- For the episode of The Wire see –30– (The Wire). For the 1959 film, see -30- (film).
–30– has been traditionally used by journalists to indicate the end of a story. There are many theories about how the usage came into being.[1] It was telegraphic shorthand to signify the end of a story in the Civil War era.[2] Other theories include that the "-30-" originated when stories were written in longhand; X marked the end of a sentence, XX the end of a paragraph, and XXX meant the end of a story. The Roman numerals XXX translate to 30.
The expression "No 30" at the end of a page (or a transmitted submission) signifies that the story isn't completed, and the recipient is to expect additional material. This helps to avoid inadvertent truncation.
In popular culture
- -30- (film), a motion picture about work in a Los Angeles newspaper
- –30– (The Wire), the series finale of the television series The Wire concluding a final season concerned with the work of a newspaper.
- "30" (Law & Order: Criminal Intent episode), an episode of the television series Law & Order: Criminal Intent about a poisoned reporter.
- In several Superman stories from various titles, failure by a Daily Planet employee to use this signature proved to be a plot point revealing a character's impersonation, mind control, etc.
- The title of -30-: The Collapse of the Great American Newspaper is taken from this practice.
- -30- was the title of the editorial in the 30th and final issue of Steve Jackson Games' Roleplayer, a newsletter which supported the GURPS game during the late 1980s.
References
- ^ Kogan, Hadass "So Why Not 29" American Journalism Review. Retrieved 2009-02-06.
- ^ "WESTERN UNION "92 CODE" & WOOD'S "TELEGRAPHIC NUMERALS"". Signal Corps Association. 1996. http://www.civilwarsignals.org/pages/tele/wurules1866/92code.html. Retrieved on 2008-02-25.
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