# Newspaper stories that are killed by editors. What are they called? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 24, 2002, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newspaper-stories-that-are-killed-by-editors-what-are-they-called/133697 "2002-10-24T15:31:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newspaper-stories-that-are-killed-by-editors-what-are-they-called/133697/1 "2002-10-24T15:31:37Z")
Although my question fit nicely in the title, I thought I should actually add an OP. So, if anyone in the newspaper business can tell me what the “lingo” is for a story that is written and submitted, but not run because an editor thought it was inappropriate, I’d greatly appreciate it. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newspaper-stories-that-are-killed-by-editors-what-are-they-called/133697/2 "2002-10-24T15:59:47Z")
Spiked. (not that I’m in the newspaper business) ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newspaper-stories-that-are-killed-by-editors-what-are-they-called/133697/3 "2002-10-24T16:09:33Z")
“Killed” also works quite nicely. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newspaper-stories-that-are-killed-by-editors-what-are-they-called/133697/4 "2002-10-24T16:11:38Z")
Beat me to it. However, I will add that the term comes from the big metal spike that would sit on the editor’s desk and on which the unfortunate rejects would be impaled. (The articles, that is, not the journalists, although some editors may have gone further…) That’s what I was told when I first entered the business, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newspaper-stories-that-are-killed-by-editors-what-are-they-called/133697/5 "2002-10-24T16:51:12Z")
This does not answer the OP. The story is spiked. But is there a word for a story which has been spiked? ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newspaper-stories-that-are-killed-by-editors-what-are-they-called/133697/6 "2002-10-24T17:58:29Z")
> [@](#): > > But is there a word for a story which has been spiked? Well, the editor and the journalist in question could both probably think of a few words, but AFAIK there isn’t a special term for the story itself, other than “spiked copy” or “a spiked story”. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newspaper-stories-that-are-killed-by-editors-what-are-they-called/133697/7 "2002-10-24T19:29:29Z")
I (in magazines) have never heard of a word-word name for a killed story. And we usu. speak of the story as having been killed, rather than spiked. Contracts with freelancers even sometimes stipulate a specific “Kill Fee”–a dollar amount (usually smaller…sometimes 50% of the commission) to be paid to the writer in the event that the article is editorially acceptable but can’t be published for whatever reason (politics, space, etc.). ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newspaper-stories-that-are-killed-by-editors-what-are-they-called/133697/8 "2002-10-24T19:40:59Z")
“one-word”, not “word-word” doh-doh ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newspaper-stories-that-are-killed-by-editors-what-are-they-called/133697/9 "2002-10-24T22:50:00Z")
A lifetime newspaper man here. Killed-story. a dead-story and spiked-story have all been used within my hearing. Although once when an editor asked why I still had the notes from a dead story on my 'puter, I responded that the story was not actually dead, it was “only resting.” He was not amused. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newspaper-stories-that-are-killed-by-editors-what-are-they-called/133697/10 "2002-10-24T23:05:31Z")
> [@](#): > > Newspaper stories that are killed by editors. What are they called? Liberal, elitist, self-important, scumbags! Oh, you mean what are the **stories** called… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newspaper-stories-that-are-killed-by-editors-what-are-they-called/133697/11 "2002-10-25T00:09:28Z")
I’ll agree with all of the above. (Well, except **Hail Ants** … Some of or editors are really cool.) I’ve worked in newspapers and magazines, and I heard “killed” in magazines (as well as “kill-fee,” which sounds a lot more badass than it is). And at my present job (daily paper) I hear “spiked” for stories. And I haven’t heard a term for the actual stories. -30- ---
**Author:** ![I\_am\_Sparticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@I\_am\_Sparticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_am_Sparticus)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newspaper-stories-that-are-killed-by-editors-what-are-they-called/133697/12 "2002-10-25T05:29:43Z")
Yep, killed or spiked. But why: - ``` 3 0 - ``` ? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newspaper-stories-that-are-killed-by-editors-what-are-they-called/133697/13 "2002-10-25T10:03:24Z")
Why -30-? The usually explanation is given as it standing for -XXX- at the end of a story and some smart-ass wrote it out as a 30. However, it seems the real explanation has to do with telegraph code. Lemme fish around google…Ah, [ur=“[http://www.oaklandtribune.com/Stories/0,1413,82%7E1752%7E815583,00.html](http://www.oaklandtribune.com/Stories/0,1413,82%257E1752%257E815583,00.html)”]here’s one which gives both stories. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newspaper-stories-that-are-killed-by-editors-what-are-they-called/133697/14 "2002-10-25T10:04:40Z")
[… … … -](http://www.oaklandtribune.com/Stories/0,1413,82%257E1752%257E815583,00.html)