A Nov. 14 NewsBusters post by Tom Blumer bashes a Greenville (South Carolina) News reporter for referring to Catholic priest Jay Scott Newman — who has declared that parishoners who voted for Barack Obama should not accept Communion until they have done penance — as “the Rev. Jay Scott Newman”:
Note to Greenville News reporter Ben Szobody: It’s “Father Newman” or “Fr. Newman” every time his name appears, not “The Rev” when you feel like it. This should not be “controversial” (a favorite media word for “majority or accepted opinion we journalists don’t like”), but it almost surely will be.
In fact, it appears that Szobody has correctly followed longstanding AP reporting style, which is to use “the Rev.” for all ministers and priests — including Catholic priests — on first reference and the last name only on subsequent references.
There’s noting “controversial” about what the reporter did here. Blumer shouldn’t pretend that there is.