A Turning of the Page for the IHT (the INYT), Yes, But a Turning Back

IHT readers complain about the International Herald Tribune's name change (to the International New York Times):

To realize what the name IHT meant, read Roger Cohen’s column, “Adieu IHT, bonjour INYT” (Oct. 15). Will the new name inspire the same romance? If loyalty to the IHT brand was as immense as Mr. Cohen describes, why change the name in the first place?

Renaat Horemans, Mol, Belgium

 

I remember reading my first European edition of the New York Herald Tribune on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 1961, upon arrival in London. Since then, except for two short stays in the United States, I have read it virtually every day. I was delighted in 1967 when the paper took a step away from New York exceptionalism by dropping the geographical reference in the masthead. The International Herald Tribune now sounded like a true international paper rather than an international edition of a U.S. paper, and year by year it seemed to grow more and more into that role. 

Yes, the resurrection of “New York” in the title is a “turning of the page,” but in my view it is a turning back of the page, which is a pity.

Joel McClellan, Geneva