When I was in college I took a couple of journalism classes, and on occasion the last class would be a wandering sort of tour through the newsroom at the Post-Gazette. On one of these tours we happened across a discussion of whether to put an obituary for Dr. Robert Atkins, inventor of the eponymous diet, on the front page.

It was explained to us that after a great blow-out in 1995, it was decided that, while the front page editor was not a fan of Jerry Garcia, he would give in and place a Garcia obituary on the front page, with the proviso that no one less important than Garcia ever be given that honor. This became known as the Jerry Garcia Rule.

As a result, poor Dr. Atkins recieved a tiny photo and reference to the page where his obit could be found, but no actual article on the front page.

On today’s front page we find a full article, with headline, sub-headline, photo, caption, and five-and-one-half paragraphs before the jump, on the death of Anna Nicole Smith.

I suppose we should take this to mean that the Jerry Garcia Rule is no longer in effect.

Related posts:

1. Headline writers vs. reporters