Headline

Definition

A headline is a brief and attention-grabbing summary of a news story that highlights the main point or theme. It serves as the first impression for readers, enticing them to read further while conveying the essence of the story. Effective headlines are crucial in various contexts, including press releases, news conferences, and news articles, as they help to quickly communicate important information and draw in an audience.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Headlines should be concise and powerful, often limited to around 5-10 words to ensure they capture attention quickly.
2. They often employ strong verbs and active voice to create urgency and encourage readers to continue reading.
3. Headlines can be written in various styles, including question format, alliteration, or puns, depending on the tone of the news outlet.
4. In press releases, headlines are critical for grabbing journalists' attention and increasing the likelihood that the release will be published.
5. Effective headlines can significantly impact audience engagement and are often tested for effectiveness through analytics and feedback.

Review Questions

• How do headlines function differently in press releases compared to traditional news articles?
  • In press releases, headlines are designed specifically to capture the interest of journalists, encouraging them to cover the story. They must convey essential information succinctly while piquing curiosity. In contrast, headlines in traditional news articles aim to summarize and engage a broader audience, providing context while maintaining interest in the content that follows.
• Discuss the importance of headlines within the inverted pyramid structure of news writing.
  • Headlines play a pivotal role in the inverted pyramid structure by summarizing key information right at the top. This structure prioritizes essential facts first, allowing readers to grasp the main point immediately through an effective headline. Since readers often skim content, a compelling headline serves as a hook that encourages deeper engagement with the article’s content.
• Evaluate how headline writing techniques might differ when creating content for news wires versus local news outlets.
  • When crafting headlines for news wires, writers tend to prioritize brevity and clarity due to a broader audience reach and quick dissemination needs. Headlines are often straightforward to convey key points rapidly. In contrast, local news outlets may use more creative or localized angles in their headlines to resonate with specific community interests. This reflects a different approach that balances information with audience engagement tailored to regional preferences.

Related terms

Lead:

The opening sentence or paragraph of a news article that summarizes the most important aspects of the story.

Nut Graf: A paragraph that explains the significance of the story, providing context and additional information after the lead.

Subheadline: An additional line beneath the main headline that offers more details or context about the news story.