MIDTERM ON CHAPTER CAPTIONS , HEADLINES ,DIGITAL JOURNALISM
MCM 206
Introduction to Writing for Mass Media
Headlines
About course part 2
Ledes
(2 weeks)
Captions
Headlines
2
The three C’s of media writing
3
The three C’s of media writing
Clear
Concise
Compelling
4
What is headline?
Al Jazeera, Feb. 9, 2019
For us, just headlines, not subheads
Headline
Subheadline
What is headline?
A headline is different from a title on an essay
New York Times, Feb. 9, 2019
Eight headline rules
10 words maximum
Like lede: One sentence
Like lede: Gets to the point
Like lede: New or different
Like lede: Statement, not Q
Not clickbait
Verb (usually) present tense
Only very familiar acronyms
Headline rules
Headline should reflect point of story, the lede
New York Times, Feb. 9, 2019
Headline rules
Clear: Informative and understandable
New York Times, Feb. 9, 2019
Headline rules
Concise: 10 words maximum
New York Times, Feb. 9, 2019
Headline rules
Compelling: Grabs attention
New York Times, Feb. 9, 2019
Is this a good headline?
Good headlines are clear (informative)
This is clickbait
Good headlines are clear (informative)
Do not use clickbait
Is this a good headline?
Who Won the Football Match?
Give answers, not questions
Is this a good headline?
Who Won the Football Match?
Football Teams Play Match
Kuwait, Qatar Played Football Match
Kuwait Defeats Qatar 2-1 in Football
Headline rules
One sentence
New York Times, Feb. 8, 2019
Headline rules
Has a subject and verb
Verb
Subject
Headline rules
Verb usually in present tense …
Present tense
Headline rules
… but not always
Future tense
The Guardian, Feb. 8, 2019
Headline rules
… but not always
Past tense
Kuwait Times, Feb. 7, 2019
Future tense
Future tense
Headline rules
Guardian (UK) / Oct. 1, 2018
A headline without a verb is a label headline
Headline rules
Do not use a label headline
Here are the year’s 5 best cricketers
Verb
Headline rules
Do not use acronyms unless very familiar
Guardian (UK), Feb. 9, 2019
Very familiar
Headline rules
Do not use acronyms unless very familiar
Al Jazeera, Aug. 27, 2018
Unfamiliar
Headline rules
Is UAE very familiar?
Al Jazeera, Feb. 4, 2019
Okay?
Headline rules
What about these?
Al Jazeera, Feb. 1, 2019
Okay?
Okay?
Headline rules
A comma can replace “and”
(and)
Al Jazeera, Feb. 6, 2019
How a headline is different
Some words can be removed
Missing: “a”
Missing: “a”
Al Jazeera, Feb. 6, 2019
How a headline is different
Some words can be removed
Missing: “is the”
Al Jazeera, Oct. 2, 2018
Examples
Guardian (UK) / Sept. 30, 2018
Examples
Guardian (UK) / Sept. 30, 2018
Examples
Guardian (UK) / Sept. 28, 2018
Examples
Vogue magazine / Sept. 12, 2018
Examples
Al Jazeera / Oct. 1, 2018
Needed?
Examples
Washington Post, Feb. 9, 2019
Thai princess thanks fans as political aspirations appear quashed
Examples
Washington Post, Feb. 9, 2019
Thai princess thanks fans as political plans fade
Examples
New York Times, Feb. 8, 2019
Washington Post, Feb. 9, 2019
Up style
Down style
Down style is more popular today
New York Times, Feb. 8, 2019
Washington Post, Feb. 9, 2019
Up style
Down style
Quizzes/tests will use up style to read easier
New York Times, Feb. 8, 2019
Washington Post, Feb. 9, 2019
Up style
Down style
Do not use all capitals – that is SHOUTING!
Arab Times, Feb. 8, 2019
Summary: 8 headline rules
10 words maximum
Like lede: One sentence
Like lede: Gets to the point
Like lede: New or different
Like lede: Statement, not Q
Not clickbait
Verb (usually) present tense
Only very familiar acronyms
How to write a headline
Identify key words
Assemble key words in a phrase (10 words max) with subject and verb
Now you try
Sparks from a welder caused a fire last week at the construction site of the National Bank of Kuwait headquarters.
Headline …
Example 1 of 5
Angelina Jolie has agreed to star in the film adaptation of the novel “The Kept,” playing the role of a mother who seeks revenge.
Headline …
Example 2 of 5
Kuwait Interior Ministry Assistant Undersecretary for National and Passport Affairs Maj. Gen. Faisal Al-Nawaf issued a circular granting wives and children of expats visit visas of three months instead of one month.
Headline …
Example 3 of 5
Drugs Control General Department acted on tips about three people (one African national and two Arab men) who smuggled in 1,500 cartons of liquor and kept it in a house in Jaber Al-Ahmad City. The house was raided and the liquor was found. The African man was arrested while the other two are still at large
Headline …
Example 4 of 5
The Kuwait Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAFR) announced yesterday the lifting of the ban on all kinds of live birds, one-day old chicks and hatching eggs from Sweden, after determining that these Swedish products have become free of bird flu.
Headline …
Example 5 of 5
Lab 7 Wednesday
This week we put it all together:
Audience: Specify 1 audience
Headline: Write a headline
Story: Lede + 2 more graphs (3 total)
Caption: 1 sentence
So if you struggled with any of these topics, you may wish to study those PowerPoints again