The line in a newspaper or magazine article that identifies the author or authors of the piece. Typically appearing at the beginning of an article, directly below the headline or lead, the byline gives credit to the journalist who wrote the story.
In digital journalism, bylines often include hyperlinks to the reporter’s profile or previous work. Bylines serve multiple purposes: they provide accountability for the reporting, help establish the reporter’s credibility, and allow readers to identify patterns in coverage by specific journalists. In some cases, articles may carry multiple bylines when written collaboratively, or no byline when written by staff or when anonymity is required.
