November 23, 2009
NPR, Emanuel no longer on first-name basis
NPR, Emanuel no longer on first-name basis
After one of its reporters repeatedly referred to Rahm Emanuel simply as "Rahm" in an on-air segment last week, NPR executives have decided such familiar references by reporters will be verboten in the future.
Henceforth, the White House Chief of Staff will be known only as "Rahm Emanuel." The customary second reference using only the person's last name is being set aside in this case because Rahm is rarely referred to as "Emanuel" in Washington circles.
"No one, absolutely no one, refers to Rahm Emanuel as Emanuel, or Mr. Emanuel, or Chief of Staff Emanuel. Therefore our style for him will have to be Rahm Emanuel, both names on first reference and second reference," NPR Washington editor Ron Elving told the network's ombudsman, Alicia Shepard last week.
Shepard said she disagreed with the special second reference for Emanuel and thinks he should simply be called by his last name on second mention, like most others referred to on NPR.
Posted by Josh Gerstein 11:35 PM
Source: http://www.politico.com/blogs/joshgerstein/1109/NPR_Emanuel_no_longer_on_firstname_basis.html
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