Why is the city name "NASHVILLE" not shown alone in news bylines? (why is identification of state of Tennessee needed?) (Memphis: home, live in)

[Highpointer]

Many news bylines that have a major city in its byline don't include the state name with the city. For example, if it's from Seattle, it would be "SEATTLE" without Washington, "ATLANTA" without Georgia, "MIAMI" without Florida, etc. This is because it is assumed that most readers know what state that each of these cities are located in, even though this may not be true (due to lack of basic geographical knowledge among many) and there may be other cities and towns in other states that share the same name (i.e. there are 10 other cities and towns in the USA named Atlanta besides Atlanta, GA and 10 other Miamis besides the Miami in Florida). Exceptions would be when a major city shares the same name with another significant city in another state, like Kansas City (the largest city in Missouri, adjacent to its namesake neighbor in Kansas) or Portland (the largest city in Oregon, named after Portland, Maine).

Nashville is the largest city and capital of its state, a major tourist destination, one of American's leading music and entertainment centers, home of multiple major sports teams, a leading center for businesses, home of a significant number of important historical figures, a city in a metropolitan area that is growing at a faster rate than most other comparable metro areas, and a city that is larger than many cities that don't need to be identified with its state in a news byline. Thus, why is it when I see a Nashville byline, it usually appears as "NASHVILLE, TN," "NASHVILLE, Tenn.," or something similar, instead of just "NASHVILLE"?

[JMT]

Originally Posted by Highpointer

Many news bylines that have a major city in its byline don't include the state name with the city. For example, if it's from Seattle, it would be "SEATTLE" without Washington, "ATLANTA" without Georgia, "MIAMI" without Florida, etc. This is because it is assumed that most readers know what state that each of these cities are located in, even though this may not be true (due to lack of basic geographical knowledge among many) and there may be other cities and towns in other states that share the same name (i.e. there are 10 other cities and towns in the USA named Atlanta besides Atlanta, GA and 10 other Miamis besides the Miami in Florida). Exceptions would be when a major city shares the same name with another significant city in another state, like Kansas City (the largest city in Missouri, adjacent to its namesake neighbor in Kansas) or Portland (the largest city in Oregon, named after Portland, Maine).

Nashville is the largest city and capital of its state, a major tourist destination, one of American's leading music and entertainment centers, home of multiple major sports teams, a leading center for businesses, home of a significant number of important historical figures, a city in a metropolitan area that is growing at a faster rate than most other comparable metro areas, and a city that is larger than many cities that don't need to be identified with its state in a news byline. Thus, why is it when I see a Nashville byline, it usually appears as "NASHVILLE, TN," "NASHVILLE, Tenn.," or something similar, instead of just "NASHVILLE"?

Ask the Associated Press. The A.P. wrote its stylebook back in 1953 in order to standardize mass communication. Only 30 cities don't have to be followed by their respective states, and Nashville isn't one of them. https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_s.../ap_style.html

[artemis]

There are several cities in the US named Nashville.

[MetropolitanTN]

Interesting about AP. I didnt know that.

[GWoodle]

Originally Posted by JMT

Ask the Associated Press. The A.P. wrote its stylebook back in 1953 in order to standardize mass communication. Only 30 cities don't have to be followed by their respective states, and Nashville isn't one of them. https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_s.../ap_style.html

You will notice that eight states are missing from this list. That is because Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas and Utah are never abbreviated.

[f5fstop]

Originally Posted by Highpointer

Nashville is the largest city and capital of its state,

Capital of the state of TN yes, but when did it surpass Memphis as being the largest city? (Largest city in middle TN.)

[f5fstop]

Originally Posted by GWoodle

You will notice that eight states are missing from this list. That is because Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas and Utah are never abbreviated.

Have to wonder why they are not abbreviated in print. I do it all the time; since I have lived in UT and now live in ID. But I'm not a reporter.

[N.Cal]

Originally Posted by f5fstop

Have to wonder why they are not abbreviated in print. I do it all the time; since I have lived in UT and now live in ID. But I'm not a reporter.

There’s a difference between the postal code abbreviation (TN) and the AP style (Tenn.)

[JMT]

Originally Posted by f5fstop

Capital of the state of TN yes, but when did it surpass Memphis as being the largest city? (Largest city in middle TN.)

In 2016.

Census estimate: Nashville overtakes Memphis in population

[ndcairngorm]

There are 8 other Nashvilles, but of course none of them has the name recognition. Using a city name by itself without the state attached could never happen with a city like Lexington, for instance, as there are 25 Lexingtons in the US. But I think one of the main reasons is that it is a nice-sounding, easy to pronounce name with the state added - Nashville, Tennessee.