Is writing a headline for a t-shirt wrong?

UPDATE: I probably should have included a note of caution that this image could be a fake. I don’t know if this headline actually appeared on CNN.com and was later removed or if it’s a PhotoShop job.

I ask this question after seeing the screen grab (posted above) of this headline from CNN.com (posted on Friendfeed).

That headline is a rare triple-entendre. There’s the first meaning: “juggling balls” as in “attending ten inaugural balls.” There’s the second reading: “juggling balls” as in “throwing actual balls in the air.” Then there’s the pubescent child’s reading: “balls” as in “testicles.”

I found it giggle-worthy and kind of brilliant, precisely because of its three ways of word play. Then I took a closer at the screen shot. See that little t-shirt icon to the right? Yep. This headline was also available on a t-shirt.

This isn’t a new feature for CNN.com. Headline t-shirts have been available since last spring. One of my coworkers, a CNN.com alumnus, purchased one last fall. I bought one myself after Obama’s election victory.

But that particular headline made me wonder: Are CNN.com’s headline writers trying to write t-shirt worthy headlines? And if so is that a bad thing?

Before I continue, I must add this disclaimer: I AM NOT SAYING THAT CNN.com EDITORS TRY TO WRITE T-SHIRT-WORTHY HEADLINES. I DO NOT KNOW HOW OR WHY SOME HEADLINES ARE CHOSEN AS T-SHIRT OPTIONS, though I certainly would like to. Surprisingly, this is not a frequently asked question.

I’ll also add that when I checked CNN’s headline t-shirt store, this headline was no longer for sale.

People being people, however, I wouldn’t be surprised if headline writers didn’t think — at least some times — “Oh man, this would be teh awesome on a t-shirt!” I don’t think that’s a bad thing.

The point of a good headline, after all, is to sell the story. “Sell” in this sense usually means “entice to read or click.” But good headlines — and by “good” I mean “appropriate in tone, reflective of the story, and either emotionally moving, clever, witty, or humorous” — also have the less obvious goal of selling papers and generating ad impressions.

Though sales (of ads and of copies) in the literal sense may not be top of mind for headline writers, I think it’s less than honest to say that “selling” of some kind isn’t a consideration. That’s precisely why I think it’s okay if the folks at CNN.com strive to write t-shirt worthy headlines.

Web site editors will often write or rewrite headlines to generate page views from readers and search engines. In the online world, good headlines = more page views. More page views = more revenue. Selling headlines on t-shirts just removes a step and makes for a shorter equation.

http://intensedebate.com/people/michellej michellej

Well as everyone keeps talk about how the sky is falling in terms of online ad revenue it would be kind of brilliant if this was a concerted effort to up a new revenue stream. I suspect it was more one writer thinking "heh, heh watch what I can get away with" but I think I'd kind of respect CNN for being creative about a new business model if it was endorsed/requested by corporate.
http://intensedebate.com/people/michellej michellej

Well as everyone keeps talk about how the sky is falling in terms of online ad revenue it would be kind of brilliant if this was a concerted effort to up a new revenue stream. I suspect it was more one writer thinking "heh, heh watch what I can get away with" but I think I'd kind of respect CNN for being creative about a new business model if it was endorsed/requested by corporate.
http://jasontoney.com/ Jason

As you know, I have problems with this. To make t-shirt selling a goal for journalists and editors puts an incredible strain on journalistic integrity. It’s like making them responsible for securing ads. It’s the responsibility of the publisher to sell papers and it’s the responsibility of the web publisher to generate revenue. It should not be part of the job description of those writing articles, reporting news, and determining what the important stories of the day are.

To be sure, I don’t have a problem with CNN selling t-shirts. I would have a serious problem if they were asking their news staff to consider that fact as they go about the business of telling us about the world.
http://jasontoney.com Jason

As you know, I have problems with this. To make t-shirt selling a goal for journalists and editors puts an incredible strain on journalistic integrity. It’s like making them responsible for securing ads. It’s the responsibility of the publisher to sell papers and it’s the responsibility of the web publisher to generate revenue. It should not be part of the job description of those writing articles, reporting news, and determining what the important stories of the day are.

To be sure, I don’t have a problem with CNN selling t-shirts. I would have a serious problem if they were asking their news staff to consider that fact as they go about the business of telling us about the world.
http://intensedebate.com/people/misterjt misterjt

As you know, I have problems with this. To make t-shirt selling a goal for journalists and editors puts an incredible strain on journalistic integrity. It's like making them responsible for securing ads. It's the responsibility of the publisher to sell papers and it's the responsibility of the web publisher to generate revenue. It should not be part of the job description of those writing articles, reporting news, and determining what the important stories of the day are.

To be sure, I don't have a problem with CNN selling t-shirts. I would have a serious problem if they were asking their news staff to consider that fact as they go about the business of telling us about the world.
http://intensedebate.com/people/misterjt misterjt

As you know, I have problems with this. To make t-shirt selling a goal for journalists and editors puts an incredible strain on journalistic integrity. It's like making them responsible for securing ads. It's the responsibility of the publisher to sell papers and it's the responsibility of the web publisher to generate revenue. It should not be part of the job description of those writing articles, reporting news, and determining what the important stories of the day are.

To be sure, I don't have a problem with CNN selling t-shirts. I would have a serious problem if they were asking their news staff to consider that fact as they go about the business of telling us about the world.
http://intensedebate.com/people/tiffanybbrown tiffanybbrown

Securing ads isn't as neat an analogy, in my opinion, because securing ads brings up questions of influence on the newsroom. Headline writing is about making people want to consume the media, which has the indirect benefit of securing ad revenue.

There is pressure in some web newsrooms to write click-generating copy. There is pressure in every web newsroom to generate page views, even as they decide what's important for the day. There is pressure in every newsroom to create content that makes people want to buy copies.

What makes it a headline on the web — intrigue, humor, wit, teasing and word play — is what makes it a great t-shirt. It's the same act, put to a different purpose.
http://intensedebate.com/people/tiffanybbrown tiffanybbrown

Securing ads isn't as neat an analogy, in my opinion, because securing ads brings up questions of influence on the newsroom. Headline writing is about making people want to consume the media, which has the indirect benefit of securing ad revenue.

There is pressure in some web newsrooms to write click-generating copy. There is pressure in every web newsroom to generate page views, even as they decide what's important for the day. There is pressure in every newsroom to create content that makes people want to buy copies.

What makes it a headline on the web — intrigue, humor, wit, teasing and word play — is what makes it a great t-shirt. It's the same act, put to a different purpose.
http://www.intensedebate.com/people/tiffanybbrown tiffanybbrown

Securing ads isn't as neat an analogy, in my opinion, because securing ads brings up questions of influence on the newsroom. Headline writing is about making people want to consume the media, which has the indirect benefit of securing ad revenue.

There is pressure in some web newsrooms to write click-generating copy. There is pressure in every web newsroom to generate page views, even as they decide what's important for the day. There is pressure in every newsroom to create content that makes people want to buy copies. Headline writing still needs to be done and the qualities of a great web headline — intrigue, humor, wit, teasing and word play — is what makes a great t-shirt.

It's the same act, with much the same intent, just put to a different purpose.
http://www.intensedebate.com/people/tiffanybbrown tiffanybbrown

Securing ads isn't as neat an analogy, in my opinion, because securing ads brings up questions of influence on the newsroom. Headline writing is ALWAYS about making people want to consume the media, which has the indirect benefit of securing ad revenue.

There is pressure in some web newsrooms to write click-generating copy. There is pressure in every web newsroom to generate page views, even as they decide what's important for the day. There is pressure in every newsroom to create content that makes people want to buy copies. Headline writing still needs to be done and the qualities of a great web headline — intrigue, humor, wit, teasing and word play — is what makes a great t-shirt.

It's the same act, with much the same intent, just put to a different purpose.
http://www.intensedebate.com/people/tiffanybbrown tiffanybbrown

Securing ads isn't as neat an analogy, in my opinion, because securing ads brings up questions of influence on the newsroom. Headline writing is about making people want to consume the media, which has the indirect benefit of securing ad revenue.

There is pressure in some web newsrooms to write click-generating copy. There is pressure in every web newsroom to generate page views, even as they decide what's important for the day. There is pressure in every newsroom to create content that makes people want to buy copies. Headline writing still needs to be done and the qualities of a great web headline — intrigue, humor, wit, teasing and word play — is what makes a great t-shirt.

It's the same act, with much the same intent, just put to a different purpose.
http://www.intensedebate.com/people/tiffanybbrown tiffanybbrown

Securing ads isn't as neat an analogy, in my opinion, because securing ads brings up questions of influence on the newsroom. Headline writing is ALWAYS about making people want to consume the media, which has the indirect benefit of securing ad revenue.

There is pressure in some web newsrooms to write click-generating copy. There is pressure in every web newsroom to generate page views, even as they decide what's important for the day. There is pressure in every newsroom to create content that makes people want to buy copies. Headline writing still needs to be done and the qualities of a great web headline — intrigue, humor, wit, teasing and word play — is what makes a great t-shirt.

It's the same act, with much the same intent, just put to a different purpose.
http://intensedebate.com/people/misterjt misterjt

I think this is primarily a semantic argument about intent. Writing, all writing, is ultimately about entertaining the audience and spurring consumption but that is about the writer and the reader. It's a relationship we go into willingly.

And I wouldn't have any problem if we weren't talking about news (if it was fiction/entertainment/etc., as Paul McCartney has said, he and John Lennon would sent down at the piano and say, "let's write us a pool.") but I think much of our national news media problem has to do with the unbalanced relationship between the business of journalism and journalism itself. To add incentives around writing that sells t-shirts to a news reporter's mandate is to further blur those lines and further separate us from the ultimate goal of news — to find and tell us the truth.

Because who cares about the truth if I got a bonus for selling out all the medium size tees?
http://intensedebate.com/people/misterjt misterjt

I think this is primarily a semantic argument about intent. Writing, all writing, is ultimately about entertaining the audience and spurring consumption but that is about the writer and the reader. It's a relationship we go into willingly.

And I wouldn't have any problem if we weren't talking about news (if it was fiction/entertainment/etc., as Paul McCartney has said, he and John Lennon would sent down at the piano and say, "let's write us a pool.") but I think much of our national news media problem has to do with the unbalanced relationship between the business of journalism and journalism itself. To add incentives around writing that sells t-shirts to a news reporter's mandate is to further blur those lines and further separate us from the ultimate goal of news — to find and tell us the truth.

Because who cares about the truth if I got a bonus for selling out all the medium size tees?
http://www.intensedebate.com/people/misterjt misterjt

I think this is primarily a semantic argument about intent. Writing, all writing, is ultimately about entertaining the audience and spurring consumption but that is about the writer and the reader. It's a relationship we go into willingly.

And I wouldn't have any problem if we weren't talking about news (if it was fiction/entertainment/etc., as Paul McCartney has said, he and John Lennon would sit down at the piano and say, "let's write us a pool.") but I think much of our national news media problem has to do with the unbalanced relationship between the business of journalism and journalism itself. To add incentives around writing that sells t-shirts to a news reporter's mandate is to further blur those lines and further separate us from the ultimate goal of news — to find and tell us the truth.

Because who cares about the truth if I got a bonus for selling out all the medium size tees?
http://www.intensedebate.com/people/misterjt misterjt

I think this is primarily a semantic argument about intent. Writing, all writing, is ultimately about entertaining the audience and spurring consumption but that is about the writer and the reader. It's a relationship we go into willingly.

And I wouldn't have any problem if we weren't talking about news (if it was fiction/entertainment/etc., as Paul McCartney has said, he and John Lennon would sit down at the piano and say, "let's write us a pool.") but I think much of our national news media problem has to do with the unbalanced relationship between the business of journalism and journalism itself. To add incentives around writing that sells t-shirts to a news reporter's mandate is to further blur those lines and further separate us from the ultimate goal of news — to find and tell us the truth.

Because who cares about the truth if I got a bonus for selling out all the medium size tees?
http://intensedebate.com/people/tiffanybbrown tiffanybbrown

Well to use another example: who cares about the truth if I won an industry award? Who cares about the truth when I have company stock in my 401(k) or if I get a profit sharing bonus? I don't think things change because the product being sold is a t-shirt and not a newsstand copy.

I know I won't sway you, but I think because headline writing needs to be done anyway, and the criteria for what makes a good headline remain the same, it's ethical and acceptable.
http://intensedebate.com/people/tiffanybbrown tiffanybbrown

Well to use another example: who cares about the truth if I won an industry award? Who cares about the truth when I have company stock in my 401(k) or if I get a profit sharing bonus? I don't think things change because the product being sold is a t-shirt and not a newsstand copy.

I know I won't sway you, but I think because headline writing needs to be done anyway, and the criteria for what makes a good headline remain the same, it's ethical and acceptable.
http://intensedebate.com/people/misterjt misterjt

I would argue that an Industry Award in news, we assume, is based on the merit of the work and not the amount of money that work earned. And, I think you're snarking on my point, but I actually think it's murky water for journalists to have direct profit based motives tied to their work when the standards of merit aren't related to the quality of their journalism.

I hold the 4th estate to a different standard because it holds a specific purpose in how our country works. There's nothing wrong with profiting from headlines in whatever way makes sense. I think there's a lot wrong with a news publisher mandating it to their reporters or making it the core of their business model.

And, to be clear, I don't have quarrel with the individual reporter deciding to go for self and do what makes him the most money. I can judge him or her on an individual level. It's the corporate entity, however, whose motivations I question and who I worry would easily forgo the truth in exchange for the dollar.

Heh. I thought I might be able to play devil's advocate with myself but, you're right, you're not going to convince me.
http://intensedebate.com/people/misterjt misterjt

I would argue that an Industry Award in news, we assume, is based on the merit of the work and not the amount of money that work earned. And, I think you're snarking on my point, but I actually think it's murky water for journalists to have direct profit based motives tied to their work when the standards of merit aren't related to the quality of their journalism.

I hold the 4th estate to a different standard because it holds a specific purpose in how our country works. There's nothing wrong with profiting from headlines in whatever way makes sense. I think there's a lot wrong with a news publisher mandating it to their reporters or making it the core of their business model.

And, to be clear, I don't have quarrel with the individual reporter deciding to go for self and do what makes him the most money. I can judge him or her on an individual level. It's the corporate entity, however, whose motivations I question and who I worry would easily forgo the truth in exchange for the dollar.

Heh. I thought I might be able to play devil's advocate with myself but, you're right, you're not going to convince me.
http://www.prohiphop.com/ Clyde Smith

So many headlines are such horrible misleading puns, clearly something journalists are taught in school or in the newsroom, that I don't really see the issue.
http://www.prohiphop.com Clyde Smith

So many headlines are such horrible misleading puns, clearly something journalists are taught in school or in the newsroom, that I don't really see the issue.
http://beingamberrhea.com/ Amber Rhea

To be sure, I don't have a problem with CNN selling t-shirts. I would have a serious problem if they were asking their news staff to consider that fact as they go about the business of telling us about the world.

I see your point but how is this different from what news writers have always done? They write witty/punny headlines in an attempt to draw people's attention and sell more papers. Or maybe I should say "wrote," because that strategy started to backfire as more and more people started getting their news online; unfortunately puns aren't always search engine optimized. I remember reading an article where news writers were lamenting the death of the witty headline because now everything has to be so literal for search engine rankings.
http://beingamberrhea.com Amber Rhea

To be sure, I don't have a problem with CNN selling t-shirts. I would have a serious problem if they were asking their news staff to consider that fact as they go about the business of telling us about the world.

I see your point but how is this different from what news writers have always done? They write witty/punny headlines in an attempt to draw people's attention and sell more papers. Or maybe I should say "wrote," because that strategy started to backfire as more and more people started getting their news online; unfortunately puns aren't always search engine optimized. I remember reading an article where news writers were lamenting the death of the witty headline because now everything has to be so literal for search engine rankings.
http://www.prohiphop.com/ Clyde Smith

RaceThink: Thanks for sharing that. It reminds me of when I worked at the News & Observer in Raleigh as a copyboy. Everybody that wrote or reassembled copy from the wires were all well educated and quite aware of the implications of what they produced.

In fact, the night editor who oversaw this process was well known for tweaking headlines critical of the Pope so that by the final edition they were technically accurate but any sharp edge had been removed.

It's like people creating ads. They develop an awareness at the level of poets of the weight of each word and the implications of every juxtaposition.

It's actually a professional insult to claim that these people aren't aware of the full range of possible meanings of any short phrase they produce.

Of course, it's also important to their professional survival that the general lack of awareness of such skills gives them room for plausible denial. Yet another gap in the educational system that opens the general populace to propaganda in many forms.
http://www.prohiphop.com Clyde Smith

RaceThink: Thanks for sharing that. It reminds me of when I worked at the News & Observer in Raleigh as a copyboy. Everybody that wrote or reassembled copy from the wires were all well educated and quite aware of the implications of what they produced.

In fact, the night editor who oversaw this process was well known for tweaking headlines critical of the Pope so that by the final edition they were technically accurate but any sharp edge had been removed.

It's like people creating ads. They develop an awareness at the level of poets of the weight of each word and the implications of every juxtaposition.

It's actually a professional insult to claim that these people aren't aware of the full range of possible meanings of any short phrase they produce.

Of course, it's also important to their professional survival that the general lack of awareness of such skills gives them room for plausible denial. Yet another gap in the educational system that opens the general populace to propaganda in many forms.
http://intensedebate.com/people/RaceThink RaceThink

I am a former newspaper reporter and, for six months, worked on the copy desk as an editor and headline writer. At the time, there was a huge headline-writing "culture" and even several newsletters (pre-Internet) that copy editors eagerly awaited that would rank the nation's newspapers' wittiest and most-compelling headlines. Knowing the bright copy editors with whom I once worked, I am certain that they were aware of all the play on words in that headline (especially re the testicles). In fact, I recall savvy, smart-alecky headline folks always trying to get some off-color double entendre into the newspaper!
http://intensedebate.com/people/RaceThink RaceThink

I am a former newspaper reporter and, for six months, worked on the copy desk as an editor and headline writer. At the time, there was a huge headline-writing "culture" and even several newsletters (pre-Internet) that copy editors eagerly awaited that would rank the nation's newspapers' wittiest and most-compelling headlines. Knowing the bright copy editors with whom I once worked, I am certain that they were aware of all the play on words in that headline (especially re the testicles). In fact, I recall savvy, smart-alecky headline folks always trying to get some off-color double entendre into the newspaper!

Tiffany B. Brown

a mish-mosh of stuff

Is writing a headline for a t-shirt wrong?