National Media Question

[landtuna]

This question really applies to all media, not just radio, but I could not find a more appropriate place to ask.

Why does American media refer to people who are past occupiers of a titled post as still having that post? Example: media still refers to Jimmy Carter as "President Carter" and I have even heard him addressed as "Mr. President". Obviously he is not still in office.

More recently, several reporters addressed several of the Republican presidential candidates as "governor" even though none are currently in that office. One even referred to Sarah Palin as "governor" even though she is long gone and, in fact, never finished her one term.

I wished I had asked my journalism professor all those years ago except that I don't think it was that evident way back then.

 

[KeithE4]

I'm not sure if keeping the title is spelled out in law or is just a tradition in this country. The military does the same thing, at least for high-ranking officers (once a General, always a General).

 

[TheBigA]

Courtesy. The term Mr. President goes back to #1: George Washington. But if someone is a doctor, he is addressed that way too. To be polite, you should address your journalism professor as Professor. And I agree with Post #2 about the military.

 

[landtuna]

I'm not sure if keeping the title is spelled out in law or is just a tradition in this country. The military does the same thing, at least for high-ranking officers (once a General, always a General).

Retired military officers still hold the rank as they are always subject to active recall however if their title is written, e.g., Lt. Gen. John R. Jones (ret.), the "retired" suffix is always used. Not so with ex-presidents, governors etc., since they are not retired but rather just out of office.

Likewise with people who have earned a PhD being addressed as "Doctor". An education degree is a lifelong award so it makes sense that it becomes part of one's address. Again, not so with presidents and other politicians.

The search continues.....

 

[landtuna]

Courtesy. The term Mr. President goes back to #1: George Washington. But if someone is a doctor, he is addressed that way too. To be polite, you should address your journalism professor as Professor. And I agree with Post #2 about the military.

If I was speaking to or writing to my journalism professor I would say or write Professor. Because I used the term as a job description I did not capitalize it.

 

[TheBigA]

If I was speaking to or writing to my journalism professor I would say or write Professor. Because I used the term as a job description I did not capitalize it.

I understand. I wasn't criticizing you.

I doubt you'll find another answer besides courtesy. There is nothing I know of in the Constitution that requires us to refer to former Presidents or Congressmen in a certain way. Perhaps Emily Post or Ann Landers can be of service. Here is one possible source:

http://www.formsofaddress.info/index.html

 

[landtuna]

I understand. I wasn't criticizing you.

I doubt you'll find another answer besides courtesy. There is nothing I know of in the Constitution that requires us to refer to former Presidents or Congressmen in a certain way. Perhaps Emily Post or Ann Landers can be of service. Here is one possible source:

http://www.formsofaddress.info/index.html

Thanks for the link.

 

[KeithE4]

Likewise with people who have earned a PhD being addressed as "Doctor". An education degree is a lifelong award so it makes sense that it becomes part of one's address. Again, not so with presidents and other politicians.

My dad had a PhD in Education. When on campus, regardless of whether or not he was teaching (he spent most of his time as a guidance counselor but also did some teaching), he was addressed as Doctor, but only when on campus. This is opposed to medical doctors or dentists, who are always addressed as Doctor.

But lawyers, who also have Doctorate (Juris Doctor) degrees, are not normally addressed as Doctor.

 

[CTListener]

My dad had a PhD in Education. When on campus, regardless of whether or not he was teaching (he spent most of his time as a guidance counselor but also did some teaching), he was addressed as Doctor, but only when on campus. This is opposed to medical doctors or dentists, who are always addressed as Doctor.

But lawyers, who also have Doctorate (Juris Doctor) degrees, are not normally addressed as Doctor.

Associated Press style is to keep the "Dr." off anyone who doesn't hold a medical degree. So it's Dr. Ben Carson, but the Rev. (not "the Rev. Dr." or "Dr.") Martin Luther King Jr. It's not intended to disrespect all those other doctorates but rather not to confuse the average reader/listener, who thinks stethoscope and scalpel, not clerical collar or gavel, when he reads/hears "doctor."

I dated the daughter of a dean while in college. He liked to be addressed as "Dr."

 

[landtuna]

After a cursory search through the link provided by BigA I learned the following:

When addressing someone who is no longer in the previously titled role, non-military, it is customary to address that person using the highest honorific title they had earned. So, if you are addressing the former mayor of your town the proper address would be "Mayor So-and-so" even though he/she is no longer in office (presuming that the office of mayor is the highest personal achievement they had made).

Retired military, both enlisted and officer, are supposed to be addressed as <rank> <name> (Ret.) Non-retired military veterans do not use their military rank.

The link does make for interesting reading. I never realized the list of honorifics was so long or detailed but if you need to know how to address the Minister of Tomatoes for the country of Iguana - it's in there.