Stylebook Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

For those of us in the PR world, few things are more exciting then when the Associated Press (AP) makes changes to their Stylebook. What they add, subtract and change provide a record of our changing culture and values, much like Webster’s Dictionary’s. Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes…gotta love David Bowie.

If you don’t know, the AP Stylebook is the writing style guide for journalists and PR professionals. There are very few news outlets around the country who don’t adhere to the AP Stylebook rules, which is why it is crucial that PR pros follow these standards.

“Updated regularly since its initial publication in 1953, the AP Stylebook is a must-have reference for writers, editors, students and professionals” the AP website reads. “It provides fundamental guidelines for spelling, language, punctuation, usage and journalistic style. It is the definitive resource for journalists.”

At Koch Comm, we know how important it is to keep up to date and we subscribe to AP’s weekly emails to stay in the loop. Sometimes the changes strike our funny bone, some show how our culture is shifting. One example of this was on May 1, 2016, when web and internet became lowercase words. It was a huge change for those who remember the shrill sounds and patience of dial-up.

“Keeping up on AP style changes is really about serving your client the best way you can,” Nick Trougakos, Account Director for Koch Comm, said. “When you send out a press release to a newsroom, magazine, newspaper, or whoever, you want them to use it exactly how you wrote it. It lets you control the content, which is better for your client.”

We couldn’t agree more. Staying up on AP style changes not only helps us better serve our clients, but it also fosters trust from the journalists whom we’ve built relationships with over time.