Sensational headlines

[Guest123_x1]

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Every so often, we see print or online media with headlines that appear as if they're screaming at you, usually by appearing in very large lettering. Oftentimes, these headlines are sensational, and many such articles of this kind are found in tabloids. The front page of every newspaper will also have at least one large headline, to attract people to buy the paper.

Do you get attracted to large headlines in print and online media? Is having headlines in large print enough to get you to read the article advertised?

When I see sensational headlines online, I never click on them to see what the story is all about, figuring that 99% of these stories are bogus or lead to more trouble than they're worth. When it comes to print media such as newspapers, I often glance at the front page for a short while if the topic being reported is of interest to me.

 

[Lotus the Cat]

First it depends if the headline is on a topic I care about. If it is I will read it and a large headline is likely to grab my attention to do that. Sensationalised headlines, and definitely sensationalised stories, aren't a good trend for news outlets. It seems like journalism is getting worse for the sake of shock stories that get readers.

 

[Ivysaur]

As a journalist, one of the mantras I live by is, "if you need to use huge font to fill space, that's because you have nothing to say".