Some time ago, we had occasion to write in these pages about the punny tendencies of newspaper headline writers, and how they seem to be bigger groaners the further you move from the front page.
Turns out that it's not much better when you hit the first paragraph, infamously know among copy editors as the "lede" (this is the sort of jargon that SC objects to; what's wrong with "lead", which is pronounced identically and means the same thing?). From Reuters, a story about Krispy Kreme's enormous drop in stock price on lower earnings today:
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. on Friday cut its earnings forecast and set plans to overhaul operations as doughnut and bread sales get battered by consumer fascination with low-carbohydrate diets.
Well 'lead' pr. [led] already has two meanings in typesetting: the metal of the type, and the vertical space between lines. So 'lede' for [li:d] is actually a significantly useful differentiation.
Journalism jargon:
http://www.freep.com/jobspage/high/jargon.htm
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The World-Herald once came close to losing its independent status.
In 1962 the paper was about to be sold to the Newhouse chain. Then
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