Here’s how to correctly report the time on a breaking news event or when writing a detailed feature that benefits from its use:
- Using a.m. and p.m. effectively ensures your readers can precisely understand when an event occurred or is scheduled to happen.
- For times throughout the day, never omit a.m. or p.m. (Example: The press conference is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. The flight departs at 8:15 a.m.).
- While less common, a.m. and p.m. are also used for specifying noon (12:00 p.m.) and midnight (12:00 a.m.).