Masthead (American publishing)
The masthead (also referred to as an imprint) is a list, usually found on the editorial page of a newspaper or magazine, of the members of the newspaper's editorial board. If no editorial board exists, the masthead will often feature a list of the top news of staff members. Some mastheads also include information such as the publication's founding date, slogan, logo and contact information.
The term masthead is borrowed from the shipping industry, when a brass plate would be affixed to the main mast of a commercial sailing vessel. This plate contained the name of the owner or owners of a ship.[citation needed]
In the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, the word is used to refer to the nameplate of a publication, its designed title as it appears on its front page.
Web usage
The term is sometimes also used on international websites in a different context. This is usually a mistake based on the incorrect translation of German websites, because in German speaking countries the law requires a website to have an "Impressum" (legals, website details) in the way newspapers do. A better translation of the German "Impressum" may be "Impressum - Legal Disclosure," or "Impressum - Legal Notice." This retains the original German as required by law while telling English speakers much more than "masthead" or "imprint".[1]
References
- ^ http://www.language-boutique.com/lost-in-translation-full-reader/items/impressum-or-imprint.html Article on incorrect translation of the German word "Impressum" on English websites.
Sample mastheads
- Masthead for The New Republic magazine.
- [1] "NYTimes.com Masthead"
- [2] "Masthead" of the National Geographic Magazine Online
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