The Athens Banner-Herald online article headline, Program uses arts to boost learning math, other subjects, is awkwardly constructed and does not convey the content of the article in the best manner possible. In the spirit of "improving everything around me," I think that the impact of this article would reach a broader audience if it was worded in a more creative, less stilted fashion. Nothing drew me to the article outside of the need to improve the headline for this blog.
While the headline needs improving, the article does redeem itself with a small degree of cleverness in the lead graph. Reporter, Merritt Melancon, said, “Learning basic arithmetic and phonics might not inspire many kids to sing or dance, but that doesn't mean that singing and dancing won't inspire them to learn.” This graph adequately grasps reader attention in the way that the headline did not. It also conveys the basic ideas that Melancon goes on to discuss throughout the article.
Unfortunately, there is another element working against Melancon for reader time. In my pursuit of the full body of this article, I encountered multiple annoyances in the form of “pop-up” advertisements. While Jason Winders, editor of the Athens Banner-Herald, said, in an interview, that corner-fold advertisements are so popular that he can consistently raise their rates, they are incredibly distracting to dismiss when I want to read an article on the Web site. Even more bothersome are full-page ads that you must exit before seeing any part of the article you are seeking.
While I understand that advertising revenue is absolutely crucial in generating revenue for the Banner-Herald, it would benefit the online editors to conceive of a means of displaying advertisements that does not completely block the actual product. The prevalence of annoying “pop-up” advertisements is one element that detracts from my enjoyment of the online news experience.
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