Datelined: meaning, definitions and examples

Etymology

• The term 'datelined' derives from the word 'date', which refers to time, and 'line', indicating a straight line or text.
• Usage of the word in journalism became common in the 20th century as news reporting evolved with modern technology.
• 'Dateline' as a term was influenced by the layout of newspapers, where the date and location were typically placed at the start of an article.

Media & Journalism

• Datelines are crucial for providing context; they help readers understand the relevancy and timeliness of a news story.
• Different media organizations have their own styles regarding how they format datelines, which can include the city and country of origin.
• In breaking news, the dateline can signify the urgency and immediacy of the information, helping distinguish between local and international events.

Cultural Significance

• Datelines serve not only as geographical references but also as cultural markers, reflecting the location's significance in the news.
• In global stories, where events span multiple countries, the dateline helps audiences locate geographically and culturally where the news is happening.
• During significant historical events (like wars or elections), datelines can reflect the dramatic shifts occurring in specific regions.

Literature

• Writers and journalists often play with datelines creatively to enhance narratives in feature stories or investigative pieces.
• In fiction, datelines can be used to create a sense of realism or timeliness, grounding a story in a specific time and place.
• In some literary works, the concept of a dateline is metaphorically used to create timelines that resonate with character development.

Technology

• With the rise of digital journalism, datelines have adapted to include timestamps for articles, indicating the exact moment of publication.
• Datelining in online formats has led to variations, such as live updates, where the time of the last update is crucial for reader context.
• Technological tools now enable automated datelining for articles, improving efficiency in newsroom workflows.