Yep...you're exactly right Mike. I've said before that this little
"rule" is partially why metric has had a harder time being accepted
in the United States.....because people aren't exposed to it on a
more common basis! If they were, they'd get it quicker and become
more accustomed to hearing is spoken/read.
Problem is, how do we convince the AP to allow writers to use metric
only or at least include metric (Mandatory) in every reference to measure?
That seems to me to be a bigger hurdle to jump than getting the
government in-line. I've never understood these AP rules against
the metric system, but there they are.
Not only AP run news, but also most journalism is written to the AP
rules..regardless of involvement with the AP itself.
At 15:20 2008-06-16, Michael Palumbo wrote:
I met a nice young lady over the weekend who is a reporter for the
Burlington County Times in southern New Jersey. She informed me,
during the course of our discussion, that she must write in
English/Customary units, as metric is not allowed by the AP style guides.
I asked if she could send me some text of it, here's what I just
received from her.
"Hey Mike,
This is from the 2007 AP stylebook, you have to be a member to
search the online version:
For U.S. members, use metric terms only in situations where they are
universally accepted forms of measurement (16 mm film) or where the
metric distance is an important number in itself: "He vowed to walk
100 kilometers (62 miles) in a week."
Seems even if reporters wanted to write in metric, they couldn't, or
their editors would have to change it to get it run by the AP.
Ideas?
-Mike
