Masthead on publication...

[ah9815]

Are there any rules when including this at the back of a publication to be printed, e.g., re. publisher, journalists, and legal text? Also, is this the official name for it? In German, it is called the impressum, but could we have the name "Masthead" with a list of contributors... Help would be much appreciated! 

[jno]

Masthead generally refers to the newspaper title on the front page - 'The Independent' or whatever. I think the English equivalent of Impressum is the 'imprint' - naming responsible editor, where it's printed, however many copies - actual details legally required will vary from country to country.

[Marsh]

Masthead:
� a listing printed in all issues of a newspaper or magazine (usually on the editorial page) that gives the name of the publication and the names of the editorial staff, etc.
� the title of a newspaper or magazine; usually printed on the front page and on the editorial page
� the head or top of a mast
www.cogsci.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/webwn 

So a masthead is for a journal.  I think the word you want is may be imprint

"The name of the publisher, place of publication, and date, printed in a book, usually at the foot of the title-page (formerly often at the end of the book); also, the name of printer and place of printing, printed at the end of the book, or on the back of the title-page"  (OED)