COVID-19 or Covid-19? A Quick Survey.

The LA Times continues to use all caps for COVID-19.Kevin Drum

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How is the American press referring to COVID-19? Here’s a quick, semi-random survey:

  • New York Times: Covid-19
  • Washington Post: covid-19
  • Wall Street Journal: Covid-19
  • LA Times: COVID-19
  • USA Today: COVID-19
  • CNN: Covid-19
  • Fox: COVID-19
  • ABC: COVID-19
  • NBC: COVID-19
  • CBS: COVID-19
  • AP Style: COVID-19
  • Politico: Covid-19
  • Stat: Covid-19
  • San Francisco Chronicle: COVID-19
  • Time: COVID-19

Among these outlets, the score is 9-6 in favor of keeping it all caps. Mother Jones generally follows AP style, so it’s all caps for us too.

In case you’re wondering, British style is to use uppercase for acronyms that are pronounced as separate letters when spoken but lowercase for acronyms that are pronounced as words when spoken. So NASA is Nasa and COVID is Covid, while FBI is FBI and USA is USA.

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What’s independent journalism worth to you?

Our news will always be free to read, watch, and listen to online. But what is its value?

Unbiased reporting on the issues that billionaire-owned newsrooms won’t touch. Fearless research into the dark corners of government and corporations. Ferociously fact-checked news that focuses on the facts, and the facts alone.

It IS free for you and every reader, viewer, and listener to utilize. But it’s not free for our team to make. So, what’s it worth to you? Let us know by making a donation: Make a one-time donation today to support this work. Or make a monthly sustaining donation to help us plan for the future.

Whatever you choose, know that you’re supporting more independent, investigative journalism in a time when we need it most.

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