The Huffington Post should fix that headline

Chiefofland

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Fri Dec-26-08 08:55 PM
Original message

The Huffington Post should fix that headline

Edited on Fri Dec-26-08 09:11 PM by Chiefofland

As I type this, 8:41pm New York Time, the Huffington Post had a headline in its "Politics" section, which is actually the top story there, which reads: "Blagojevich Wants Obama To Testify." But once you click on the headline/link you are transported to a story bearing the title "Blagojevich Scandal: Governor's Lawyer Wants Obama Staff Subpoenaed". This last title is accurate, because Blagojevich's lawyer does not mention Obama as a potential witness, bur rather some of his staffers.

The Huffington Post should change their top-of-the-page misleading headline, which seems intended to attract traffic to the site.

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sandnsea

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Fri Dec-26-08 08:58 PM
Response to Original message

1. And your post

is why they write the way they do. You're helping them get the traffic to the web site. If you don't have provocative headlines, you're ignored.

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Chiefofland

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Fri Dec-26-08 09:01 PM
Response to Reply #1

2. I don't see it that way

Edited on Fri Dec-26-08 09:02 PM by Chiefofland

By that logic, all misleading headlines would be acceptable only because people read them. Doing nothing is not, in my opinion, a way to mobilize readers to put pressure on the site to change the title. I emailed them and let them know that they erred.

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sandnsea

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Fri Dec-26-08 09:13 PM
Response to Reply #2

4. That's not what I said

I said you are helping them with the traffic by broadcasting this headline, which is exactly what they want.

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Chiefofland

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Fri Dec-26-08 09:22 PM
Response to Reply #4

6. Then Media Matters should stop linking to misleading headlines and comments

Edited on Fri Dec-26-08 09:23 PM by Chiefofland

By mainstream figures, by that logic, because media matters readers would increase traffic to those outlets.

The way I see it, these outlets hope that readers do not realize they made a mistake. They do not want a ton of emails or comments letting them know they screwed up.

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Shiver

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Fri Dec-26-08 09:01 PM
Response to Original message

3. HuffPO makes a habit of this

Slightly misleading headlines that get you to read the story. Pretty much every online and print news source does this from time to time.

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cooolandrew

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Fri Dec-26-08 09:18 PM
Response to Original message

5. I think it's meant to be a headline grabber but yeah accuracy is the best option for credibility.

Edited on Fri Dec-26-08 09:21 PM by cooolandrew

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