The Village Voice starts to demystify the new role of standards editor at the New York Times, held by Allan Siegal. The focus: bylines.

It is fitting that, in the Times' stylebook, the entry for "bylines" appears on the same page as the entry for "Byzantine." The Times has infinite unwritten rules on this subject, and Siegal seems likely to change the one that reserves bylines for staff writers. Indeed, his report recommended that "bylines should be awarded to the people who really do the work. When substantial reporting or writing in any section is by a freelancer, a stringer or a clerk, the byline should reflect that."

While I recognize the prestige involved in a published NYT byline, I'm baffled by the paper's previous reluctance to dole them out. If a stringer is good enough to do the leg work, he's good enough to get credit for it. Period.

It is fitting that, in the Times' stylebook, the entry for "bylines" appears on the same page as the entry for "Byzantine."

Amen.