Good, Bad, and Ugly

Blizzard paralyzes U.S. mid-Atlantic; two killed

I just wanted to pass on my annoyance at your misleading headline this morning about the storm that hit the mid-Atlantic. The way your headline is written makes it sound as if two people froze to death, were buried/stranded under some type of hazardous snow drift, or saw their car slide on frozen roads into a bunch of others, etc.

I understand the news-grabbing impact that media outlets want to make, but as what I consider to be one of the most trusted and respected global wires in the world, you might want to put a little more thought into how you’re trying to draw in readers and/or convey the drama of a newsworthy situation.

Maggie

Sorry, I think the headline was valid. Our story explains that Virginia state police reported two people were killed when they were struck by a tractor-trailer after stopping to help a stranded motorist. That certainly counts as storm-related in my book.

As I sit here in DC surrounded by snow drifts taller than I am, I’d say the story is pretty newsworthy by itself, without needing to be hyped: GBU Editor

Snow falls on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol as a blizzard blankets Washington, February 6, 2010. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

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