Headlines Can Be Misleading

In their determination to get as many views as possible, online newspaper editors seldom think about the repercussion of headlines that misrepresent the story.

A good example are headlines and British Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton, who has won seven championships. Certain clicks in motor racing don’t want to see him win again, so they have been fanning retirement flames. That is their problem, but it’s wrong to make headlines as if, it is a fact. 

The misleading headline might lead to the people the reporter interviewed, to lose their jobs.  Buildings might go up in flames as religious protesters vent their anger at the headline.  Diplomats might be recalled.  People might die.  

Except for blogs where the blogger is the orchestra and the conductor, traditional newspapers, magazines and television are governed by division of labour. Reporters gather and write the story. They do not craft headlines. Somebody else does, and somebody higher up, usually the editor, approves them.

Headlines can be dangerous because some readers don’t even bother reading the first paragraph. TRUMP IMPEACHED. That is enough. It is intentional misrepresentation if the first paragraph does not confirm the headline’s voltage. It turns out that the intensity is not confirmed, something might or might not happen. The headline should read TRUMP MIGHT BE IMPEACHED.

Misleading headlines are exacerbated by the internet because online versions of traditional newspapers and magazines compete with Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, a million blogs and Asian social media the West knows nothing about, because of its language deficiency.

Wrong headlines are on the rise because what was known as tabloid journalism is now the norm, thanks to the frightening reality that fake news has more page views than the truth.

Nonqaba waka Msimang

Executive Blogger