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Monday, June 14, 2010

Media Journalism Lessons: Make Your Headlines Specific

Posted by Angela Webber on Mon, Jun 14, 2010 at 3:32 PM

You may not know this about me, but I have had a passionate love affair with hilarious and poorly written headlines. At at the risk of making light of a serious situation, I will submit the following to this category:

Boy spotted in Walmart is not Kyron Horman

A boy spotted in a Walmart in Yreka, Calif. is not 7-year-old Kyron Horman.

That headline sounds like something from the Onion.

 

Comments (8) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment
1
This makes perfect sense if you had heard the reports that he was spotted there and were waiting for an update. Don't make fun of this, it's very sad. Go tease Cornelia Signeur.
Posted by King Louis on June 14, 2010 at 3:50 PM · Report
2
I don't get it.
Posted by Wubbles on June 14, 2010 at 4:41 PM · Report
3
Another really funny headline: The Holocaust did not not happen!
Posted by Evil Wm. Steven Humphrey on June 14, 2010 at 4:48 PM · Report
4
[Previous incorrect headline] /= [correct headline]

Thanks, Angela.



Next intern, please...
Posted by Display name on June 14, 2010 at 9:09 PM · Report
5
I love local news, too! I like local newscasters the most, but print stuff is good, too.

This headline here isn't very funny, but your site has some good ones.
Posted by ROM on June 14, 2010 at 11:36 PM · Report
6
I also don't get it.
Posted by DemonJuice on June 15, 2010 at 8:33 AM · Report
7
I thrice don't get it either.
Posted by NIG GER on June 15, 2010 at 12:24 PM · Report
8
Hey guys, the joke is that Wal-Mart contains LOTS of boys, and pretty much all of them aren't Kyron Horman. So telling us that a boy spotted in Wal-Mart isn't Kyron isn't really telling us anything. The story obviously explains why this is news. But, taken by itself, the headline is fairly meaningless. Get it?!
Posted by ROM on June 15, 2010 at 4:16 PM · Report

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