Headlines are an important component of the news. In general, they bring you the gist of a story, sometimes pointing out the most important or interesting aspects. Headlines can greatly influence readers’ opinions about the news. An accurate headline is important because most people don’t read every word of every article, they often just skim the headlines. Therefore, those who read just a headline are not accurately informed when the headline misrepresents a story.
Headlines are expected to be accurate in relation to stories but can often be misleading or biased, although remaining ‘technically’ accurate. And a misleading headline fixes a false narrative in the public mind.
Satirical news headlines, varying widely in quality and intended meaning that may not be apparent to all, too have the potential to perpetuate misinformation based on different readers’ (mis)interpretations.
Some newspapers, news magazines, news websites, and television news channels have mastered the art of manipulating one or two words in a sentence in order to make even a truthful and honest headline slightly twisted in a specific way. It is the right of journalists to create an eye-catching and clever headline, but if it is inaccurate, it breaches the basic ethics of journalism.
Readers deserve facts, not offensive and misleading headlines. There is a need to discourage the use of misleading news headlines and we need to do this while making sure that alternative voices and a robust exchange of information are not stifled.
Accordingly, I recommend three measures that may be taken by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting:
- The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting may issue certain guidelines in order to stop the use of misleading headlines in traditional print media (newspapers and news magazines), broadcast news media (television news channels) and news websites.
- Satirical headlines of newspapers, news magazines, and news websites may be instructed to be published in a specific font or colour (indicated by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting). It would help the readers identify satirical headlines and avoid confusion.
- Satirical headlines of television news channels may be instructed to be run along with a ticker/crawler indicating that the headline is a satire.
We as a society cannot allow the means of mass communication of our times to turn into a prejudiced and untruthful source of information in the name of freedom of expression. Hence, it has become very essential to take serious action against misleading news headlines.