Shallow and sensational headlines – Who will take responsibility?

This is a criticism of the press and other news organizations in Norway. The conditions described might not apply in your country.

I see them more and more often! Shallow and sensational headlines claiming that A cow spotted on Mars! when they are actually meaning that a cow stoop upon a Mars chocolate bar. Footballers', musicians' and politicians' (in context not even close to real politics, I might add) private life and affairs get prioritised over the real news.

Quality news services, such as the BBC News, which constantly strives to maintain an objective view on matters (though no-one hardly ever are objective) and present them without prejudice, sensationalism and political bias, are vital in a world where advertisement pays the bills, and governments are backed by media-moguls.

It is no secret that sales numbers dictate the price publishers get for their ad-spots, thus reaching as many as possible with your content gets you the fastest and easiest money. Nor it is a secret that the news business has become just that; a businesses, and a crowded one as well.

The most sucessfull, daily newspaper (non-subscription) in Norway, Verdens Gang, has even put enormous sums into researching into which headlines that sells the most. They have found that there are certain words that gets their newspaper sold, and by twisting headlines into including those words they ensure their continued top-spot on the market.

But of course this leaves the proper news suffering. How they you include words like kill or sex in the headline of a case about the rise in the GPA of Norwegian schools? Well they do not, and they drop the case or gives it less weight in favour of stories that does include those selling words.

As money controls the news business today, the less time you spend getting that killer-headline, the more money is left for the shareholders. So the newspaper or channel drops that investigative story and instead puts a simple rewrite of something provided by an agency or a story that is based on the most accessible news out today.

Media consumers, show a little responsibility! Boycott the shallow, whore media and get the real, responsible media instead!

Thanks to Christian Knappskog for helping me with this entry.

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2 comments

This is so true! The press should be ashamed of themselves! -and the blogosphere too!!

Comment by Ellen at 2007-02-19 @937.

[…] month ago I wrote about shallow and sensational headlines. Ever since I have been playing with the idea of creating a network for responsible bloggers. A […]

Comment by Responsible Blogger’s Coalition at Open Source Notebook at 2007-02-20 @929.