In
publishing, to "spike" something is to put it aside. It is sometimes used later, but it may just wind up discarded. It refers to an actual metal spike
paperweight that used to sit an
editor's desk, where
pending items were kept that they have already handled. New material comes in and goes into the
inbox, but once an item has been worked on, an editor is
loath to throw it away, as it represents work invested in editing and selection and
intellectual capital.
Sometimes an item is spiked because there isn't enough space in the publication to run all of the material prepared. This happens when there isn't as much advertising to support the pages planned as forcasted. In that instance, the material spiked is usually used in a following issue. A great deal of spiked material does get dumped eventually.
Sometimes the material is spiked because the editor is waiting for additional information. If the info arrives, the material is used. If it doesn't, the press agent or source of the initial information goes on the editor's shit list and the material is discarded.
Spiking is also the act of throwing a football to the ground in a grandiose gesture in the end zone after making a touchdown.