Front Page Headline Misleading

The first headline that I read this morning came from the Red & Black: Protestors storm Adams' office. I was immediately intrigued. What are they protesting? What was the outcome? How did President Adams react when they torched the place? How many people actually fit into his office?

Unfortunately, my intrigue quickly turned to disappointment. As I read the story, I learned that in reality, the group of 150 students, workers and supporters of the living wage rally only made it to North Campus. They simply stood outside the administration building with their petition, which had an impressive 1,500 signatures. 

Instead of supporting the headline, the story fell short of high expectations. If the story had followed a less misleading headline, the story would have done the job of persuading other students and faculty to join the fight. 

The video that accompanies the story further demonstrates the need for a more truthful headline. The protestors opened the door to the building, were asked to quiet down because Adams was on a conference call, and politely shut the door. 

I am not saying in any way that the story itself was wrong or bad. I am only pointing out that an editor should have noticed that the promise in the headline was not followed through in the subsequent story. 

Here's an example of a clever headline in the same R&B issue that explains very well the subsequent story: Shortstop Schnake moves from middle of nowhere to starting lineup. The story is about a player from an Illinois town of about 300 people--literally, the middle of nowhere. I like the headline's use of a play on words here. It tells the overview of the story and intrigues the reader. As soon as I read this, I wanted to know where she came from and how she got there. Who is this special player who has suddenly risen to the top?

Overall I think editors, especially at the Red & Black, need to pay close attention to the promises of their headlines. Are they misleading? Do they interest the reader while at the same time telling a story?