DANNY BOY

n.

A news story or column that contains fabricated data.

"He writes in the style of the metro column, a genre that has included some of the best newspaper writing ever, but also its share of 'piping,' making stuff up in the tradition of Damon Runyon, who wrote fiction. (One columnist calls such fabrications 'Danny Boys,' as in 'Danny Boy, the pipes are calling . . .') "

— Richard Turner, "What Was He Thinking?," Newsweek

beat sweetener

bummer beat

horse-race journalism

media culpa

muffin-choker

piping

reefer

thumbsucker

tick-tock

Media and Journalism