Finally, Again, Permanently, Stop Writing "Lede"

You schmucks who use ridiculous journo-terms make me crazy! Finally, someone is willing to speak out against the use of “lede” in public. Because, ha ha, sucka, there’s no reason for it! (Plus, MOST OF YOU ARE JUST BLOGGERS.) So: “’Lede’ is an invention of linotype romanticists, not something used in newsrooms of the linotype era,” writes Howard Owens. Great, that’s settled. (Also there are still bloggers who file stories with “#30#” or some variant thereof. GUESS WHAT? I know your story ends there, because the Microsoft Word or Google Doc ENDS THERE TOO.) Now, what really gets my goat is New York Times editors who use the phrase “lede-all” in public, which is a specific term for a kind of story at the Times. Twitter is outward-facing! We don’t work in your Renzo Piano building! Stop using wonky insider work terms that no one knows about or cares about! I’M LOOKING AT YOU, SAM SIFTON.