One of the most valid criticisms of print media in the digital age is that the headlines that work for the space limitations of print come across as extremely dull on the no-space limit internet. Yet, because so very few media outlets have a tradition of reformatting content when it goes online, many of these dry, uninformative headlines stick. When you consider that people are searching for content online and likely to go with the story with the most interesting, relevant headline (and that search engines will grab information rich headlines as well), this is becoming an incredibly relevant part of capturing the smallish pool of local readers.
Here’s an example ...
Asheville Art Museum group plans event: That’s a real headline from the AC-T’s site, which I found on Google News. It says practically nothing about the event, and certainly gives you no reason to think it’s interesting. And yet, if you just take the interesting parts of the first sentence, you have this “Art Nouveaux to visit photographer Tim Barnwell’s studio.” Of the two, which tells you something specific and arguably interesting?
This thread is a place to post dull, lackluster, dim-witted, regrettable and otherwise not-so-good headlines from all local media, including Xpress.
JOY JOHNSON - NC DEMOCRAT PARTY OFFICIAL
DURHAM - Allegations that a local Democratic official and her husband were involved in satanic rituals that included shackling people to beds, caging them and depriving them of food and water, second-degree rape, second-degree kidnapping and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon.
We at The Carolina Stompers have always said “It’s not about Conservatives VS Liberals. It’s about Good VS Evil. From today’s Raleigh Observer we find that satanic rituals have been running rampant within the Durham County Democrat Party. We bet the Democrat Party officials and liberal bureaucrats will come to their rescue just like they supported Jim Black, Martin Nesbitt, and Andrew Reed.
One of the most valid criticisms of print media in the digital age is that the headlines that work for the space limitations of print come across as extremely dull on the no-space limit internet.
Yet, because so very few media outlets have a tradition of reformatting content when it goes online, many of these dry, uninformative headlines stick. When you consider that people are searching for content online and likely to go with the story with the most interesting, relevant headline (and that search engines will grab information rich headlines as well), this is becoming an incredibly relevant part of capturing the smallish pool of local readers.
Headlines aren’t dry and uninformative because they are short. They are dry and uninformative because the reporting under them is dry and uninformative. Changing the headlines won’t help Yossarian bandage the correct wound (yes, I am going to beat this metaphor into the earth below the tree Yossarian sat in, naked, during the funeral).
Seriously, are you doing master’s level communications or journalism classes right now?
No, I just have to think about this kind of stuff a lot since I’m running a new media project which is constantly interacting with older media content. I don’t disagree with your take on it, though. I’d add that it’s also the tradition of short, broad headlines as much as it is a reflection of the content of the story. Plenty of good stories end up with crappy, space-saving headlines.
