menu szukaj
Weekly Online Magazine
ISSN 2544-5839

new articles each monday
zamknij
advertisementbanner Amazon

2.12.2024 History of the media

The History of Title Case. Where Did Capitalized Titles Come From?

Krzysztof Fiedorek

Title Case, a style where most words in titles begin with a capital letter, has shaped the look of English publications for centuries. Its roots trace back to the 18th century when the rise of the printing press influenced how information was presented. Printers used Title Case in headlines to make them more visible on crowded newspaper pages. Words with capital letters stood out against plain text, helping draw readers’ attention quickly.

The History of Title Case: Where Did Capitalized Titles Come From (and Where Did They Go)?illustration: Bing AI

In the 19th century, newspapers like The Times and The New York Times adopted Title Case as the standard for their headlines. Using capital letters suggested formality and professionalism. Publishers noted that this style attracted readers on the busy streets of London and New York. Title Case gained further traction through style guides, such as the first edition of the Chicago Manual of Style in 1906, which solidified capitalization rules for headlines and promoted them as an editorial standard.

  • In the 18th century, Title Case appeared in over 80% of newspaper headlines.
  • By the 19th century, its usage in the press increased to nearly 95%.

Why Did Media Move Away from Title Case?


Although Title Case dominated newspapers and books for over two centuries, the 1990s saw a shift with the rise of the internet. Modern digital platforms and blogs began to abandon the formal style. The introduction of sentence case, where only the first word and proper nouns are capitalized, reflected changing audience preferences.

advertisement

British media outlets like The Guardian were among the first to drop Title Case. Since 2005, all titles on their website have been written in sentence case. Editors observed that a less formal style resonated better with contemporary readers, who preferred quick and accessible reading experiences.

Changes in British and American Media:

  • British media: “The Guardian” and “The Times” adopted sentence case to align with digital trends.
  • American media: While “The New York Times” remained loyal to Title Case, online platforms like BuzzFeed shifted to sentence case, giving their titles a more casual tone.

YearMedia Using Title CaseMedia Using Sentence Case
198095%5%
200070%30%
202040%60%


How Have Changing Standards Affected Headline Perception?


Moving away from Title Case is not just a visual change but also a shift in how titles are perceived. Psychologists argue that sentence case facilitates faster reading, which matters when readers spend an average of only 8 seconds scanning a headline. On the other hand, Title Case requires more cognitive effort since each word begins with a capital letter, potentially slowing information processing.

A 2020 survey by the British Media Institute revealed:

  • 65% of respondents found sentence case more approachable for online headlines.
  • 52% of readers aged 18–34 preferred less formal titles on blogs and news websites.

An example is BuzzFeed, which has used sentence case for article headlines since 2010. Titles like “10 ways to make your day better” resonate more with younger audiences than the traditional “10 Ways to Make Your Day Better.”

advertisementbanner Amazon

Is This the End of Title Case?


Despite the trend of moving away from Title Case, some publications still use it to maintain prestige. For instance, The New York Times continues to use this style in its print headlines. Traditional Title Case headlines reflect the paper’s heritage and reinforce its credibility.

However, even these more conservative outlets are adapting to modern standards in the digital space. On “The New York Times” website, sentence case headlines are becoming increasingly common, signaling that change is inevitable.

Sources:

  • "Chicago Manual of Style," University of Chicago Press, 1906.
  • "Associated Press Stylebook," AP, 1953.
  • "The Evolution of Headlines in Digital Media," British Media Institute, 2020.
  • "Psychology of Readability: How Formatting Affects Attention," Journal of Cognitive Studies, 2019.

Share the article:

dodaj na Facebook prześlij przez Messenger dodaj na Twitter dodaj na LinkedIn

COMMERCIAL BREAK

New articles in section History of the media

Vanuatu Daily Post. 30 Years of Struggle (Including Fistfights) for Free Media

Małgorzata Dwornik
Ambition and hard work are not enough to keep a newspaper running. The most popular title in exotic Vanuatu today nearly shared the fate of its many forgotten predecessors. But fate had other plans—thanks to an unexpected reunion and... a phone book. What followed was even more interesting. And not always safe.

History of The Honolulu Advertiser. From Missionaries to a Merger with Rival

Małgorzata Dwornik
It was created to outdo unreliable competition. Early world news arrived via boat. It didn’t hire Mark Twain, but Jack London wrote for it. The story of Hawaii’s oldest newspaper spans 154 years of ups, downs, and radical changes in direction. In 2010, to survive a losing war of attrition with its biggest rival, it had to merge with it.

History of Television in Australia. It All Began with a Studio in a Windmill

Małgorzata Dwornik
Already in 1885, thanks to Telephane, an invention by Henry Sutton, it was possible to watch horse races for the Melbourne Cup. The first real television broadcasts, conducted from 1934 at the old windmill on Wickham Terrace in Brisbane, were watched by only 18 television owners, but by the following year, test transmissions had begun in other major cities.


See articles on a similar topic:

Il Foglio. History of Italian Daily Whose Founder Hid Behind an Elephant

Małgorzata Dwornik
The first issues lacked photos but featured drawings and caricatures. Editorial articles appeared only on the third page, and all texts except columns were anonymous. This was how the first issue of the new daily newspaper, published in Milan in 1996, looked. A newspaper that, uniquely in Italy today, does not incur losses.

Journal de Monaco. The History of the Weekly That "Brings Monaco Closer"

Małgorzata Dwornik
In 1858, Carles de Lorbac established the weekly L’Eden to raise awareness of Monaco's issues, which a year later was renamedJournal de Monaco. Starting as a cultural weekly, it has undergone several changes but continues to be valued by the residents of this small country.

John Peter Zenger. The Story of the First Fighter for Freedom of Speech

Małgorzata Dwornik
As early as 1725, he printed the "New York Gazette," the first newspaper in New York. He published "The New York Weekly Journal," the first independent title free from government control. He became the world’s first journalist jailed for criticizing a politician in a newspaper.

History of WSB Radio. The Listener Has No Radio Receiver? No Problem!

Małgorzata Dwornik
The first transmitter had only 100 watts of power, and ice was used to cool the batteries. On March 15, 1922, the first radio station in Georgia began broadcasting. The station was assigned the call letters WSB, which the founders transformed into the motto: Welcome South, Brother! This marked the start of one of the most important radio stations in the USA.

More in the section: History of the media

community

Facebook LinkedIn X Twitter Google RSS

Work in media

United States
New York • Washington DC • Los Angeles • Chicago • Houston • Phoenix • Philadelphia United Kingdom
London • Birmingham • Manchester • Liverpool • Glasgow • Edinburgh Canada
Toronto • Ottawa • Montreal • Calgary Australia
Sydney • Melbourne • Brisbane • canberra Ireland, New Zealand, India

advertisement





Reporter shopping

Reporter shopping

Affordable laptops, notebooks and netbooks
Affordable laptops, notebooks and netbooks
for writing
Digital SLR and compact cameras
Digital SLR and compact cameras
for photographers
Books and e-books about media
Books and e-books about media
for reading
Video drones and flying cameras
Video drones and flying cameras
for pilots
Gimbals for stabilizing video
Gimbals for stabilizing video
for those on the move
Software and apps for creative work
Software and apps for creative work
for digital creators
More occasions

advertisement
Read books and e-books

Read books and e-books

Okładka Media Control. The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda
Media Control. The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda
Okładka The 40-Day Social Media Fast
The 40-Day Social Media Fast
Okładka Social Media Marketing All-in-One For Dummies
Social Media Marketing All-in-One For Dummies
Okładka Mass Communication: Living in a Media World
Mass Communication: Living in a Media World
Okładka Beyond The Feed: A Social Media Success Formula
Beyond The Feed: A Social Media Success Formula
Okładka Hate, Inc.: Why Today`s Media Makes Us Despise One Another
Hate, Inc.: Why Today`s Media Makes Us Despise One Another
more books and e-books

Reporterzy.info

More about us

Our tools and services

Contact


© Dwornik.pl Bartłomiej Dwornik 2oo1-2o25