The San Francisco Chronicle is joining the list of publications that will not print the name of Washington’s NFL team, the paper’s managing editor confirms to Washingtonian.
“Our long-standing policy is to not use racial slurs—and make no mistake, ‘redskin’ is a slur—except in cases where it would be confusing to the reader to write around it,” Audrey Cooper writes in an e-mail. Going forward, the Chronicle will use the name in coverage of the ongoing controversy surrounding its use, but when it comes to coverage of the National Football League—for instance the San Francisco 49ers’ trip to FedEx Field on November 25—it will simply go with “Washington.”
Cooper says the change was recommended by one of the paper’s columnists and then considered by its style committee. The Chronicle plans to run a short explanation to readers in the paper.
In dropping the name of Washington’s football team, the Chronicle is adding itself to the Kansas City Star, Washington City Paper, DCist, Slate, the New Republic, Mother Jones, and several NFL columnists, such as Sports Illustrated’sPeter King. The Chronicle’s decision to stop using the team’s name could be one of the more impactful. The paper has a daily circulation of nearly 219,000 (301,000 on Sundays) and, unlike most of the publications that do not use the team’s name, publishes a daily sports section.
“Words are powerful, and so is how we choose to use them,” Cooper adds.
Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.
San Francisco Chronicle Will Stop Printing “Redskins”
“Make no mistake, ‘redskin’ is a slur,” the paper's managing editor says.
The San Francisco Chronicle is joining the list of publications that will not print the name of Washington’s NFL team, the paper’s managing editor confirms to Washingtonian.
“Our long-standing policy is to not use racial slurs—and make no mistake, ‘redskin’ is a slur—except in cases where it would be confusing to the reader to write around it,” Audrey Cooper writes in an e-mail. Going forward, the Chronicle will use the name in coverage of the ongoing controversy surrounding its use, but when it comes to coverage of the National Football League—for instance the San Francisco 49ers’ trip to FedEx Field on November 25—it will simply go with “Washington.”
Cooper says the change was recommended by one of the paper’s columnists and then considered by its style committee. The Chronicle plans to run a short explanation to readers in the paper.
In dropping the name of Washington’s football team, the Chronicle is adding itself to the Kansas City Star, Washington City Paper, DCist, Slate, the New Republic, Mother Jones, and several NFL columnists, such as Sports Illustrated’s Peter King. The Chronicle’s decision to stop using the team’s name could be one of the more impactful. The paper has a daily circulation of nearly 219,000 (301,000 on Sundays) and, unlike most of the publications that do not use the team’s name, publishes a daily sports section.
“Words are powerful, and so is how we choose to use them,” Cooper adds.
Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.
Most Popular in News & Politics
What It Felt Like for a Virginia Marching Band to Win Metallica’s Contest
Meet the 2023 Washingtonians of the Year
What’s IN and OUT in DC Restaurant Trends for 2024
Introducing 8 of DC’s Most Stylish
Washingtonian Magazine
May 2024: Great Getaways
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
13 Major Concerts and Music Festivals in the DC Area This Spring
Mary Timony on Her Emotional New Album, “Untame the Tiger”
The Beatles in DC: A New Exhibit in Maryland Looks Back on Early Beatlemania
Northern Virginia High School Wins Metallica’s Marching Band Competition
More from News & Politics
Former Fiola GM Convicted of Murder Is Now in a Netflix Docuseries
These 5 DC Traffic Cams Are Issuing the Most Tickets Right Now
Farewell to Crystal City Underground, the DC Area’s Strangest Mall
Washington DC’s 500 Most Influential People of 2024
Inside the Urgent Effort to Preserve Black Newspapers
Maryland Has Renamed an Invasive Fish. Will It Matter?
Meet the 2024 Washington Women in Journalism Award Winners
In the Doghouse: Kristi Noem and 5 Other Canine Political Scandals