The Economist Magazine Puts Names and Faces on Video After 181 Years of Anonymous Writing

The Economist magazine is breaking 181 years of tradition by showing writers' names and faces in video content from its London studio. The publication has kept all articles anonymous since its first edition in 1843.

Back then, putting your name on articles was seen as showing off. Most newspapers and magazines used anonymous writing. Today, only The Economist and Private Eye magazine in the UK still follow this old practice.

The magazine started as a newspaper in 1843 but became what we now call a magazine over a century later when it added color covers and inside pages. Despite the format change, it still calls itself "this newspaper" out of habit.

The Economist is known for taking strong editorial positions on global politics, economics, and business issues. Its anonymous style was meant to make the publication's voice more important than individual writers.

Now the magazine is mixing things up with video content where writers appear on camera, putting faces and names to the anonymous tradition for the first time.