the Floor Laughing), “taking it a step further.” It has a Food Guidelines section and also includes style for recipes.
Farrington explained that some newspapers, such as the New York Times, have their own style, but the vast majority will defer to AP style.
He noted that the AP Stylebook has 60,000 followers on Twitter and an AP Stylebook app for Blackberry smartphones was released this year. It joins the app for iPhone/iPod Touch already in stores. Of all the changes in the new AP Stylebook, Farrington said the former Web site, which is now website, “caused quite a stir.”
Two attendees won the drawing for a web subscription and a hard copy edition of the 2011 AP Stylebook, compliments of Farrington and the Associated Press. Food for Thought was coordinated by the Capital Chapter’s Professional Development Chair, Jan Dobson.