Style Discussion: composition titles

Senior_editor_DC · **Posted:** Sun Aug 01, 2004 1:13 pm

Could someone help me with these questions?:(1) In Chicago, can one go with either roman or italics when treating the name of an institutional program or PR campaign, such as the Fit for Life program? (Fictitious.) Chicago 8.208 and 8.209 are the closest examples I could find--exhibitions, notices, and mottoes--but the client likes to italicize the name. Is italics OK?(3) Chicago prefers a lowercased and roman article for for newpaper titles nested in a sentence. AP style calls for capping the article, as in, "I brought in the New York Times." What, then, does one do in Chicago with O, The Oprah Magazine? Would "the" remain capped and italicized in the sentence because it's technically the subtitle of the magazine? (3) Finally, a judgment call: My client, a PR firm, wants me to follow AP style, but the folks love italicizing their composition titles for effect. Strict AP would have titles in quotes all over the place, making the piece look cluttered. Would it be abominable to follow AP throughout, but apply Chicago rules to the names of books, magazines, newspapers, television stations and shows, etc.? It would make life a heck of a lot easier, but I feel uneasy. Consistency, of course, would be the ultimate requisite from then on out.Many thanks!
--MaryNew York TimesO, The Oprah Magazine

Senior_editor_DC · **Posted:** Sun Aug 01, 2004 1:16 pm

Sorry, I'm new to this board and am getting used to the format. Meant to say:"Chicago prefers a lowercased and roman article for for newpaper titles nested in a sentence, as in, "I brought in the New York Times." AP style calls for capping the article.

Phillip Blanchard · **Posted:** Sun Aug 01, 2004 2:18 pm

Most of us here are newspaper people who don't work with Chicago. If your client wants AP style, use AP style. But italicize away if that's what the client wants. No one will raise an eyebrow.[ August 01, 2004: Message edited by: blanp ]

Senior_editor_DC · **Posted:** Sun Aug 01, 2004 2:37 pm

Thank you, Phillip. I suppose that the biggest concern for me is the mixing--using AP for everything but titles. I've never mixed the two, but I suppose that I can, as long as the exceptions follow logic and consistency.Best,
Mary
P.S. I didn't realize that most of the members here work in AP style. I'll keep that in mind in the future.

nstockdale · **Posted:** Sun Aug 01, 2004 4:42 pm

Also, many newspapers that follow AP style have made exceptions for titles, similar to Chicago's rules. The Dallas Morning News, for instance, itals books, movies, TV series, albums, etc. It puts in quotes book chapters, TV episodes, songs, etc.

jjmoney62 · **Posted:** Sun Aug 01, 2004 5:32 pm

Most of us work in AP style, but there's likely a few here who dabble in Chicago style, so don't be scared off.Mixing styles is no big deal -- almost every newspaper has an in-house stylebook that usurps AP -- as long as, like you say, you're consistent once you settle on a style for each publication.[ August 01, 2004: Message edited by: jjmoney62 ]

Senior_editor_DC · **Posted:** Mon Aug 02, 2004 11:38 am

Thanks, all, for your replies. This was very helpful to me.
mk

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