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Style Guide

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Daily Newspaper Style Guide

This style guide ensures consistency across all editions of the daily newspaper. It applies to both human editors and large language models (LLMs) during the final polishing stage, after core content (articles, headlines, images, etc.) has been drafted. The goal is to maintain a professional, readable, and uniform appearance, fostering reader trust and brand recognition. Adhere strictly to these rules unless overridden by specific editorial decisions.

1. Overall Structure and Layout

  • Edition Header (Masthead): Every edition must start with a centered masthead block including:
    • Volume and issue details, day, date, and price in uppercase, small caps or equivalent, on one line (e.g., “VOL. I, NO. 47 • SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2026 • PRICE: ONE MOMENT OF ATTENTION”), centered, in 10-12pt font.
    • Newspaper name in bold, uppercase, large font (e.g., 48pt), split across two lines if needed (e.g., “THE GLOBAL” on first line, “CONNECTOR” on second), centered.
    • Tagline in quotes, italic, below the name (e.g., “Tracing the threads that hold the world together—before they snap”), centered, in 14pt font.
    • A horizontal rule (---) below the masthead for separation.
    • Example in markdown approximation: 
      VOL. I, NO. 47 • SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2026 • PRICE: ONE MOMENT OF ATTENTION

THE GLOBAL
CONNECTOR

*"Tracing the threads that hold the world together—before they snap"*

---
  • Background and Visual Style: Aim for a newspaper-like background in digital formats (e.g., light beige or subtle paper texture via CSS if possible; in plain markdown, note as a design instruction for rendering).
  • Sections: Organize content into a themed newsletter format rather than rigid categories. Start with an introductory article, followed by 4-6 main stories, and end with an editorial. Each story should stand alone but tie into the edition’s theme.
    • Introductory article: Begins immediately after masthead, with a main headline in bold, title case.
    • Main stories: Each starts with a bold headline, followed by a subheadline in italic.
    • Editorial: Labeled as “EDITORIAL” in uppercase, bold, with its own headline.
    • Separate sections with ❧ ❧ ❧ or similar decorative dividers.
    • Limit total content to 2000-3000 words for a daily edition.
  • Page Breaks/Flow: In digital formats, use markdown or HTML breaks for readability. Aim for a “print-like” flow: no more than 800-1000 words per “page” equivalent. Use drop caps for the first letter of major articles.
  • Footer: End every edition with:
    • A horizontal rule.
    • Production Note: A paragraph explaining the collaboration between human and AI, verification process, and encouragement of skepticism (e.g., “Production Note: This edition… Your skepticism remains appropriate and encouraged.”).
    • Coming Next: A teaser for the next edition (e.g., “Coming Next Week: [Theme]—examining [details]. Also: [additional hook].”).
    • Copyright notice: ”© 2026 [Newspaper Name]. All rights reserved.”
    • Contact info: “Editor: [Name/Email] | Submissions: [Email]“.
    • No page count; end with a clean close.

2. Typography and Formatting

  • Fonts (for digital/print equivalents):
    • Headlines: Serif font (e.g., Times New Roman or Georgia), bold, 18-24pt.
    • Subheadlines: Serif, italic, 14-16pt.
    • Body Text: Serif, regular, 12pt.
    • Captions/Quotes: Sans-serif (e.g., Arial or Helvetica), 10pt, italic.
    • Use markdown equivalents: # for main headlines, for sections, bold for emphasis, italic for quotes/subtle emphasis.
  • Drop Caps: Introduce new articles or major sections with a drop cap for the first letter (e.g., large, bold initial like Welcome). In markdown, approximate with W and continue the paragraph; in rendered formats, use CSS for 3-4 line height drop.
  • Headlines:
    • Main article headlines: Capitalize major words (title case), no period at end.
    • Keep to 1-2 lines (under 70 characters).
    • Example: “Everything Is Connected (By Very Fragile Stuff)”
  • Body Text:
    • Paragraphs: 3-5 sentences each, separated by a blank line.
    • Line length: 60-80 characters for readability.
    • Bullet points for lists (e.g., key facts): Use - or * with consistent indentation.
    • Tables: Use markdown tables for data. Align columns left for text, right for numbers.
  • Pull Quotes (Drop Quotes): Insert 1-2 per story, centered, in a boxed or indented block, larger font (14pt), italic, with quotation marks. Place mid-article for emphasis. Example in markdown: 
    > "The tech giants in California scream about latency and 'packet loss,' viewing the outage as a software bug. The ship captain knows the truth: the internet is just a wire in the ocean."
  • Emphasis:
    • Bold (text) for key terms or names on first mention.
    • Italics (text) for book titles, foreign words, or emphasis.
    • Avoid ALL CAPS except in headers.
    • No underlining except for hyperlinks.
  • Punctuation and Spacing:
    • Use Oxford comma in lists (e.g., “apples, oranges, and bananas”).
    • Single space after periods.
    • Em-dashes (—) for interruptions, en-dashes (–) for ranges (e.g., 2025–2026).
    • Block quotes: Indent with > or use italics in a separate paragraph for quotes longer than 2 lines.

3. Language and Tone

  • Style Standard: Follow Associated Press (AP) style for grammar, spelling, and abbreviations.
    • Numbers: Spell out 1-9, use numerals for 10+ (except at sentence start).
    • Dates: “Jan. 12, 2026” (abbreviate months when with day).
    • Titles: “President Joe Biden” on first reference, “Biden” thereafter.
    • Avoid jargon; explain acronyms on first use (e.g., “Artificial Intelligence (AI)”).
  • Tone: Neutral, factual, and objective for news stories, with a witty, reflective edge. Editorial may be more opinionated but balanced. Overall voice: Professional, concise, engaging—aim for a reading level of 8th-10th grade. Use direct address like “dear reader” in intros.
  • Length Guidelines:
    • Introductory article: 200-400 words.
    • Main stories: 300-500 words each.
    • Editorial: 400-600 words.
    • Avoid fluff; prioritize who, what, when, where, why, how, with thematic connections.
  • Inclusivity: Use gender-neutral language (e.g., “they” instead of “he/she”). Avoid biased terms; represent diverse perspectives fairly.
  • For Further Reading: Perspectives: At the end of each story and editorial, include a “FOR FURTHER READING: PERSPECTIVES” section. Use PRO (green box) and CON (red box) for balanced views. Each entry: Bold label (PRO or CON), title in quotes, source with hyperlink. Approximate boxes in markdown with code blocks or tables; in rendered formats, use colored backgrounds (e.g., light green for PRO, light red for CON). Example: 
    FOR FURTHER READING: PERSPECTIVES

**PRO** "Why Governments Must Control Cable Repair" — Parliament UK Joint Committee Report  
Source: [publications.parliament.uk](https://publications.parliament.uk) (September 2025)

**CON** "Sabotage Fears Outpace Evidence" — TeleGeography Analysis  
Source: [blog.telegeography.com](https://blog.telegeography.com) (2025)

4. Images and Media

  • Placement: Insert images after the first or second paragraph of relevant articles. Use 1-2 per article max. No images in this example, but if used, tie to stories (e.g., maps for cables, illustrations for AI).
  • Formatting:
    • Size: Medium (e.g., 400-600px wide) for main images; thumbnails for galleries.
    • Alignment: Center with wrapping text if possible.
    • In text-based formats, describe images in brackets: [Image: Description of scene, credit: Source].
  • Captions: Below images, in italics, 1-2 sentences. Include credit (e.g., “Photo by Jane Doe / Reuters”).
  • Alt Text (for digital): Provide descriptive alt text for accessibility (e.g., “A bustling city street during rush hour”).
  • Usage Rules: Only relevant, high-quality images. No stock photos unless necessary; prefer originals or credited sources.

5. Editing and Proofing Checklist

Before finalizing:

  • Consistency Check: Ensure all sections follow the structure. Cross-reference dates, names, facts, and thematic ties.
  • Grammar/Spelling: Run through a tool like Grammarly or manual review. Use American English (e.g., “color” not “colour”).
  • Fact-Checking: Verify claims with sources; add inline citations if needed (e.g., [Source: Reuters]).
  • Readability: Read aloud for flow. Break up dense text with subheads, pull quotes, or bullets.
  • LLM-Specific Notes: If using an LLM for polishing, prompt with: “Apply the style guide to this draft: [insert content]. Ensure consistency in structure, tone, formatting, including drop caps, pull quotes, and perspectives sections.”
  • Variations: Minor deviations allowed for special editions (e.g., holidays), but document changes.

This guide should be reviewed annually or as needed. For questions, contact the editor-in-chief. By following these rules, each edition will maintain a polished, predictable look that readers can rely on.

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