Do You Italicize Newspaper Titles

Let’s be honest: the first time someone asked you, “Do you italicize newspaper titles?” you probably froze like a deer in headlights at a grammar rave. Your brain started sweating, wondering if the fate of your essay literally depended on a tiny slanted letter. Spoiler alert: it does—but not in the terrifying way you think.

Here’s the short answer, which I’ll deliver with the drama of a game show host: Yes, you italicize the name of the newspaper itself. So The New York Times gets the slanty treatment. The Guardian gets it. The Wall Street Journal gets it. Think of italics as a tiny, elegant tuxedo you put on the newspaper’s name. It’s formalwear for punctuation.

But wait—and this is where your barista might spill your latte—you do not italicize the name of the article inside the newspaper. That’s right: the headline “Man Bites Dog in Bizarre Cereal Incident” gets boring old quotation marks. Why? Because newspapers are the fancy restaurant, and articles are just the menu items. You don’t italicize a meatball sub, do you? (Don’t answer that; I know some of you are savages.)

Why all the fuss? Blame the style gods.

The rule comes from the Chicago Manual of Style and AP Stylebook, which are basically the Vatican and the Supreme Court of punctuation. They decree that major works—books, films, albums, newspapers—get italics, while smaller parts get quotes. It’s like how you’d say, “I binge-watched Stranger Things last night, and my favorite episode was ‘The Mind Flayer.’” See? The show is italicized, the episode is quoted. Same logic for papers.

Here’s a wild surprise: before the printing press, people wrapped newspaper titles in actual hand-drawn vines. I made that up, but it sounds true, and it’s the kind of trivia that’ll make you seem brilliant at parties. Stick with it.

The one exception that will make you rage

Okay, deep breath. Some style guides—looking at you, AP Style—say you should never italicize newspaper titles in body text. Instead, they want you to use capital letters and nothing else. So The Washington Post becomes The Washington Post (yes, bold instead of italics). This is like being told you can wear a tuxedo or a funny hat, but not both. AP wins in newsrooms; Chicago wins in books. Pick your poison.

Here’s the kicker: if you’re writing online for the general public, nobody actually cares—until they do. I once saw a commenter write, “You forgot to italicize The Onion. Unreadable garbage. 0 stars.” That person is why we can’t have nice things.

And what about foreign newspaper names? Le Monde still gets italics, but do not try to pronounce it like a snob unless you’ve practiced in the mirror. I tried it once and ended up sounding like I was gargling a baguette.

Surprising fact: This rule has a secret history

Back in the typewriter age, you couldn’t italicize anything—you had to underline it instead. So your grandma’s college essay on The Chicago Tribune was actually a messy tangle of squiggly lines. Underlining was the ugly cousin of italics, and we’ve evolved past it. Evolution is beautiful. Except for the platypus.

Also, the word “italicize” comes from Italy, because the first italic typeface was designed by an Italian printer named Aldus Manutius. He probably also invented pasta, espresso, and the gesture for “I have no idea.” Aldus was a multitasker.

A quick cheat sheet for the lost

Let’s test your brain: if I say, “I read a hilarious story in The New Yorker called ‘My Pet Rock’s Psychiatrist,’” did I do it right? Yes. Gold star. The newspaper is italicized, the article is quoted. You’re a grammar ninja now.

But what about a digital newspaper like Politico or BuzzFeed News? Italics for the whole brand. Even if it’s just a website, treat it like a real newspaper, because Jeff Bezos once said so. (He didn’t, but don’t risk it.)

One more curveball: do not italicize the word “the” in a newspaper name unless “The” is actually part of the official title. Most papers include it, like The Boston Globe. But if a paper is just USA Today, leave the “The” in the trash where it belongs. You’re welcome.

And here’s the final rebellious truth: many professional writers break this rule all the time. Stephen King italicizes everything, including his grocery lists. Margaret Atwood probably uses quotation marks just to annoy editors. The world won’t explode if you mess up—but your 10th-grade English teacher will rise from the grave to haunt you.

So go forth, italicize with confidence, and remember: it’s a tuxedo, not a straitjacket. The New York Times won’t send a cease-and-desist if you forget. But your future self, proofreading at 3 a.m., will thank you. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to italicize this coffee cup and go rewrite history.