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Is it too much to ask for the headline to match the facts in the story?

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by novelist_wannabe, Jun 25, 2016.

  1. novelist_wannabe

    novelist_wannabe Well-Known Member

    Boy, 8, dies after being allegedly assaulted for not cleaning... | www.ajc.com

    What you can't see from the link is that the kid was allegedly assaulted after not cleaning his room. What the story says is the man, in his statement to police, said he tripped over a laundry basket and became angry. The story offers no other details about what prompted the violence.

    It's bad enough that this kid was severely beaten by a sex offender and ultimately died. To me, it's misleading and unnecessary to sensationalize it.
     
  2. Fran Curci

    Fran Curci Well-Known Member

    Editing by Gatehouse?
     
  3. HanSenSE

    HanSenSE Well-Known Member

    Tried to read it. I don't think anyone edited it.
     
  4. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    When you don't have a lot of time, just glance at the story and are trying to come up with the juiciest, clickbaitiest headline you can imagine, it's hard to match the facts of the story.
     
  5. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    I'd have gone with:

    Drunken dude left alone with girlfriend's kids ends in predictable tragedy
     
  6. novelist_wannabe

    novelist_wannabe Well-Known Member

    Especially if you don't know what the hell you're doing.
     
    Ace likes this.
  7. novelist_wannabe

    novelist_wannabe Well-Known Member

    The facts were sufficient to be sensational by themselves. The guy was a registered sex offender.
     
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