Are Newspaper Names Italicized

So, you’re staring at a sentence with The New York Times in it, and your fingers freeze. Is it in italics? Are you about to commit a grammar crime? I feel you. It’s one of those tiny style rules that haunts writers like a ghost in the machine.

Let’s spill the coffee beans right now: yes, newspaper names are typically italicized. Think of italics as a fancy little red carpet you roll out for the big names. It’s like saying, “Hey, you’re a proper publication, and I respect your font.”

But wait—don’t toss your style guide out the window yet. There’s a catch, because there’s always a catch with English. If you’re following AP Style (the newsroom boss), they actually prefer plain roman type. No italics. Just straight, boring text. Wild, right?

Most of the time, though, we’re in the land of Chicago Manual of Style or MLA or just good ol’ common sense. Those rulebooks scream for italics. So if you’re writing a book, a blog, or a love letter to journalism, italicize that title.

But what about the word “the”?

Ah, the sneaky little article. Do you italicize “The” in The Guardian? Yes, you do—if it’s part of the official name. Most newspapers include “The” in their masthead, so treat it like a VIP. But if you’re writing casually and say “the Washington Post,” that lowercase “the” gets no italics. See? Grammar is just a party with weird dress codes.

Here’s a fun test: say the name out loud. If you’d feel weird dropping the “The” (like with The New Yorker), keep it italicized. If it sounds fine without it (like “USA Today”), feel free to skip.

What about old, dead newspapers?

Great question, coffee buddy! Yes, even defunct papers like The Brooklyn Daily Eagle get the italic treatment. They’re dead, but their names deserve respect. It’s like putting a nice frame on a photo of your grandpa—he’s gone, but he still looks sharp.

And what about online-only news sites? BuzzFeed News or The Huffington Post? Yep, same rule. Italics don’t care if you’re print or digital. They’re equal-opportunity flourishers.

But what if you’re not typing?

Okay, real talk: if you’re handwriting a note (who does that anymore?), you can’t really italicize. In that case, underline the name. That’s the old-school move. Underlining is like italics’ awkward cousin—same vibe, different dance.

Also, never use quotation marks for a newspaper name. That’s for articles, poems, and songs. If you put The Wall Street Journal in quotes, it looks like you’re mocking it. Don’t mock the Journal—it has very strong opinions about interest rates.

Are there exceptions? (Of course there are.)

Yes, because English loves chaos. If the newspaper name is part of a larger title—like a book titled “How to Read The New York Times”—then you still italicize it. But if you’re writing a sentence like, “I read the Times every morning,” you can drop the italics because it’s a shortened, informal reference. You’re basically friends with the paper now.

Another exception? If you’re quoting someone who says “I love the Daily Mail,” you keep the name in roman type because it’s a direct quote. But honestly, that’s a nitpick for editors who wear glasses they don’t need. For the rest of us? Just italicize and move on.

Here’s the ultimate cheat: when in doubt, pretend you’re writing a movie title. Would you italicize Star Wars? Yes. Would you italicize The Chicago Tribune? Also yes. Congratulations, you’re now a punctuation wizard.

So what’s the bottom line?

If you’re writing for fun, a blog, or a school essay: italicize newspaper names. It’s safe, it’s stylish, and it makes your text look classy. If you’re writing for a specific publication, check their style guide. But honestly, unless your boss is a grammar guru, nobody will scream at you for italics.

And if someone does yell at you? Just say you were following Chicago style. Then take a sip of your coffee and walk away. You’ve earned it.

Now go forth and italicize like a champion. Your sentences will thank you.