REMEMBER: In today’s digital media universe, Headlines, a short description and/or a thumbnail image– those text and graphic elements often determine whether anyone will ever view your full story.
For this week, reply by pasting your list from the Headliners assignment. Underline or bold-face your personal favorite for comment.
Short- Acts of Service rising
Long- More acts of service in desperate times
Question- Can these acts of service help during quarantine
List- Top three reason why people are helping more
Quote Lead- “People really want to help” Frank said.
Description- “People really want to help,” Frank said, Thousands of batches went out last week to an emergency service for the homeless, a kidney-center, an emergency operations center, and a major University medical center. About half will be used for medical professionals who are not “frontline†and the rest for non-medical staff.
Keywords- Quarantine, Help, frontline
Too much repetition throughout. Challenge yourself to come up with distinct approaches. The best ones will leap out!
– Short — Surviving the turmoil.
– Long — Surviving months of isolation in a world in turmoil.
– Question- What can we do during the lockdown?
– List — 3 ways people are dealing with the lockdown.
– Quote — “My granddaughter was born during the lockdown, I haven’t been able to see her yet. I haven’t been able to see my children in general; they can’t visit anymoreâ€
Brief Description — There are many different individual stories that have surfaced with the COVID-19 outbreak, these 3 are just a small sample size of those affected.
Keywords — COVID-19, Personal, Solutions
Quote headline is very strong. Shows you don’t need to refer to COVID, Virus or Pandemic to evoke very personal concerns.
Repetitive headlines don’t really help identify what works, or can’t be combined for eye-catching, curiosity provoking effect.
1.SHORT: Bright Side of Quarantine
LONG: Is the old saying, neighbors helping neighbors, a thing of. the past? Or can it still be common practice in 2020?
2. They stay in place order put in place as a result of COVID19 hitting Washington State instantly changed the lives of all residents.
However, one small town refused to let it be anything but a way to strengthen the community.
3.KEYWORDS: Quarantine, COVID19, Community
Conceptually, fine. Nice variety in the approaches. But headline copy needs to be clean from the get go. Stray periods? Random capitalization? And where are the quote- and list-formula headliners!
SHORT:
Bright Side of Quarantine
LONG:
During COVID19, humankind can really pull through to show its good side
QUESTION:
Have these dark and distressing times turned the city of DuPont into an even more tight knit community?
LIST:
Resources provided that make leaving town unnecessary
QUOTE:
“It’s okay to ask for help every once in a while, everyone knows we all need it sometimes. We are all in this together!â€
BRIEF DESCRIPTION:
The stay in place order put in place as a result of COVID19 hitting Washington State instantly changed the lives of all residents. However, one small town refused to let it be anything but a way to strengthen the community.
KEY WORDS:
Quarantine, COVID19, Community
1.SHORT: Bright Side of QuarantineLONG: Is the old saying, neighbors helping neighbors, a thing of. the past? Or can it still be common practice in 2020? 2.They stay in place order put in place as a result of COVID19 hitting Washington State instantly changed the lives of all residents. However, one small town refused to let it be anything but a way to strengthen the community.3.KEYWORDS:Quarantine, COVID19, Community
don’t mind this one its the one over this one ^^
Short: Healthcare Changes with Technology
Long: Healthcare Changes with Technology as the quarantine deepens.
Question: Can online healthcare work for patients who can’t travel?
List: 3 Reasons to try Telehealth for your next doctor appointment.
Quote Lead: “We’re finding our patients are being really, really flexible.â€
Description: “We’re finding our patients are being really, really flexible,†said Jess Kell, 39, a local licensed professional counselor. As the quarantine deepens more health care offices are turning to telehealth sessions to provide essential care for patients who are staying home to maintain social distancing.
Keywords: Telehealth, COVID19, Kodiak
Most of these are very good. However, the point is lost if you simply tweak these to fit headline formulas, as with your short and long versions here, and the summary description. Repetition, as I keep saying, should be reserved for calculated effect. Challenge yourself to find new and different ways to phrase, describe, point out, explain and emphasize news developments. That extends to headline approaches and story description. A good digital publication employs multiple strategies in storytelling and mobile menu/index layouts.
Short: Healthcare Changes with Technology
Long: Healthcare Changes with Technology as the quarantine deepens.
Consider the impact of this variation: Quarantine deepens, changing healthcare delivery… whatever
1.
SHORT (1-4 words): “Social Distancing = Mentally Dysfunctionâ€
LONG (5-12+words) “COVID-19 & Social Distancing has become a tag team threat for depression and more!â€
QUESTION? (i.e. Would you speak up if someone dropped a $20 bill?) Is social distancing really helping you? Or is it more doing more harm than good?
LIST: (i.e.Three signs your delicious vice has become an addiction) Things that can help prevent the effects of social distancing
QUOTE LEAD: (“I opened the door for the dog, not a bear!â€) “You live by the gun, you will die by the gunâ€
2.
No Hugs, No kisses, no handshakes may sound a bit harsh at the time of social distancing, but in order to protect yourself, and contain the spread of an infection, this is the right move to make. For some people keeping no close contacts is a pill hard to swallow
3.
Depression, COVID-19, Social Distancing
Excellent job applying the Headliner formulas. Do recognize that four of five include the term “Social Distancing.” Don’t use that in both a title and story description/excerpt, which some templates display together in the mobile menu ALSO, Avoid repetition within any title. Not sure if AP has addressed this yet, but ditch quote marks when an emerging phrases becomes common use. At this point, I’d say that applies to dropping single quote marks on ‘Social Distancing,’ unless it refers to an unusual quoted usage in the story. Getting over-complicated myself, I fear.
🙂
1. *Headlines*
SHORT- Keeping fit at home
LONG- Pandemic doesn’t stop Alaska’s people from staying active
QUESTION- Missing the gym during quarantine?
LIST- Ways young adults are keeping their workout routine
QUOTE LEAD- “I was going to the gym every day, running on the treadmill, biking, lifting”
2. *Brief description*
Young adults in Alaska are staying creative during this global pandemic. “Now I have to resort to running outside and doing at home body workouts.”
3. *3 keywords*
Workout
COVID-19
Fitness
List means a headline signifying a story will include some sort of set points. “Five ways… Top 3 fitness… 99 things to worry about.
Your quote would need to be paired with a excerpt/story description about things that have changed.
Short: Navigating though COVID-19
Or
Community navigation through COVID-19
Long: Changes in our community due to COVID-19
Question: How has COVID-19 changed our way of living?
Or
How has our community changed due to COVID-19?
List: Top three ways COVID-19 has affected our community
Quote Lead: “I was unable to have my spouse at our doctor appointmentsâ€.
Brief Description: Businesses were not the only thing affected by COVID-19, the personal lives of many were changed as well. “I was offered to have my labor induced due to potential liability of supplies and COVID-19 contact within the hospital facilityâ€.
Keywords: COVID-19, virtual, changes
Latoya’s set of headliners signals a story covering wide-ranging changes brought by COVID-19. The variety in these headliners promises surprises, impacts on the community, health care, births, supplies. Several could be easily paired for an intriguing headline/description except for one problem.
Even a term as central as COVID-19 needs to be used sparingly.
Think of it like mentioning baseball every sentence or paragraph reporting a game. Talking about baseball he said, “Baseball is…”
A headline/description set holds greater appeal if COVID-10 isn’t mentioned in both. What else works? the Virus, Novel Coronavirus, pandemic strain… Readers will pay closer attention when the path holds turns and surprises.
Short Headliner: Deserted Streets of Sitka
Long Headliner: COVID-19 Shuts Down Streets of Sitka but Can’t Stop Residents From Stocking Up On Goods
Question Headliner: Have Sitka residents succumbed to the insanity of doomsday prepping?
List Headliner: Ways to tell a new virus is in town
Quote Lead Headliner: ‘Store teeming with shoppers performing social distancing dance’: Sitka prepares to hunker down
Brief description: The solidarity of Sitka residents shines through as they show calmness, restraint, and compliance during the shelter-in-place order.
Keywords: Shelter-in-place, Social-distancing
Super set of headliners!
I might tighten a few. But you’ve applied the formulas beautifully.
Capitalization style varies. The textbook is written by a renowned page designer from the Oregonian. I’ll an an additional headline formula set from him in Course Materials. Most organizations apply regular upper and lower case rules. That varies wildly. What works is whatever drives traffic, which is very easy to track today.
1. Headlines
SHORT:
Church to Zoom
LONG:
Zoom Church changes the definition of worship.
QUESTION?
Is church more than just a building?
LIST:
Top three reasons why churches are changing meeting platforms
QUOTE LEAD:
“I always thought church was more than just a building.â€
2. Summary
In response to Governor Mike Dunleavy’s mandates local churches have been forced to change their view of what church really means.
3: Come up with two or three keywords.
Coronavirus
Zoom
Church
More variety is needed here. Be sparing in repeating whole phrases, even terms like church, which already appear throughout a story. Church is/was/can be more than a building– that’s echoed throughout your story. Worship, prayers, congregation … offer alternatives for use within the formulas.
I’m not suggesting you need to rewrite this list. I’m pointing this out for all.
ALSO RECOGNIZE: The emphasis on the governor’s mandate in your story summary is not justified, because it isn’t a story about reactions to that closure order. It’s more about new definitions of worship.
Corina, I really like your “Question” headline, “Is church more than just a building?”. When I read that, I knew exactly what the story would entail! Then, when I read the story description, it all fit together.
Sorry, I hit enter too soon!
That headline made me ponder the question, so I think it works great.
Headlines:
SHORT (1-4 words)
Surreal Shopping Trip
LONG (5-12+words)
Journey to the Hypermarket Amid the Zcombie Apocalypse
QUESTION?
Grocery Shopping: the New Spelunking?
LIST: Top Ten Ridiculous Reasons we are Living in the Zcombie Apocalypse
QUOTE LEAD:
“The Masked Bandit Was Shopping Next to Me!â€
2. You know better than anyone what your story is about. Write a brief description, 30 words or less, summarizing your story or teasing some intriguing point.
As far as hypermarkets are concerned, Fred Meyers is top-class. It’s a smorgasbord of produce offerings complete with a sushi bar, full grocery extravaganza, hardware, homeware, kids toys, clothing and shoes, electronics, booze, flowers, everything a locked-down Fairbanks person could want sans hand sanitizer (they’re out) “to live your best life.†Just ignore the fear-sweating shuffling of the furtive glancing masked people. And don’t forget to wash your hands.
3: Come up with two or three keywords. These function as menu links to related stories.
COVID-19
Coronavirus
Shopping
In exploring these formulas, everyone should strive for variations on really powerful imagery like Zombie Apocalypse. Your brain will lock onto the phrase and it’s hard to let go. Absolutely do not repeat a word combo like that in both the headline your settle on and the story summary. Ridiculous Reasons is fine word play. The story will need to back it up, unless that’s a ‘freaking direct’ reference to a supporting quote.
1.
– Dog Sledding Comes to UAF
– Experience One of Alaska’s Oldest Traditions: Dog Sledding (It doesn’t stay underlined when I paste it into here but this is my favorite title)
– Have You Ever Ridden on a Dog Sled?
– Three Reasons You Should Go Dog Sledding at the Winter Carnival
– “I came expecting to see cute dogs, and expectations were exceeded”
2.
A brisk winter day paired with freshly brewed coffee and hot chocolate, plus some adorable sled dogs, is the recipe for a good time at UAF’s Winter Carnival.
3.
Dog sledding, UAF, winter, carnival
1.
SHORT- “A New Corona Challengeâ€
LONG- ***Students choose to run 100 miles in April to combat Quarantine***
QUESTION?- How are you staying active while quarantining?
LIST: 100 things to do in the month of April
QUOTE LEAD- “We all need to be making sure we are still out and active with all this quarantine crud.â€
2. Brief Description: 19-year-old UAF student starts a running challenge with friends after COVID-19 regulations were enacted to encourage each other to remain active and healthy.
3. Keywords: COVID-19, running
Anna, You’ve got dog sledding leading 4/5 headliners?
No.
That’s a formula for a struggle finding the right headline. I don’t have your story before me as I write, but I’m bedding you’ve repeated dog sledding throughout.
Mushing, driving sled dogs, riding the runners behind, huskies… if that’s the breed. Pulled by a team…
Explore one of Alaska’s oldest traditions–That works as a long (5+ word) approach. Combined a story summary mentioning sled dogs, possibly with a supporting image, that will fill find an audience.
Melanie– Go for active headlines. My edit on LONG: Students tackle 100-mile challenge combating quarantine. QUOTE is my favorite, but don’t refer to quarantine in the story summary.
I have a big problem with LIST: 100 things to do in the month of April.
If I click on that desperate for ideas, I’d feel ripped off 99 times over.
One too many 19s in the story description, age doesn’t factor there… As with another student’s set, don’t emphasize regulations in the story summary. Be more descriptive.
Brief Description: 19-year-old UAF student starts a running challenge with friends after COVID-19 regulations were enacted to encourage each other to remain active and healthy.