This Twitter Account Urges People to Enjoy More Funny News Headlines
Watching or reading the news can be an upsetting experience. Sometimes, it feels like the only things being reported are tragedies and atrocities. Don’t get us wrong; it’s essential to be aware of current events, but every now and then, it’s refreshing to read ridiculous headlines and laugh out loud. And that’s what the Crap Local News Twitter account is all about.
The account mainly focuses on funny UK headlines, but they don’t discriminate. Their bio notes that they share local news stories from “beyond” as well. But one thing that their posts show is that headlines can have quite an impact on audiences. Some people might get swayed and influenced by the attention-grabbing titles without understanding the story’s context. It is important to note how much power a headline can hold.
The Interesting Impact of a Headline
When you enjoy these funny breaking news headlines, it might not feel like they can drastically sway your opinion. But these news titles are more powerful than we could imagine. We consulted an article titled The Current State of News Headlines by research associates Joshua Scacco and Ashley Muddiman. The report examined the implications of crazy Internet headlines and how people select which story to read based on the flashiest title.
One point that Scacco and Muddiman raise is that the type of titles a news source uses impacts how their readers rate their credibility. Traditional news has to compete with digital and entertainment-focused sources. Due to this, they also move away from using standard titles, and you might see more funny newspaper headlines. Ultimately, this might make you question the reliability of traditional media.
How Can Traditional Media Compete With These Offbeat News Headlines?
It is understandable why even traditional news outlets would want to sensationalize their titles to get more clicks, but that’s how we end up with the worst newspaper headlines. They shouldn’t stray too far from their goals just to grab attention. Scacco and Muddiman note that some of the functions headlines can serve are “story summarization, interest generation, immediacy satisfaction, and attention direction.”
If the title has summarized the story, readers will click or continue to read if they’re interested in what happened. If a source wants to generate interest in a story, they should avoid using “flat headlines” and get creative. Using puns, wordplay, alliterations, or other literary devices can be a great way to build interest. A flashy headline can also be paired with photos or multimedia elements to attract viewers.