Giving someone unwelcome and often unexpected information is such an unpleasant experience that we have not one, but two common expressions acknowledging it. Whether it's announcing that we hate to be the bearer of bad news, or asking the recipient of the news not to shoot the messenger, these phrases are more about absolving ourselves of any guilt we may be feeling about delivering the message than it is about making it easier on the other person.
While we’re in the moment covering news, reporters and editors sometimes think about what we liked working on over the past year. We’ve collected them together, with reporters’ reflections.