Changelog

All notable changes to this document are recorded here. Format: [VERSION]—YYYY-MM—Description

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[1.9.18]—2026-06-08

• TH B2C punctuation ban gains a proper-noun/title carve-out. A banned mark (em-dash, en-dash, colon, semicolon) that is part of a proper noun, publication name, or work/study title (e.g., the colon in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians) is intrinsic to the name, not authorial punctuation, and is preserved verbatim; where a destination platform filter cannot keep it, comma-substitution is the defined fallback, never strip-with-no-replacement. Closes the edge case engineering surfaced testing PGS-385 (the model was left stripping the mark or guessing a substitute). docs/trend-hunter-b2c.md §Punctuation gains an Exception paragraph; _data/rules/conflict-register.yaml punctuation.banned_marks TH-B2C override rationale carries the carve-out (register 1.0.3 → 1.0.4, injected into the writer prompt); api/reference.json gains trend_hunter_b2c_banned_punctuation_exception. Vendored into write-assist (rules.js). Version stamps 1.9.17 → 1.9.18.

[1.9.17]—2026-06-05

• L&E placement-test freeze captured in the data-universe-labeling governance (Amplitude L&E caveats). Operational rule that follows from the broken L&E Amplitude integration: no L&E content-placement tests until the L&E data pipe is repaired. An L&E placement test currently can’t be measured (integration broken pre-~Aug-2025; the dedicated AMPLITUDE_LIFESTYLE_AND_ENTERTAINMENT_EVENTS_PROD view stale since 2026-02-24), so its result would be uninterpretable; exclude L&E from the placement-test matrix until the pipe is fixed. Version stamps 1.9.16 → 1.9.17; assets/sources/ re-propagated via build-downloads.sh.

[1.9.16]—2026-06-02

• TH B2C headline advisories added (flag-only) to the machine register. Three new _data/rules/conflict-register.yaml rules (register 1.0.2 → 1.0.3), default off, publication=trend-hunter-b2c override on: headline.intent_advisory (labels What/Why/How + what it drives), headline.name_expert_advisory (body cites a credentialed source the headline omits → suggest surfacing), headline.etk_advisory (flags “Everything to Know” no-lift framing). All advisory/flag-only—never gating, never auto-rewrite. Vendored into write-assist (Layered Style Guidance runners) + mirrored in the data-headlines variant tool. Human-readable conflict-register.md + assets updated. Version stamps 1.9.15 → 1.9.16.

[1.9.15]—2026-06-02

• Trend Hunter B2C headline standards added (§10.4) from the TH Headline Analysis (368 articles, 2026-06-02). As the official TH content team, the content strategist’s report learnings are encoded as TH B2C platform-layer standards (platform supersedes persona/format/general; AP-compatible is the ultimate fallback where TH B2C is silent). docs/trend-hunter-b2c.md §10.4 Headlines gains five standards: (1) length 90–104 character sweet spot (614 avg PV; <75 drops to 352, 105+ to 340; corpus median 86, so flag sub-80), overriding the universal 80–100, with destination distribution-platform ranges (Apple News 90–120, SmartNews 70–90) taking precedence when platform-bound; (2) punctuation ban on em-dash (—), en-dash (–), colon (:), semicolon (;) in public-facing headlines + body—flag for manual removal, hyphens allowed, restructure rather than substitute; (3) intent match (What/Why = reach, How = depth); (4) name-the-expert (single strongest lever—name the credential in the headline); (5) “Everything to Know” discouraged as a fallback (no lift). Openings gains a first-scroll-delivery bullet (Experiences + travel round-ups land clicks but lose readers when the open doesn’t pay off). Machine-readable register (_data/rules/conflict-register.yaml, register_version 1.0.1 → 1.0.2): headline.char_count gains a {publication: trend-hunter-b2c} override (90-104, data-validated); new punctuation.banned_marks rule (default empty—no universal ban; TH B2C override bans the four marks; scoped so Woman’s World no-space em-dash + US Weekly AP-spaced em-dash keep their house styles). api/reference.json: platform_char_counts.trend_hunter_b2c (90-104) + trend_hunter_b2c_banned_punctuation list added. Scoped TH-B2C-only per Pierce 2026-06-02—other publications comply with their own standards; avoid the banned marks unless a governing standard requires them. Downstream tools (headline grader, variant tool, Layered Style Guidance) align to this standard. Version stamps bumped 1.9.14 → 1.9.15.

[1.9.14]—2026-05-28

• §3.1 Google Discover Explainer retired (superseded by §3.12 What to Know Next). Format moved to bottom of Article Formats list across all surfaces; marked (retired) in the same visual convention as (pending) formats. Section anchors preserved — master-reference.md#31-google-discover-explainer and /docs/discover-explainer URLs continue to resolve to the (now-retired) spec; historical inbound links remain valid. Format-page status banner added to docs/discover-explainer.md H1 + at top of body: “Status: Retired (2026-05-28). No longer in active production. Existing articles created under this spec remain valid; new content must use an active format. For forward-looking explainer needs, see §3.12 What to Know Next.” Navigation: _data/navigation.yml entry moved from position 3 (alphabetic active group) to position 12 (after all pending formats); label updated to <em>(retired) Google Discover Explainer</em> mirroring the <em>(pending) X</em> convention. API: api/reference.json discover-explainer entry moved to bottom of formats array; status: "active" → status: "retired"; new fields retired_on: "2026-05-28" + supersedes_by: "what-to-know-next" added. Documentation: docs/documentation.md format count “4 active, 8 pending” → “3 active, 8 pending, 1 retired”; format table reordered (active first, then pending, then retired) with explicit note that section anchors reflect introduction order, visual ordering reflects status; index.md mirror count update. Cross-references updated: 7 docs surfaces touched — docs/everything-to-know.md (3 do-not-confuse refs), docs/what-to-know-next.md (2 do-not-confuse refs), docs/master-reference.md (§3.1 heading + retired banner + §3.2 do-not-confuse ref + version stamps), docs/layered-enforcement.md (Article Format layer format list re-grouped active / pending / retired), docs/discover-browser.md (persona page note that historically paired with §3.1, paired with active formats going forward), _includes/headline-formulas/discover-explainer.html (summary line + retired banner), _includes/headline-formulas/everything-to-know.html + _includes/headline-formulas/what-to-know-next.html (do-not-confuse refs noted retired). Machine-readable register: _data/rules/conflict-register.yaml discover-explainer overrides (3 found: headline.formula + body.word_count + structure.required_article_structure) annotated with new format_status: retired + retired_on: "2026-05-28" + rationale fields; rules preserved intact for historical-article validation. Human-readable docs/conflict-register.md mirror updated with inline retired markers. _data/rules/schema.yaml format-list description re-grouped (active / pending / retired); format enum re-ordered (active first; discover-explainer last with comment noting retention for historical validation). Version stamps bumped 1.9.13 → 1.9.14 across master-reference + api/reference.json. scripts/build-downloads.sh re-ran to propagate from docs/ → assets/sources/. Driver: Pierce 2026-05-28 decision; What to Know Next (v1.9.13 final-draft state) now covers the forward-looking explainer use case Discover Explainer was previously authoritative for.

[1.9.13]—2026-05-28

• §3.12 What to Know Next format reshaped to final-draft state per content team lead’s 2026-05-28 spec. Three net-new REQUIRED structural elements added to the format: (1) Status Bar — italicized one-liner directly beneath the H1 carrying Stage · Momentum · Forecast confidence, with enumerated allowed values (Stage: Emerging/Building/Peaking/Cresting; Momentum + Forecast confidence: Low/Moderate/High); positioned as a forcing function (if a writer can’t fill it in confidently, the topic is wrong for this format). (2) Forecaster Pull Quote — one named-forecaster quote per article, named/titled/affiliated, forward-looking (prediction, interpretation, directional read), NOT definitional or descriptive; pull-quote visual treatment, not inline attribution; placed in Section 2 or 3 wherever it fits the arc. (3) Three Signals to Watch — boxed callout closing Section 3 listing exactly three specific, monitorable signals (date, release, product launch, data point, observable change); vague signals (“watch the market,” “keep an eye on inflation”) disqualify. Word count reshape: target widened 600–900 → 700–1,000 words AND proportionality switched from even (200–300 per section) → inverted distribution (≈25% Section 1 / 30% Section 2 / 45% Section 3). Per-section word-count guidance dropped entirely (confirmed by content team lead same-day after initial ship — percentages carry the proportionality rule, prescribing per-section word counts over-constrains the writer). Section 3 is now the longest section by design—that’s the format’s defining point. New Formatting Rules: “Invert the word count” (Section 3 must be longest; if Section 1 is longest, the piece is structurally an Everything to Know with a forecast bolted on) and “Use the Forecaster Pull Quote for direction, not definition.” Tone language softened slightly (“explanatory without being academic” → “explanatory without being overly academic”). Article Structure code block expanded to call out Status Bar position, Pull Quote placement option, and Three Signals callout. What to Avoid table extended with 7 new failure modes covering all three new REQUIRED elements + the inverted-proportionality requirement. Pre-Publish Checklist updated with 5 new gates (Status Bar all three fields; inverted proportionality; Section 3 is longest; Forecaster Pull Quote attribution + forward-looking nature + visual treatment; Three Signals exactly-three + concrete + monitorable) and updated word-count line. Master-reference §3.12 condensed summary mirrored. Override-banner expanded to list the three new format-specific REQUIRED elements. Driver: content team lead authored final-draft spec; exec/leadership endorsed integration into CSA; Pierce-side rewrite handles CSA-prompt-deliverability framing (REQUIRED sections with general-style agent-audience tags, enumerated allowed values, qualifying/disqualifying examples, table-of-attributes form for enforceability). Version stamps bumped 1.9.12 → 1.9.13 across master-reference + api/reference.json. scripts/build-downloads.sh re-ran to propagate from docs/ → assets/sources/.

[1.9.12]—2026-05-27

• AP Stylebook 58th edition (2026) drift fix + AI vocabulary block + Native Americans/Indigenous framing refresh. Driven by AP Stylebook 58th edition release email forwarded from TH product owner same day. (1) Drift fix: docs/ap-compatible-thorough.md (Words Not to Hyphenate + Informal references sections) — health care/health-care replaced with healthcare as closed compound in all uses, per AP 58th edition (this change actually landed in AP’s April 2026 batch and had been stale in the corpus for ~2 months). Single-file scan confirmed no other drift hits across the 4-file AP-Compatible tier set. (2) AI vocabulary block added to docs/ap-compatible-thorough.md (### AI and Computing Terms subsection under Part 14 Scientific Terms, after Technology Terms) and docs/ap-compatible-condensed.md (### AI and Computing Terms (per AP 58th, 2026) after Brand Names and Trademarks). 7 entries: AI agent, AI chips, AI model, AI slop, compute (noun), data center, vibe coding. Encoded as derived McClatchy style rules (not verbatim AP text — AP body content cannot be ingested verbatim per exec/leadership 2026-05-27 directive). Key McClatchy-specific override: AI slop carries an explicit do not use to describe McClatchy's own CSA-generated output clause (semantic conflict; CSA output is editorially supervised, not slop). compute (noun) prefers computing power/processing power outside direct quotes per AP guidance to avoid verb-noun confusion. vibe coding prefers using an AI coding tool outside direct quotes. Block NOT added to docs/ap-compatible-quick.md (at-the-elbow tier, intentionally minimal). (3) Native Americans/Indigenous framing refresh: section title in docs/ap-compatible-thorough.md renamed Native American / American Indian → Native Americans, Indigenous peoples (matches AP 58th title); body expanded with sovereignty + self-determination framing emphasizing tribal-nation citizenship, treaty rights, jurisdiction, federal recognition. docs/ap-compatible-condensed.md Indigenous + Native American/American Indian bullets reworded to match. Existing usage guidance preserved (all three terms acceptable; defer to individual + community + tribal-nation preference; identify by tribal affiliation when possible — added Diné, Haudenosaunee to the example list). Master-reference Us Weekly American Indian → Native American substitution rule left intact as publication-specific style choice (out of AP 58th scope). Version stamps bumped 1.9.11 → 1.9.12 across master-reference + api/reference.json. scripts/build-downloads.sh re-ran to propagate from docs/ → assets/sources/; 48 files regenerated (most are em-dash-sweep sync corrections that were already pending). Driver: TH product owner email forward of AP Stylebook 58th edition release notification; ~30-min Style Checker audit identified actionable deltas.

[1.9.11]—2026-05-14

• Two new editorial-governance docs + one conflict-register entry. (1) docs/ai-content-vetting.md: partner-feed AI-content vetting policy. 5-gate test (named credentialed author · substance floor · plagiarism + AI-content detection · editorial fit · cadence audit), quarantine path (24h content-team-lead review), hard-block path (multi-gate failure → exec/leadership feed-level review), per-partner stance table (Reuters trusted; Stacker / Field Level Media / Minute Media active vetting; Campus Insights TBD). Operational mechanism uses Sonnet-class scaled-content-audit prompt for G2+G4 LLM-screening; new partner_content_audit D1 table for ingest event logs. Retires ops-hub p15-partner “Draft AI vetting policy proposal” nextAction + clears the p15 “AI vetting policy not drafted” blocker. (2) docs/bridge-content-rules.md: bridge content (purple-tier USW/WW articles pointing back to TH deepener via rel="canonical") governance. Codifies “stay within trend but exact-keyword match NOT required”—pairs with conflict-register entry override on headline.h2_keywords (platform_content_type = bridge → trend-relevance-only). Driven by 2026-05-14 bridge-similarity probe (32 bridge clusters mean head_blend 0.370 vs 33 O&O-only baseline 0.376—bridges differentiate at parity with O&O at the headline level; strict keyword rule was over-constraining without scaled-content benefit). Retires ops-hub p4-governance “Loosen CSA strict-keyword-rule for bridge variants” nextAction. Version stamps bumped 1.9.10 → 1.9.11 across master-reference + api/reference.json. Probe deliverable cross-linked from data-headlines/dev-docs/bridge-variant-similarity-2026-05-14.md.

[1.9.10]—2026-05-13

• Conflict-register accuracy pass (driven by write-assist 10-agent + code-quality audits). Five register fixes + nine doc-prose fixes across docs/ap-compatible.md, docs/conflict-register.md, docs/layered-enforcement.md, docs/master-reference.md, docs/us-weekly.md, docs/womans-world.md, and this changelog. Register-level: (1) punctuation.em_dash_surrounding_spaces default inverted from false → true (the canonical ap-compatible-quick.md + ap-compatible-condensed.md Em Dash sections both say “Use spaces on both sides” and flag the no-space form as a “common error”; the register’s prior false default contradicted its own cited source). USW override marked kind: restate since USW matches the corrected AP default; new WW override added with value: false (WW’s actual house style is no-space em dashes, an AMI Women’s Group house-style deviation from AP, not a match as the WW doc had previously claimed). (2) punctuation.ellipsis_surrounding_spaces default same-direction inversion (false → true); USW override marked kind: restate. (3) voice.banned_phrasing_demographic—added persona: curious-optimizer override mirroring the TH B2C banned-phrase list, so the rule fires for persona-only selectors (the persona is psychographic by design and demographic stereotyping contradicts it). (4) Four redundant overrides marked kind: restate for clarity: headline.seo_title_char_count (faq/recipe), headline.numerals_in_heds (WW), grammar.couple_verb_agreement (WW), linking.internal_link_count (faq). (5) Three new register rules added covering format/publication-specific behaviors: format.timeline.chronological_order (timeline H2 entries must be in chronological order—earliest first), publication.us-weekly.brand_italicization (italicize Us and Us Weekly in body), publication.us-weekly.tv_film_title_italics (single-quoted Title-Cased phrases in USW body flagged for italics conversion). Prose-level: the recurring misattribution that “USW deviates from AP on em-dashes” or “WW matches AP” was corrected across all six docs that carried it—real AP uses spaces, USW matches AP, WW is the AMI deviator. Total: 1 P0 data-bug fix + 5 doc-misattribution corrections + 5 register cleanup items + 3 new rules. Driver: comprehensive audit pass on write-assist/docs/js/engine/ revealed the inversion; canonical AP-Compatible-quick.md + ap-compatible-condensed.md sections cited as authoritative. Human-readable docs/conflict-register.md twin updated to mirror all YAML changes.

[1.9.9]—2026-05

• Us Weekly + Woman’s World gap-fill from admin-panel voice-guide audit. Cross-checked the CSA admin-panel “Style Guides for Pierce Audit” document (~/Downloads/style-guides-for-pierce-audit.2.md) against canonical docs/us-weekly.md, docs/womans-world.md, and the three docs/ap-compatible-*.md tiers. AP-Quick is byte-identical to admin and AP-Condensed / AP-Thorough canonical are strict supersets of the admin equivalents → no changes needed. Woman’s World canonical is already a strict superset; one micro-clarification added (recipe substitution suggestions framed for common dietary needs). Us Weekly canonical was missing nine production rules the admin guide carries: (1) *Us* italicized with capital U whenever the word “us” appears as a brand nod; (2) TV / film titles use single quotes in heds + italics in body (split rule made explicit); (3) months always spelled out—never abbreviated, AP override; (4) date format depends on recency—four-row context table (today-this-week / earlier-this-year / previous-year / evergreen-quote); (5) first-and-last-name reference on first occurrence within each H2 section; (6) quote integrity—reproduce exactly, no mid-sentence … truncation, preserve censored-asterisk profanity verbatim; (7) H2 prose-paragraph article structure required, “Key Facts” bullet format banned; (8) headlines 80–100 characters with single-theme requirement on roundups; (9) word-count adherence with ~15% overage cap. Two new top-level sections added: ### Evergreen vs. News Article Handling and ### Word Count. Top-of-page red-overrides summary, Pre-Publish Checklist, and What-to-Avoid table extended to surface all nine new rules. File grew from 353 → 442 lines.

[1.9.8]—2026-05

• data-universe-labeling.md cross-syndication distortion screen + TRACKER_ENRICHED caveat. Two additions complying with the 4/20 universe-labeling standing rule. (1) New caveat on the TRACKER_ENRICHED universe entry: performance-signal columns (is_hit, article_vs_co_median, cluster_vs_co_median, author_hit_*) are origin-PVs basis post-screen (gated on the Marfeel→Snowflake feed lands); reach + revenue columns unchanged. Driven by exec/leadership 2026-05-06 ask (Field-Level-Media 24-site example). (2) New universe entry for MARFEEL_ARTICLE_BY_MEDIUM describing the cross-syndication distortion screen—separates origin from syndicated PVs, tags articles with SYNDICATION_JUICE ∈ {none, light, heavy}, fail-open NULL handling. Distinguished from existing STORY_TRAFFIC_METRICS (CROSS_SITE_*) which covers internal McClatchy syndication only; one-line clarification added to that entry to prevent conflation. Implementation cross-linked to ops-hub master spec, data-headlines UI spec, data-keywords pre-flight note.

[1.9.7]—2026-05

• Site-wide consistency + completeness pass. Audit ran across every docs/*.md page, every _data/rules/*.yaml artifact, every cross-reference, and every entry in api/reference.json. Issues fixed: docs/changelog.md + docs/documentation.md + docs/data-universe-labeling.md were each missing one of the AGENT-AUDIENCE machine-grep hooks (frontmatter agent_audiences field on the first two; in-body <!-- AGENT-AUDIENCE: --> HTML comment on the third). All three now have both. Navigation: Layered Enforcement nav-pane position moved out of the top-of-nav editorial section and into the operational section under Personas (already shipped in the prior commit; this entry catches it in the changelog). Two new dividers added in the lower nav grouping: Publishing Guidelines (publishing workflow)

  Acceptable Sources / AI Tool Responsibility / Claims Validation / Data Universe Labeling (editorial integrity standards)

  Follow-Up Content (editorial strategy). Verified: all 39 docs/*.md pages have working [⬇ Download] buttons resolving to same-origin /assets/sources/<f>.md; assets/sources/ contents have parity with docs/ (39 files each); _data/rules/*.yaml (schema + precedence + conflict-register) all parse cleanly; master-reference §1–§11 in numeric order with <!-- SECTION:foo --> markers per section (11 markers, 11 top-level sections); version stamps consistent (master-reference top-of-page = footer = api/reference.json version field = 1.9.7); all internal /docs/<slug> links resolve to actual docs/ files; api/reference.json tag_definitions_url + raw_markdown_url + per-format standalone_url all resolve; _data/rules/*.yaml published to /assets/sources/rules/ for engineering-side ingest. Changelog now reflects every edit shipped in this session (v1.9.1 → v1.9.7).

[1.9.6]—2026-05

• New §11: Layered Enforcement—conceptual model + machine-readable rules contract for layered style guidance enforcement, addressing engineering’s documented confusion about how General / Persona / Article Format / Platform layers should compose + how conflicts resolve. Three deliverables shipped: (1) Concept doc at docs/layered-enforcement.md explaining the four-layer model, override-vs-stacking semantics, six worked examples (em dash on a USW ETK, couples-verb on a WW cast piece, headline char count on an FAQ-on-Apple-News, etc.), reconciliation with CSA backend’s documented Trust Hierarchy (per engineering’s PGS Confluence “How Style Guides Work” doc, page 1949663238), proposed Composer extension, implementation routing (writer / grader / composer / human enforcement targets), and what-this-doesn’t-solve. (2) Machine-readable rules contract at _data/rules/: schema.yaml (rule-entry shape including domains, value types, selector grammar, enforcement targets), precedence.yaml (resolution algorithm with tie-breakers—most-specific-selector → most-recent-introduction → data-validated-wins → editor-resolution; null-override + additive-only-rule + per-rule precedence-override special cases; Composer extension proposal; enforcement routing; validation timing). conflict-register.yaml with 48 rules spanning headline (16) / body (5) / punctuation (3) / grammar (2) / structure (3) / voice-tone (8) / compliance (8) / linking (2) / media (4) / cms (1) / faith (1) / format-specific (4) / cross-cutting explicit-language (2). All cross-publication divergences captured (USW plural-couples + space-em-dashes; WW Dolly Parton tone north star + meno-brain rationale; TH B2C psychographic-only). (3) Human-readable register at docs/conflict-register.md—hand-maintained Markdown twin with grouped tables + a worked-example roll-up showing how { persona: curious-optimizer, format: faq, platform: apple-news } resolves across 14 rules. Critical engineering reconciliation surfaced: the CSA backend currently STACKS layers (no override semantics) per its own Confluence doc—fundamental semantic gap with the editorial 4-layer model. Persona + Format are not separate layers in the current Composer; style_guide field is informational-only; National Team users get no platform-specific voice. The §11.5 reconciliation section makes the gap explicit + proposes a Composer extension. Infrastructure: scripts/build-downloads.sh extended to publish _data/rules/*.yaml to /assets/sources/rules/ so engineering can ingest the YAML directly. Master-reference §11 condensed summary added; §10.6 AP-Compatible block reordered to come before §11; navigation, documentation, index, api/reference.json updated (new section + per-section rules_artifacts + companion_pages keys).

[1.9.5]—2026-05

• New §10.6: AP-Compatible reference standard added as a four-page tiered structure—an overview at docs/ap-compatible.md plus three nested tier pages at docs/ap-compatible-quick.md (~2K tokens / ~1,600 words), docs/ap-compatible-condensed.md (~12K tokens / ~9,600 words; recommended default), and docs/ap-compatible-thorough.md (~25K tokens / ~19,000 words). All four slugs match McClatchy CSA backend style_guides/sources/ convention; the three tier pages are direct wrappings of the existing CSA backend seed files (Jekyll frontmatter + Back-to-overview link + download button + tier-context intro added; body content unchanged for zero-friction handoff). The overview page (~3K tokens) provides: the three-tier explanation table; direct download links per tier; when-to-use guidance cross-linking to outlet-specific style guides (US Weekly §10.3, Trend Hunter B2C §10.4, Woman’s World §10.5) and distribution platforms (Apple News §10.2, SmartNews §10.1); cross-publication divergence table flagging the three rules that diverge meaningfully across McClatchy outlets (couples / pairs / duos verb agreement; em dash spacing; Oxford comma); headline rules quick reference; reference hierarchy. The Quick tier covers 21 flat sections (essentials); Condensed covers Parts 1–12 (Punctuation / Capitalization / Numbers / Abbreviations / Titles / Attribution / Word Usage / Race & Identity / Legal / Sports / Business / Datelines); Thorough covers Parts 1–22 (adds Weather / Health / Science & Tech / Religion / Elections / Military / Food / Environment / Transportation / Headlines & Captions) plus appendices (commonly misspelled words / redundancies / clichés / problematic phrases / tricky plurals). The three tiers are nested—Quick ⊂ Condensed ⊂ Thorough—so picking the right tier means picking the right depth, not picking different content. Master-reference §10.6 condensed summary added; navigation, documentation, index, api/reference.json updated (api ap-compatible entry includes nested tiers array).

[1.9.4]—2026-05

• New §10.5: Woman’s World publication style guide added as docs/womans-world.md (slug matches McClatchy CSA backend style_guides/sources/ seed-file convention). Source consolidation: existing CSA backend seed file (backend/style_guides/sources/womans-world.md, ~360 lines / ~2,200 words) merged with two newly-delivered PDFs from content team lead—brandguide_WW.pdf (the AMI Women’s Group Digital Style Guide, ~90% identical to Us Weekly’s Master Style Guide) and styleguide_WW.pdf (the brand voice doc—mission, target demo, tone celebrities, USE/AVOID lists with rationales, 15-item Health Tentpoles, brand notes). The PDF filenames are label-swapped vs. their actual contents. Critical cross-publication divergence surfaced: WW uses singular verbs for couples / pairs / duos (mashups always plural), the AMI default—opposite of Us Weekly. WW also uses no-space em dashes—an AMI Women’s Group house-style deviation from AP (which uses spaces; ap-compatible-quick.md + ap-compatible-condensed.md), opposite of Us Weekly’s AP-conformant space-em-dash convention. Page covers: audience persona (Gen X 50s through Boomers 60s+; Dolly Parton tone north star); voice and tone (Warm / Empathetic / Optimistic / Practical / Trustworthy; “from your best friend” approach); USE/AVOID word lists with rationales (incl. “meno brain” stigma reasoning); four writing personas (rotate, never use the same on every article); seven topic pillars (Health & Wellness with 15 tentpoles · Beauty & Fashion · Food, Cooking & Recipes · Books & Entertainment · Faith & Values · Holidays & Seasonal · Home / Lifestyle / Self-Improvement / Consumer Advice / Feel-Good Stories); brand notes (psychographic over demographic; treat-vs-tool; promising happy endings; money-conscious; many roles; hard topics with positive frame; “you’re not alone”); style reference (key WW-vs-USW differences + shared AMI conventions); WW-specific quality rules (5-year-recent peer-reviewed health claims; recipes that work; products under $20); what-to-avoid table; pre-publish checklist. ~3,350 words / ~4,500 tokens—within Layer 2 voice-guide cap (≤5K tokens). Master-reference §10.5 condensed summary added; navigation, documentation, index, api/reference.json updated.

[1.9.3]—2026-05

• New §10.4: Trend Hunter B2C publication style guide added as docs/trend-hunter-b2c.md (slug matches McClatchy CSA backend style_guides/sources/ seed-file convention). Source: existing CSA backend seed file at backend/style_guides/sources/trend-hunter-b2c.md audited and confirmed already in proper writer’s-bible format—minimal transformation needed beyond formatting for the docs site (frontmatter, agent-audience comments, red-span overrides, download link, cross-link to §4.2 Curious Optimizer persona). Audience: The Curious Optimizer—psychographic persona spanning all demographics. Voice: Smart, Approachable, Curious, Practical. Four reader intent tiers (Discovery / Understanding / Evaluation / Action). Article structure: What It Is / Why It Matters / Who It’s For / How to Experience It. Short paragraphs (2–3 sentences max), bulleted lists, pull-out Quick Takeaways. Strongest anti-pattern: demographic stereotyping in any form—frame benefits psychographically (“If you want…”, “For anyone curious about…”), never demographically. Banned trendy slang (slay / bestie / vibes), academic density, clickbait. ~1,300 words / ~1,700 tokens—well within Layer 2 voice-guide cap. Master-reference §10.4 condensed summary added; navigation, documentation, index, and api/reference.json updated.

[1.9.2]—2026-05

• Section §10 renamed: Platform Formats → Platform Guidance. Scope broadened from distribution-platform requirements only to encompass per-publication style guides as well. Updated in _data/navigation.yml, docs/master-reference.md (heading + SECTION marker + scope text + cross-link), docs/documentation.md, docs/index.md, api/reference.json (id platform-formats → platform-guidance, URL anchor, notes), and cross-references in docs/headlines.md (×2) + docs/publishing-guidelines.md (×2). Existing platform pages (Apple News, SmartNews) and their slugs unchanged.
• New §10.3: Us Weekly publication style guide added as docs/us-weekly.md (slug matches McClatchy CSA backend style_guides/sources/ seed-file convention for zero-friction handoff). Writer’s-bible format covering: audience persona (inferred + flagged for editor sign-off), voice and tone, headlines (sister-rule across onpage / promo / SEO with shared keywords; numerals not spelled-out; single quotes; no periods / ampersands / Oxford commas), H2 subheads (title case + keywords + complete phrases / questions), body conventions (bold celebrity names + tag-page links; em dashes and ellipses with spaces on both sides; numbers spelled out 1–9; italics rules; closed-up co- compounds; commas; couples / pairs / duos take plural verbs—Us Weekly only; curse words; apostrophe-s rule), curated A–Z style reference (high-frequency Us Weekly–distinctive entries; full Master Style Guide remains source of truth), grammar and punctuation, CMS workflow, reference hierarchy (Us Weekly Style Supplement → Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary 11th Edition → AP Stylebook → Chicago Manual of Style → Words Into Type), what to avoid table, pre-publish checklist. Sized for Layer 2 voice-guide cap (≤5K tokens) per CSA backend trust hierarchy. Master-reference §10.3 condensed summary added.

[1.9.1]—2026-05

• Article Formats §3.11 (FAQ / Service Journalism): per-block word count tightened from 300–500 to 100–200 words per question/answer block. Tighter blocks read more snippet-ready and reduce padding pressure. Updated in docs/faq.md (override summary, Word Count section, Pre-Publish Checklist) and master-reference.md §3.11. No structural changes; H2 count, answer-first rule, and 2–3 sentence paragraph max unchanged. Requested by content team lead 2026-05-08.

[1.9.0]—2026-05

• Article Formats §3: new format added—§3.12 What to Know Next. Forward-looking explainer for The Curious Optimizer (§4.2): three-section arc (what’s happening, why, what could be next) closing on a reader-actionable takeaway. 600–900 words; mandatory three-section proportionality; sourced causation in §2; paired prediction-plus-action in §3; forward-looking signal required in headline. Disambiguates from Discover Explainer (informational/static) and Recap (retrospective).
• Infrastructure sync: navigation.yml (new live entry inserted alphabetically after Google Discover Explainer in the non-pending group); _includes/headline-formulas/what-to-know-next.html (accordion partial for the Headlines §2 Format-Specific block—missing partial broke the Cloudflare Pages build for commit 5497abd); api/reference.json (version 1.9.0, new format entry); documentation.md (format count 11 → 12, new row in Active Article Formats); index.md (format count 11 → 12); master-reference.md (§3.12 condensed summary).

[1.8.3]—2026-04

• Subheading (H2) Keyword Rules added to General Guidelines §1.2 and mirrored in master-reference.md §1.2. Rule: primary keyword must appear in at least one H2; secondary keywords should appear in other H2s when they fit naturally (don’t force). Surfaced by content team feedback on just-shipped keyword enforcement (PGS-104)—thorough in on-page title, SEO title, meta description, and intro but not enforced in H2s—and confirmed by content team lead. Tool-side enforcement gap to be ticketed as follow-up by product leads; content-standards side documents the rule regardless of current tool coverage.

[1.8.2]—2026-04

• “Variants must be ≥50% different” blanket claim retracted site-wide (2026-04-24). Semantic similarity floors at ~88% by construction for fact-identical variants (same draft → same facts), so a blanket 50% different claim measures the wrong layer or was wrong. Replaced across brand-guidelines.md, tool-responsibility.md (×4 references, including persistent-issue escalation language), master-reference.md (×3), and discover-explainer.md (×2) with: “meaningfully differentiated in structure and prose.” New language recognizes the 4-dimension measurement model (semantic / structural / lexical / surface) from the differentiation prototype handoff 2026-04-24. Specific thresholds are under calibration—tracked as P23 Content Differentiation Framework. Kept: all other variant requirements (local + national variants, revival optimization, peer review, fact verification). Handoff doc is v0.2 prototype; thresholds land after content team lead format-only 2-day test + internal consensus.

[1.8.1]—2026-04

• General intro word-count rule retracted site-wide (2026-04-23). SEO team broadly retracted the 80–120 word intro length rule. Tool-side enforcement dropped (PGS-147, PGS-205 → WON’T DO). Standards-side updates: removed “minimum H2 intro length (80 words)” framing from everything-to-know.md (override summary, body sections ×3, Formatting Rules item, Pre-Publish Checklist line, What to Avoid violations table); removed “Gallery or listicle intro 80–150 words” + “Breaking news jam 80 words minimum” entries from headlines.md word-count table; removed “80-word intro minimum” annotations from master-reference.md H2 template entries. content strategist correction noted: the everything-to-know.md framing applied “every H2 section,” but the rule (when active) was article-intro-only—fix surfaced during retraction. Kept: headlines.md “first 80 words for keyword placement” framing—different concept (keyword placement, not minimum word count) and content strategist explicitly preserved as soft guideline.

[1.8.0]—2026-04

• Article Formats §3 / Personas §4: Restructured persona-adjacent format pages per updated CSA product architecture. content team lead confirmed that format guidance per persona can be dropped once personas and formats are decoupled in the CSA UI—format selection handles format; persona handles audience. Removed §3.12 Trend Feature, §3.13 Science & Discovery Feature, and §3.14 Entertainment & Trending as standalone format pages.
• Persona pages updated: §4.2–§4.5 each gained a ### Tone section preserving the tone guidance that was persona-level (not format-level). Cross-references to deleted format pages removed from CSA Target Audience Definition sections. All other persona content (Who They Are, What They Respond To, Content Framework, Content Implications, CSA Target Audience Definition) unchanged.
• Infrastructure sync: navigation.yml (three active format entries removed), admin/config.yml (three CMS entries removed), api/reference.json (version 1.8.0, three format entries removed), documentation.md (format count 14 → 11, three rows removed from Active Article Formats table), index.md (format count 14 → 11), master-reference.md (§3.12–3.14 sections removed, §4.2–4.5 Format page cross-reference lines removed), three headline-formula includes deleted (trend-feature.html, science-discovery-feature.html, entertainment-viral.html)

[1.7.0]—2026-04

• Personas §4: CSA Target Audience Definition section added to all five persona pages—formatted definition for direct entry into the CSA product UI (Name, Description, Focus areas: Discovery / Understanding / Evaluation / Action). Section demarcated with horizontal rule and blockquote callout. AGENT-AUDIENCE: general-style tagged. Each section cross-references the relevant format page.
• Article Formats §3: Three new format pages added—§3.12 Trend Feature, §3.13 Science & Discovery Feature, §3.14 Entertainment & Trending. Each follows the full format page apparatus: AGENT-AUDIENCE section comments, frontmatter agent_audiences, download buttons, Content Framework, Tone, Writing Guidance, What to Avoid, Pre-Publish Checklist. No locked headline formula or CSA product-level specs yet specified—general-style and editorial writing guidance only.
• §3.12 Trend Feature: primary persona The Curious Optimizer (§4.2); Content Framework Discovery / Understanding / Evaluation / Action; psychographic-first universal language required; no demographic assumptions
• §3.13 Science & Discovery Feature: primary personas The Wonder-Driven Science Enthusiast (§4.3) and The Curious Explorer (§4.4); two audience modes documented (broad awe-driven vs. shareable-fact-driven); Content Framework Discovery / Understanding / Evaluation / Action
• §3.14 Entertainment & Trending: primary persona The Watercooler Insider (§4.5); Content Framework Discovery / Understanding / Evaluation / Action; debunk and “real story behind” as highest-performing pattern
• Persona pages updated: §4.2–§4.5 now include Format page cross-reference line pointing to the relevant new §3 page; master-reference §4 entries updated to match
• Infrastructure sync: navigation.yml (three new format children under Article Formats), admin/config.yml (three new CMS entries with format-specific hints), api/reference.json (version 1.7.0, three new format entries), documentation.md (format count 11 → 14, three new rows in Active Article Formats table, §4 row updated to describe CSA Target Audience Definition sections), index.md (format count 11 → 14), master-reference.md (§3.12–3.14 condensed summaries added, §4 scope updated, all persona entries updated with format page cross-reference), three new headline-formulas includes (trend-feature.html, science-discovery-feature.html, entertainment-viral.html)

[1.6.3]—2026-04

• Headlines §2 (Us Weekly): removed “H2 post / explainer intro—80 words minimum” word count requirement; dropped by L&E/UsW team after review with TEO (data team)

[1.6.2]—2026-04

• SEO Keywords (Meta Keywords) guidance added to General Guidelines §1.2: new ### SEO Keywords (Meta Keywords) Rules subsection; field added to §1.2 Character Counts; SEO keywords line added to §3.1 Pre-Publish Checklist
• SEO Keywords field added to all ten §3 article format sections (§3.1–§3.10): ### SEO Keywords (Meta Keywords) (REQUIRED) subsection inserted after ### Meta Description in each format—1–5 keywords, single words acceptable, all lowercase, comma-separated, location names required for local stories

[1.6.1]—2026-04

• Platform Formats consistency audit and override validation: all rules from validated platform format guidance confirmed captured; all discrepancies corrected; data-validated claims labeled throughout
• Publishing Guidelines §6.3 Apple News: headline range corrected from stale 80–139 (flatplan.io source) to validated 90–120 (110–119 sweet spot); no-question and no-number-led rules added; separate Apple News title requirement added; subtitle required added; defers to §10.2 as authoritative spec; stale flatplan.io attribution removed
• Headlines §2: Apple News block under Us Weekly rewritten—separate title requirement (90–120 chars) replaces stale “inherits UsW counts” and “no Apple News-specific formula” language; no-question/no-number-led rules added and marked red; featured placement exception documented; cross-reference to §10.2
• Headlines §2: SmartNews outlet block added—70–90 chars (80–99 sweet spot, data-validated), formula constraints (no questions, no WTK, number-led positive), RSS <title> = SEO title note, cross-reference to §10.1
• SmartNews §10.1 and Apple News §10.2: all empirically validated performance claims labeled “(data-validated)” in scope blockquote and headline section
• agent_routing.yml: SmartNews seo coverage entry added—RSS <title> serves as SEO title for SmartNews
• api/reference.json: SmartNews and Apple News notes updated with data-validated labels and missing formula constraints
• master-reference.md: §10.1 and §10.2 summary tables updated with data-validated labels

[1.6.0]—2026-04

• Platform Formats §10: new section added—two standalone pages created (§10.1 SmartNews, §10.2 Apple News); structured identically to §3 Article Format pages (red text for General Guidelines overrides, AGENT-AUDIENCE section comments, frontmatter agent_audiences, download buttons, What to Avoid tables, Pre-Publish Checklists)
• SmartNews §10.1: headline 70–90 chars (80–99 sweet spot), no question headlines, no “What to Know” endings; SmartFormat RSS/XML feed; no CSS/scripted styling in SmartView; no GIFs; feed thumbnail <media:thumbnail> 4:3 320×240px; GA4 analytics caveat (in-app views not referral traffic); target persona The SmartNews Skimmer
• Apple News §10.2: headline 90–120 chars (110–119 sweet spot), no question or number-led headlines for algorithmic reach (featured placement exception documented); subtitle field required; AI content policy (byline + News Publisher metadata); 100% self-sold / 70% Apple-sold revenue split; target persona The Apple News Explorer
• Infrastructure sync: navigation.yml (Platform Formats section with SmartNews and Apple News children), admin/config.yml (CMS entries for both platforms), master-reference.md (§10 added, section count updated to ten, end marker v1.6.0), api/reference.json (version 1.6.0, §10 with nested platforms array), documentation.md (§10 row, section count ten), index.md (§10 row), README.md (ten sections, §10 in table), agent_routing.yml (§10 coverage added)

[1.5.1]—2026-04

• Site-wide final pass: README version updated to 1.5.0; README section count corrected from seven to nine; §8 and §9 added to README content structure table and technical file tree; master-reference.md version header corrected from 1.4.0 to 1.5.0; master-reference.md end marker corrected from v1.4.9 to v1.5.0; _data/agent_routing.yml human-only coverage updated to include §8 and §9; documentation.md “How to Read a Format Page” scope note added clarifying conventions apply to §3/§4 only; two deferred open items (override doc location, role-level access) formally logged in CONTEXT.md What’s Next

[1.5.0]—2026-04

• Claims Validation §9: source count requirements codified—one Tier 1 source sufficient for straightforward facts/statistics/attributed quotes; two independent Tier 1 sources required for contested claims, allegations, and claims that could harm a named individual; primary source document required for court outcomes, health dosage/drug/efficacy claims, and financial statistics cited as fact; content-type rules updated throughout to reference source count explicitly
• Claims Validation §9: scope blockquote updated to clarify this is the ideal-state specification for a module to be developed; “What the Module Produces” intro updated to match
• Site-wide consistency audit (v1.5.0): Documentation page updated—section count corrected from seven to nine; §8 AI Tool Responsibility and §9 Claims Validation added to sections table; index.md updated with §8 and §9 rows; master-reference.md §9 subsection ordering corrected (§9.5 Escalation was physically misplaced after §9.6 and §9.7); §9.3 updated with source count requirements and Acceptable Sources cross-reference; §9.4 Content-Type table updated to reflect source count rules; §9.7 note added distinguishing module verdict overrides from CSA editorial suggestion overrides; end marker updated to v1.4.9
• AI Tool Responsibility §8: Override Documentation note added distinguishing CSA editorial suggestion overrides from module verdict overrides (Claims Validation §9.7); cross-reference added
• Claims Validation §9: Source Authority Tiers cross-reference to Acceptable Sources §5 added; Acceptance Criteria human-agnostic language corrected

[1.4.9]—2026-04

• Claims Validation §9: Override Documentation expanded—aggregate pattern tracking added as a stated requirement alongside per-piece notes; tracks flag frequency by verdict type and content type, remediation type (rewrite / removal / kept with rationale), and override rate by verdict; links to Audit Trail as the dependency for aggregate tracking
• Master Reference §9.7 added: Override Documentation condensed summary

[1.4.8]—2026-04

• Claims Validation §9: Audit Trail section added—requirement stated: validation output must be stored per-piece in the CMS (not ephemeral at generation time); audit trail must include all verdicts, flagged claims, confidence levels, editor actions, and final publication state; must be attached to piece record, accessible post-publication, readable by editors/senior editors/content leads; role-level access pending engineering leadership + product leads; implementation flagged for CSA product/dev team
• Master Reference §9.6 added: Audit Trail condensed summary

[1.4.7]—2026-04

• Claims Validation §9: Confidence level field documented as pending module capability—when present, low confidence = treat as INSUFFICIENT_EVIDENCE regardless of stated verdict; medium = apply standard action with draft note; high = apply standard action; confidence-level escalation rows added to Escalation Logic table (marked pending); section heading updated to “Module Verdicts and Confidence Level”
• Master Reference §9.1 and §9.5 updated to reflect pending confidence level handling

[1.4.6]—2026-04

• Claims Validation §9: Module access by role—raw module output confirmed as surfaced in CSA UI for High Touch (HITL) and Semi-Automated workstreams; Fully Automated does not surface output; role-level access specifics pending engineering leadership + product leads; tier table updated with “Raw Module Output in CSA UI” column
• Master Reference §9.0: tier table updated to match; role-level access pending note added

[1.4.5]—2026-04

• Claims Validation §9: Semi-Automated tier definition finalized—it is everything not HITL or Fully Automated; “criteria pending” language removed; tier table and explanatory paragraph updated accordingly
• Master Reference §9.0: Semi-Automated row updated to match

[1.4.4]—2026-04

• Claims Validation §9: United Robots confirmed as Fully Automated tier—no Claims Validation pass required; “pending” note removed; United Robots added as example to Fully Automated row
• AI Tool Responsibility §8: Partner and Feed Content updated to include United Robots in the Fully Automated examples
• Master Reference §9.0: United Robots added to Fully Automated row; pending note removed
• JSON API: version bumped to 1.4.4

[1.4.3]—2026-04

• Claims Validation §9: Content Pipeline Tiers section added—three provisional tiers (High Touch/HITL, Semi-Automated, Fully Automated); fully automated structured data (game scores, weather) explicitly excluded from Claims Validation pass requirement; scope blockquote updated to reference tier framework; United Robots tier assignment noted as pending (exec/leadership + team member)
• AI Tool Responsibility §8: Partner and Feed Content updated—tier framework referenced; “editorial content” qualifier added to blanket fact-check requirement; link to Claims Validation tiers section added
• Master Reference §9.0: Content Pipeline Tiers table added
• JSON API: section 9 notes updated with tier framework; version bumped to 1.4.3

[1.4.2]—2026-04

• Claims Validation (§9): new standalone page (docs/claims-validation.md)—five-verdict taxonomy (TRUE, FALSE, MISLEADING, INSUFFICIENT_EVIDENCE, OVERGENERALIZED); two-tier editorial action framework (Needs Correction: FALSE/MISLEADING; Needs Clarification: OVERGENERALIZED/INSUFFICIENT_EVIDENCE); three source authority tiers; content-type specific rules for health/medical, legal/regulatory, financial/economic, real estate, travel, and entertainment; escalation logic table; override documentation requirement
• Master Reference §9 added: Claims Validation condensed summary with verdict table, action taxonomy, source tiers, elevated-risk content table, and escalation summary; section count updated from eight to nine; end-of-document version updated to v1.4.2
• Navigation, CMS admin, and JSON API updated to include Claims Validation

[1.4.1]—2026-04

• AI Tool Responsibility (§8): page finalized—DRAFT banner removed; all escalation contacts and Slack channels resolved (Step 2: content team lead + #prog-and-growth; supervisor conflict: content team lead and/or exec/leadership; recurring issues and stop-use reporting: #nationalteam-csa-feedback; acknowledged by CSA product/dev team); Partner and Feed Content verbatim matching rule added (three or more consecutive words, or clearly derived sentence structure, triggers rewrite before peer review); United Robots TBD removed; Override Documentation updated with explicit bullet list and content team lead daily EOD summary note; download button added
• Master Reference §8 added: AI Tool Responsibility condensed summary with escalation table, plagiarism/attribution rule, partner content rule, and override documentation note; section count updated from seven to eight
• JSON API updated: section 8 (AI Tool Responsibility) entry added; version bumped to 1.4.1

[1.4.0]—2026-04

• Headlines §2: Format-Specific Headline Formulas section made data-driven—accordion order now follows _data/navigation.yml automatically via Liquid loop; each format’s block moved to _includes/headline-formulas/[match].html; no manual reordering needed when sidebar order changes
• Site-wide audit: version numbers, format counts, and section statuses corrected across README.md, index.md, and api/reference.json (all had stale values from before v1.3.6–1.3.9 changes)
• Documentation updated to describe _includes/headline-formulas/ convention and checklist for adding new formats

[1.3.9]—2026-04

• Agent Routing system extended site-wide: agent_audiences frontmatter field added to all 21 content pages; <!-- AGENT-AUDIENCE: --> section-level comments added to all 11 format pages (§3), all 5 persona pages (§4), docs/headlines.md, docs/acceptable-sources.md, docs/publishing-guidelines.md, docs/follow-up-content.md, and docs/collaboration-guide.md
• _data/agent_routing.yml created—canonical single source of truth for the four routing tags (general-style, headline, seo, human-only), their descriptions, coverage, and standard format-page section mapping
• api/reference.json updated—agent_audiences field added to every section and format entry; top-level agent_routing metadata block added with tag vocabulary and data file URL
• Documentation page: Agent Routing section expanded to full convention guide—explains frontmatter layer, section-level comment layer, the four tags, the canonical data file, and instructions for new page authors
• README: Agent Routing section updated to reflect both layers and reference _data/agent_routing.yml and JSON API

[1.3.8]—2026-04

• General Guidelines §1: Agent Routing section added—routing table mapping each §1 subsection to its intended CSA agent (general-style, headline, seo, human-only); machine-readable <!-- AGENT-AUDIENCE: [tag] --> comments added before every subsection in both docs/brand-guidelines.md and docs/master-reference.md §1; §1.4 Internal Linking split into agent-consumable (anchor text, link count) and human-only (What to Link To) with inline note about tag page limitation
• Documentation page: “Agent Routing annotations” subsection added to “How to Read a Format Page”—explains the four audience tags and how to grep for them
• README: “Agent Routing—§1 General Guidelines” section added to the AI agents audience block with grep instructions and tag reference

[1.3.7]—2026-04

• Article Formats §3: FAQ / Service Journalism added as §3.11—standalone page (docs/faq.md), navigation entry, CMS admin entry, master reference condensed summary, and JSON API entry; documentation format count updated from 10 to 11

[1.3.6]—2026-04

• Personas §4: Four new personas added—The Curious Optimizer (§4.2), The Wonder-Driven Science Enthusiast (§4.3), The Curious Explorer (§4.4), and The Watercooler Insider (§4.5)—each with full standalone pages, navigation entries, CMS admin entries, and master reference condensed summaries
• Personas §4: The Discover Browser (§4.1) updated—Content Framework section added (What It Is / Why It Matters / Who It’s For / How to Experience It); familiar performance lanes (gut health, travel hacks, personal finance, functional foods) added to What They Respond To
• Master Reference §4.1: Stale values corrected—word count updated from 740–816 to 400–800 (matches standalone page and v1.1.0 correction); meta description updated from 140–160 to 100–155 (matches v1.3.0 correction); “see full page” link added for consistency with §4.2–§4.5
• Documentation §4 row updated to list all five active personas
• Section 4 status updated to Active across homepage and JSON API

[1.3.5]—2026-03

• “Brand Guidelines” renamed to “General Guidelines” across the entire site—page title, sidebar navigation, CMS admin, JSON API, master reference, all format pages, and all cross-references updated; URL (/docs/brand-guidelines) and historical changelog entries unchanged

[1.3.4]—2026-03

• Documentation page added (docs/documentation.md)—covers: what the site is and who it’s for, all seven sections with descriptions, active format index, how to read a format page (red text convention, REQUIRED labels, pre-publish checklists, What to Avoid), how to navigate (sidebar, search, master reference, JSON API), how to edit (CMS and direct GitHub), versioning and changelog format, and full technical stack
• Navigation, CMS admin, and JSON API updated to include Documentation

[1.3.3]—2026-03

• Headlines §2: “Format-Specific Headline Formulas” section added—one accordion block per format, each documenting the locked formula(s), character count, key exceptions, outlet variations, and a link to the full spec; covers all 10 active formats: Discover Explainer, Everything to Know, Recipe, Timeline, Interview, Recap, Fan Theory / Fan Question, Obituary, Couple / Baby, Cast Introduction / Update
• Notable format-specific callouts consolidated: no-verb exception (Timeline), UsW-only alternate (Recap “Ending Explained”), Discover-specific Baby variants (Couple / Baby), (EXCLUSIVE) required in H1 not just SEO title (Interview), WW legacy framing note (Obituary), UsW Cast Introduction alternate (Cast)

[1.3.2]—2026-03

• Brand Guidelines §1.2: “When to Update Headlines & SEO Titles” expanded from four bullets to three documented scenarios with before/after examples—(1) new information changes the story, (2) article underperforms and Google Trends reveals a better keyword, (3) follow-up story SEO title doesn’t match the active search query (key principle: align to what readers are already searching, not the new development)
• Master Reference §1.2 updated with condensed three-scenario summary and pointer to Brand Guidelines for examples

[1.3.1]—2026-03

• Brand Guidelines §1.2: Modifier Guidelines added—celebrity children formulas (unknown child, two famous parents, independently known child, multiple children), show reboots and sequels (show title as keyword modifier, not actor’s former role), reality stars and new subjects (lead with show/identifier; exception when article is about the show), and obituary modifier rule (name first, modifier after)
• Brand Guidelines §1.2: SEO Title Rules updated—”same focus keyphrase” framing added; H1/SEO title relationship clarified (H1 develops keyphrase with context; SEO title is the focused version)
• Brand Guidelines §1.2: Promo/Homepage Title Rules subsection added—must say the same thing as H1 and SEO title; must contain focus keyphrase; 65–70 character max rationale documented
• Brand Guidelines §1.2: Exclusive Guidelines subsection added—qualifying criteria: first to break news, direct interview, publicist-provided exclusive, sneak peeks/behind-the-scenes
• Brand Guidelines §1.2: General Rules—”too short” principle added (short headlines lack keywords and context; hurts clicks and discoverability)
• Master Reference §1.2 updated to match all additions above

[1.3.0]—2026-03

• Brand Guidelines §1.2: H1 character count updated from 85–110 to 80–100 per SEO/TEO team directive (80 minimum, 100 maximum)—source: exec/leadership, McClatchy SEO/TEO, 2026-03-23
• All format pages updated: Discover Explainer, Everything to Know, Recipe, Timeline, Interview, Recap, Fan Theory / Fan Question, Obituary, Couple / Baby, Cast Introduction / Update
• Headlines §2: Universal defaults table and Apple News / Apple News+ table both updated to 80–100; Apple News note updated to reflect new universal standard (research data showing 80–139 performance sweet spot is preserved as context)
• Publishing Guidelines §6.3: Apple News headline note updated to reflect new 80–100 universal standard
• Master Reference §1.2 and all condensed format entries updated throughout

[1.2.9]—2026-03

• Brand Guidelines §1.3: Explicit Language Policy significantly expanded—added policy rationale (suppression from Google News, Discover, Apple News; manual action risk), two-category framework (adult-themed content vs. gratuitous profanity), 14-entry violating/better headline examples table, “Headlines That Work” section with cheeky-but-compliant examples, and quoted content rule (allude without reproducing; link to source)
• Master Reference §1.3: Updated to match expanded policy—added intro context, two-category framework, quoted content rule, gallery no-exceptions note, and pointer to Brand Guidelines for full examples table

[1.2.8]—2026-03

• Brand Guidelines §1.9 added: Breaking News & Follow-Up Content—originality rule (always write original, never syndicate for search traffic), triage framework (newsworthy → original; site normally covers → evaluate follow-ups; site doesn’t cover → return to normal news cycle), and scope note (not every angle for every story)
• §7 Follow-Up Content added as a new top-level section—standalone page (docs/follow-up-content.md) and condensed master reference entry; covers 13 story types: celebrity/artist death, shooting/bombing, arrest/imprisonment, performance fails, breakup, sexual assault/harassment claims, leaving a show or band, major interview, album/movie/TV release, notable insider statement, controversial statement, pregnancy announcement, and surprise wedding announcement
• Each story type documents: initial action, originality requirement, and list of possible follow-up angles
• Master Reference §1.2 character count corrected from 95–100 to 85–110 to match Brand Guidelines (stale carry-over from pre-1.1.6)
• Navigation, CMS admin, and JSON API updated to include Follow-Up Content

[1.2.7]—2026-03

• Article Formats §3.11: Genre / Streamer Roundup format removed—standalone page (docs/genre-roundup.md), master reference entry, navigation, CMS admin, and JSON API all reverted; Cast Introduction / Update (§3.10) remains the current last format

[1.2.6]—2026-03

• Article Formats §3.10: Cast Introduction / Update format added—full standalone page (docs/cast.md) and condensed master reference entry
• Cast Update headline: [Show/Movie Name] Cast Update: Who's In and Who's Out; Cast Introduction alternate (UsW): Meet the Cast of [Show/Movie Title]: [Name], [Name] and More
• Focus keyphrase: [Show/Movie Name] cast; secondary: [Actor Name] leaving [Show/Movie Name] or [Show/Movie Name] season [X] cast
• Tone: informative and straightforward
• Word count: 400–500—tight target; padding prohibited
• Cast Update structure requires each change labeled as joining/leaving/role change with context; Cast Introduction covers name, role, and background per member
• UsW-specific: gallery or H2 format both permitted—writer chooses based on volume and platform context
• Navigation, CMS admin, and JSON API updated to include the Cast Introduction / Update format

[1.2.5]—2026-03

• Article Formats §3.9: Couple / Baby format added—full standalone page (docs/couple-baby.md) and condensed master reference entry; two subtypes with multiple headline formulas documented
• Couple headline: [Celebrity A] and [Celebrity B]'s Relationship Timeline
• Baby headlines: five standard formulas (Welcomes First Baby, Baby Boy, Baby Girl, Twins, Pregnant With First Baby) plus two Discover-specific variants (Is Pregnant Expecting / Gives Birth to Baby No. [#])
• Focus keyphrases: [Celebrity A] and [Celebrity B] / [Celebrity Name] pregnant / [Celebrity Name] baby; secondary: couple name, [Celebrity Name] pregnant
• Tone: celebratory and heartwarming
• Word count: 200–500 words; UsW: 500 minimum
• No-speculation rule documented: only confirmed details may be reported; baby number accuracy emphasized
• Internal links must include the couple’s relationship timeline article when it exists
• Discover-specific headline variants documented and flagged as destination-specific
• Navigation, CMS admin, and JSON API updated to include the Couple / Baby format

[1.2.4]—2026-03

• Article Formats §3.8: Obituary format added—full standalone page (docs/obituary.md) and condensed master reference entry
• Headline formula: [Celebrity Name] Dead: [Descriptor] Was [Age]; celebrity name front-loaded; descriptor identifies primary role
• Focus keyphrase: [Celebrity Name] dead; secondary: [Celebrity Name] cause of death
• UsW-specific: cause of death is a separate story—secondary keyphrase reserved for that article; link to it from the obituary when published
• WW-specific: legacy and career retrospective framing—lead with the person’s impact rather than the breaking death news; URL pattern may reflect legacy framing rather than dead
• Tone: respectful, somber, and informative; WW leans celebratory and reflective
• Word count: 300–600 words (UsW: 500); padding prohibited
• Accuracy requirement documented prominently: confirm death before publishing; no speculation on cause of death
• Hero image must be a dignified, appropriate photo—unflattering candids prohibited
• Navigation, CMS admin, and JSON API updated to include the Obituary format

[1.2.3]—2026-03

• Article Formats §3.7: Fan Theory / Fan Question format added—full standalone page (docs/fan-content.md) and condensed master reference entry; two subtypes documented on a single page
• Fan Theory headline formula: This [Show Name] Fan Theory About [Character/Plot Point] Will Blow Your Mind; Fan Question formula: Biggest Questions About [Show Name] Answered
• Focus keyphrases: [Show Name] fan theory / [Show Name] fan question; secondary keyphrases: [Character Name] theory / What happened in [Show Name]?
• Tone: speculative, engaging, and conversational
• Word count: 300–500 words—shortest format in the standards; padding explicitly prohibited
• UsW-specific: each theory/question requires its own H2 with Google Trends keywords
• Fan Theory structure: state theory then evidence; Fan Question structure: answer first then context
• Navigation, CMS admin, and JSON API updated to include the Fan Theory / Fan Question format

[1.2.2]—2026-03

• Article Formats §3.6: Recap format added—full standalone page (docs/recap.md) and condensed master reference entry
• Primary headline formula: [Show/Movie Name] Recap: [Number] Biggest Moments From [Episode Title]; UsW-specific alternate: [Show/Movie Name] Ending Explained; show/movie name must be front-loaded
• Focus keyphrase: [Show/Movie Name] recap; secondary: [Show Name] season [X] episode [Y] recap
• Tone: entertaining and opinionated, but still informative
• Word count: 400–800 words; chronological or thematic structure both permitted
• Analysis and commentary required—pure plot summary is explicitly prohibited; forward-looking implications required element
• Internal links must include a link to the previous episode’s recap—format-specific requirement
• URL pattern: [show-name]-recap-[episode-keywords] or [show-name]-season-[x]-episode-[y]-recap
• Navigation, CMS admin, and JSON API updated to include the Recap format

[1.2.1]—2026-03

• Article Formats §3.5: Interview format added—full standalone page (docs/interview.md) and condensed master reference entry
• Headline formula: [Celebrity Name] on [Topic]: '[Quote]' (EXCLUSIVE)—celebrity name front-loaded, quote in single quotes, (EXCLUSIVE) at end of H1 (extends Brand Guidelines §1.2 SEO title practice to the H1)
• Focus keyphrase: [Celebrity Name] interview; secondary: [Celebrity Name] [Topic]
• Tone: conversational and engaging, reflecting the interview’s tone
• Word count: 500–1,500 words; Q&A or narrative structure both documented and permitted
• Editorial guidance: surface most newsworthy/interesting content early; direct quotes must not have their meaning altered
• Internal links must target celebrity tag page, project pages, and related articles (UsW: 3 min, 5 max)
• Navigation, CMS admin, and JSON API updated to include the Interview format

[1.2.0]—2026-03

• Article Formats §3.4: Timeline format added—full standalone page (docs/timeline.md) and condensed master reference entry
• Headline formula locked to [Subject]: A Complete Timeline or [Subject]: A Complete Breakdown with subject front-loaded; verb not required per existing Brand Guidelines §1.2 exception for relationship timelines
• Focus keyphrase: [Subject] timeline; secondary: [Subject] relationship
• Tone: romantic and nostalgic (more specific than universal Brand Guidelines guidance)
• Word count: 500–2,000 words; chronological article structure with entries listed earliest to most recent
• Per-entry photo requirement documented (each key moment requires a photo)—format-specific, no brand-level equivalent
• Internal links must target subjects’ tag pages and articles about specific events in the timeline
• URL pattern: [subject]-relationship-timeline or [subject]-timeline
• Navigation, CMS admin, and JSON API updated to include the Timeline format

[1.1.9]—2026-03

• Article Formats §3.3: Recipe format added—full standalone page (docs/recipe.md) and condensed master reference entry
• Focus keyphrase locked to [Recipe Name] recipe; “Recipe” required in both H1 and SEO title (exceptions: recipe-specific sites, promo headlines); video recipes must add (with Video) to SEO title
• SEO title character range 50–70 (format-specific lower bound, vs. universal 60–70); [Dish Name] Recipe construction documented as preferred over How to Make [Dish]
• Intro word count: 150–350 words; intro must mention the food by name
• Dek: 2–3 sentences; must include dish name and descriptive keywords
• URL pattern: [dish-name]-recipe; competitor research guidance (Ahrefs, SEMrush, Ubersuggest, intitle: operator) documented
• Navigation, CMS admin, and JSON API updated to include the Recipe format

[1.1.8]—2026-03

• Article Formats §3.2: Everything to Know format added—full standalone page (docs/everything-to-know.md) and condensed master reference entry replacing the §3.2 stub
• Headline formula documented as [Subject]: Everything You Need to Know with subject front-loaded; word count target 500–1,500; H2 minimum 80-word intro required before bullet points or subpoints; focus keyphrase format "Everything to Know About [Subject]" with optional secondary keyphrases [Subject] news / [Subject] updates
• Format-specific overrides (red): headline formula, focus keyphrase structure, word count range, H2 intro minimum, article structure, URL pattern, image specs, tags
• Navigation, CMS admin, and JSON API updated to include the new format

[1.1.7]—2026-03

• Headlines §2: Apple News / Apple News+ outlet block added—H1 sweet spot documented as 80–139 characters per flatplan.io analysis of ~15,000 articles across 10 publishers; universal default (85–110) noted as falling within range; below-80 and above-139 noted as underperforming
• Publishing Guidelines §6.3: Apple News / Apple News+ section added (previously a stub)—headline character count requirement and source data documented; §6.4 stub added for remaining destinations

[1.1.6]—2026-03

• Brand Guidelines §1.2: H1 character count updated from 95–100 to 85–110 characters
• Headlines §2: H1 character count updated to 85–110; Casing Rules expanded to explicitly distinguish CUE (sentence case) from UsW/WW (title case)
• Publishing Guidelines §6.1: Headline Casing updated—CUE now documented as sentence case; UsW and WW as title case
• Google Discover Explainer §3.1: H1 character count updated to 85–110 in Headline spec and pre-publish checklist; all-caps CMS note replaced with destination-specific casing guidance (CUE = sentence case; UsW/WW = title case)

[1.1.5]—2026-03

• Brand Guidelines §1.2: SEO title placement context added (Top Stories, Also in the News, search results, AI Overviews, Discover); clickbait guidance refined—question-format titles permitted occasionally but overuse undermines site authority

[1.1.4]—2026-03

• Brand Guidelines §1.4: rationale intro added—internal links, search authority, and user navigation

[1.1.3]—2026-03

• Brand Guidelines §1.5: named-byline rationale strengthened—added Google News transparency policy detail and specific placement impact (Top Stories, News tab)

[1.1.2]—2026-03

• Brand Guidelines §1.5: Author Bio Pages subsection added—required fields, optional fields, and 100–200 word length guidance

[1.1.1]—2026-03

• Brand Guidelines §1.8: bullet points rule added (“Bullet points are permitted in article body copy for lists—not as a default structure for prose”)
• Google Discover Explainer: bullet points formatting rule un-reddened—it is now a universal Brand Guidelines rule, not a format-specific override

[1.1.0]—2026-03

• Discover Browser persona corrected to align with authoritative Content Brief
• Word count updated from 740–816 to 400–800 (Content Brief is authoritative source)
• Meta description range corrected from 140–160 to 100–165 to match Brand Guidelines and style guide; unsubstantiated “4+ keywords front-loaded, stop words stripped” spec removed

[1.0.9]—2026-03

• Google Discover Explainer: added variant platform-optimization principle—all variants must be optimized for intended audience and intended platform, not audience alone

[1.0.8]—2026-03

• Google Discover Explainer fully reconciled with master style guide: gaps filled and conflicts resolved
• Added: Discover-specific note that the Discover headline may differ from the SEO title
• Added: “Optimize before publishing” urgency note with re-indexing timing detail
• Added: SEO Title section intro and too-short/too-long character count guidance
• Added: Meta description practical tip (“pull two sentences from the article”)
• Added: Revival content definition—nostalgic angles and “one year later” perspectives
• Added: “What to Avoid” reference table with prohibited items and reasons
• Added: “If updated article: byline and dateline handled per §1.5” to pre-publish checklist
• Added: “Local and national variants confirmed” to pre-publish checklist
• Updated: Internal Links section to include SEO rationale for the 3–5 link count
• Updated: Tone section to add “Confident and specific—avoid vague generalities”
• Updated: Focus Keyphrase section to note real-person search intent and Google Trends usage
• Red override highlighting confirmed current throughout

[1.0.7]—2026-03

• Google Discover Explainer: format-override summary paragraph added at top of page; all guidance that overrides or extends Brand Guidelines highlighted in red throughout
• Gemfile.lock updated to include Linux platform (x86_64-linux) alongside macOS—fixes Netlify build failures caused by platform-specific gem resolution

[1.0.6]—2026-03

• Required labels (*type: required*) replaced with (REQUIRED) on all pages—now appears as bold inline text directly below each relevant subheading
• Site infrastructure: CSS extracted to external stylesheet (assets/css/main.css); sidebar navigation made data-driven via _data/navigation.yml; Gemfile.lock added; .gitignore added with standard Jekyll excludes
• URLs unified—all references updated from piercewilliams.github.io to csa-content-standards.netlify.app; github_username and github_repo added to _config.yml
• JSON API (api/reference.json) overhauled: URLs corrected, Headlines §2 entry added, section numbers added, standalone_url and notes fields added per section
• Section statuses on homepage corrected to accurately reflect active/partial/pending state
• Master Reference added to sidebar navigation and CMS admin panel
• CMS editor (admin/config.yml) updated: Master Reference entry added, contextual hints added to all document fields
• assets/images/ folder created to support CMS media uploads
• Entertainment & Celebrity vertical added to Acceptable Sources (8 sources: People, EW, Variety, THR, Billboard, IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Deadline)
• WordPress (§6.2) publishing skeleton populated—required fields, AI disclosure, and tags/categories guidance now documented
• Headlines (§2) Universal Defaults block added—character counts, casing rules, and formula guidance now visible on the page
• Article Formats §3.2 stub added as a placeholder for future format documentation
• README updated to reflect current site URL and 6-section structure

[1.0.5]—2026-03

• Site migrated from GitHub Pages to Netlify for CMS authentication support
• CMS login switched from GitHub OAuth to Netlify Identity (email/password)
• Collaboration Guide rewritten to reflect Netlify/Decap CMS setup, added editor usage instructions
• Headlines renamed from “Headlines by Outlet” and renumbered as §2; all subsequent sections renumbered (§3–§6)
• Pre-publish checklist bullet formatting fixed on Google Discover Explainer page
• Required labels standardized to *type: required* format across all pages
• Collaboration Guide added to CMS admin panel

[1.0.4]—2026-03

• Headlines section added with universal rules and outlet-specific accordion structure
• Acceptable Sources reorganized into expandable category accordions
• Collaboration Guide added covering editor workflow, owner approval, and new collaborator setup
• Edit this page button added to all pages
• Section numbers removed from individual page headings
• Changelog moved below Collaboration Guide in sidebar

[1.0.3]—2026-03

• Acceptable Sources (§4) populated with 37 sources across 6 categories
• Section statuses updated to Draft—pending approval

[1.0.2]—2026-03

• Site renamed to CSA Content Standards
• Removed McClatchy branding from title

[1.0.1]—2026-03

• Custom layout and sidebar navigation
• Replaced Jekyll theme with custom layout
• Master reference split into individual section pages, each with per-section download link

[1.0.0]—2026-03

• Initial release
• Brand Guidelines (§1): voice/tone, headlines, explicit language, internal links, bylines, AI disclosure, Helpful Content standard, universal compliance
• Article Formats (§3): Google Discover Explainer (§3.1)—complete
• Personas (§4): The Discover Browser (§4.1)—complete
• Acceptable Sources (§5): stub—pending editorial input
• Publishing Guidelines (§6): CUE complete; WordPress and other destinations stubbed