Good headline trumps sensitivity
The lead headline on the front page of today’s Beaumont Enterprise says, “From Vidor run to phony gun.” It’s a good, if not great, headline. It summarizes at least two aspects of the complicated story, flows well, has great rhythm and even a couple of rhyming words. There’s a strong possibility that it will win headline competitions statewide and nationally because the copy editor who wrote it has an outstanding track record for contest-winning headlines.
Had the facts of the story been appropriate, “From Silsbee run to phony gun” would have made an equally good headline. No, we wouldn’t have put Lumberton or Port Neches in the headline because it wouldn’t have fit the rhythm, though we might have used Orange or Bridge City or even Newton if those towns had fit the facts of the story.
Thus far, one person has called to complain about the headline besmirching the good name of the city of Vidor because of one “lunatic that has run wild.” I’m sure others are thinking the same thing.
The caller referred to the headline as a “cheap shot made to gather attention and hurt people.” He called it “degrading and hurtful to the community,” and said he was personally hurt over it.
I have one thing to say to that caller. Me too.
But we need to get over it.
Yes, I live in Vidor. I’ve fought both sides of this battle for decades. I can tell you authoritatively that we (Vidorians) are wrong. The Enterprise is NOT picking on Vidor.
Take a look at today’s headline again. It refers to “Vidor run,” a 2004 situation that locked down two schools and a day care center on Texas 12 when this same fugitive as on the run in that area. There’s nothing negative about Vidor in that situation except that the man lived there and chose to flee there. That’s no more of a reflection on Vidor than the fact that Saddam Hussein having lived in Iraq is a reflection on the whole country of Iraq and all its citizens.
Does Vidor get negative publicity? No doubt, though a great deal of it has come from national media and the necessity of local coverage of their escapades.
Does Vidor get its share of positive stories? Overall, things are much better than they have been in the past, but, honestly, probably not. Unfortunately, too many people in Vidor perceive the media as the enemy, so those positive stories don’t get the attention they deserve.
A couple of years ago I organized a media relations seminar for a Vidor governmental group. Area media, print and electronic were represented in a panel discussion. A large percentage of those sitting on the panel actually lived in Vidor.
We, all of us, care about our city, but we can’t fight this battle alone. Those in Vidor who bristle every time the city’s name comes up in anything that isn’t totally positive HAVE to get that chip off their shoulder if they are going to move forward as a community. I'd love to lead that parade.
There’s not an editor, headline writer or reporter here who’s out to get Vidor or anyone who lives there. We’re just doing our jobs . . . reporting the news and writing good headlines.
Had the facts of the story been appropriate, “From Silsbee run to phony gun” would have made an equally good headline. No, we wouldn’t have put Lumberton or Port Neches in the headline because it wouldn’t have fit the rhythm, though we might have used Orange or Bridge City or even Newton if those towns had fit the facts of the story.
Thus far, one person has called to complain about the headline besmirching the good name of the city of Vidor because of one “lunatic that has run wild.” I’m sure others are thinking the same thing.
The caller referred to the headline as a “cheap shot made to gather attention and hurt people.” He called it “degrading and hurtful to the community,” and said he was personally hurt over it.
I have one thing to say to that caller. Me too.
But we need to get over it.
Yes, I live in Vidor. I’ve fought both sides of this battle for decades. I can tell you authoritatively that we (Vidorians) are wrong. The Enterprise is NOT picking on Vidor.
Take a look at today’s headline again. It refers to “Vidor run,” a 2004 situation that locked down two schools and a day care center on Texas 12 when this same fugitive as on the run in that area. There’s nothing negative about Vidor in that situation except that the man lived there and chose to flee there. That’s no more of a reflection on Vidor than the fact that Saddam Hussein having lived in Iraq is a reflection on the whole country of Iraq and all its citizens.
Does Vidor get negative publicity? No doubt, though a great deal of it has come from national media and the necessity of local coverage of their escapades.
Does Vidor get its share of positive stories? Overall, things are much better than they have been in the past, but, honestly, probably not. Unfortunately, too many people in Vidor perceive the media as the enemy, so those positive stories don’t get the attention they deserve.
A couple of years ago I organized a media relations seminar for a Vidor governmental group. Area media, print and electronic were represented in a panel discussion. A large percentage of those sitting on the panel actually lived in Vidor.
We, all of us, care about our city, but we can’t fight this battle alone. Those in Vidor who bristle every time the city’s name comes up in anything that isn’t totally positive HAVE to get that chip off their shoulder if they are going to move forward as a community. I'd love to lead that parade.
There’s not an editor, headline writer or reporter here who’s out to get Vidor or anyone who lives there. We’re just doing our jobs . . . reporting the news and writing good headlines.
posted by Sheila Friedeck at 12:14 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home