Same story, two very different headlines

[Kadie]

Which one do you think will become more popular? Notice the time stamps on the articles.


Analysis: Democrats Eye November Landslide
By RON FOURNIER, AP Political Writer

Monday, May 29, 2006

(05-29) 11:53 PDT WASHINGTON, (AP) --

Republicans are three steps from a November shellacking — each a grim possibility if habitually divided Democrats get their acts together.

First step: Voters must focus on the national landscape on Nov. 7 rather than local issues and personalities that usually dominate midterm elections.

That would sting Republicans, who trail badly in national polls.

Second step: Voters must be so angry at Washington and politics in general that an anti-incumbent, throw-the-bums-out mentality sweeps the nation.

more...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/05/29/politics/p115334D16.DTL&type=politics



Analysis: Democrats Wary of November Vote
By RON FOURNIER, AP Political Writer

Monday, May 29, 2006

(05-29) 12:50 PDT WASHINGTON, (AP) --

Republicans are three steps from a November shellacking — each a grim possibility if habitually divided Democrats get their acts together.

First step: Voters must focus on the national landscape on Nov. 7 rather than local issues and personalities that usually dominate midterm elections.

That would sting Republicans, who trail badly in national polls.

Second step: Voters must be so angry at Washington and politics in general that an anti-incumbent, throw-the-bums-out mentality sweeps the nation.

more...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/05/29/politics/p125020D17.DTL&type=politics

[MADem]

1. Fascinating. Dueling headline writers! n/t

[Rex]

2. It's all just how you word the propaganda.

Bored editor on a slow Memorial Day.

[mike_c]

3. WTF?-- the SF Chron is carrying both articles as apparently...

...sequential database entries (if I'm guessing their file naming convention correctly). This is an AP piece-- I wonder if the AP routinely sends articles out with "alternative headlines" for papers that want to slant one way or another.

[Kadie]

4. Here is the link to the politics page

http://www.sfgate.com/politics/

one right on top of the other... looks like the just put them out there as they get them. I just wonder which one will be the one that sticks around.

[blogslut]

6. I believe the individual newspaper writes the headline

...when they print stories from the AP feed.

[Kadie]

7. Here are Yahoo links to both headlines...

pick your favorite I guess.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060529/ap_on_el_ge/democratic_dreams_2

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060529/ap_on_el_ge/democratic_dreams_3

[mike_c]

9. that's what I thought too, but this piece has two different time stamps...

...as well as two different headlines, suggesting that the two versions came over the wire an hour apart. They're identical other than the headline, so what else might have distinguished the two time-stamped transmissions? It looks like the Chronicle simply dumped them into a queue as they received them.

[Bossy Monkey]

12. They do in the actual print newspaper, but online they usually just pick

up the AP feed. AP stories evolve constantly and the headlines change accordingly. I used to follow the AP Wire minutely when it was on the wire in its entirety and headlines always changed as more information (or in this case paragraphs) became available. Fournier generally presents as a hack and Republican shill (usually partnered with the egregious Nedra Pickler), so it isn't any big surprise that the story would turn out like this.

[ThomWV]

5. Think Of What They Suggest - Here's What I See In Them

The earlier suggests the Dilemma of the Republican Party and their vulnerability. Of course vulnerability is, in the minds of some, the first sign of weakness. Hence, the first headline hints at a weak Republican Party. Perception is reality, right?

The second shouts of a weak Democratic Party. To be wary is to show fear and fear is the child of weakness.

So the movement over the hour was from implication of a weak Republican Party to one of a weak Democratic Party.

That is what I see those two headlines saying at a glance and how the conversation shifted.

[chimpymustgo]

8. "...each a GRIM possibility if...Democrats get their acts together." WHA??

No bias here, right?:

"Republicans are three steps from a November shellacking — each a grim possibility if habitually divided Democrats get their acts together."

Well now...that would be GRIM for just whom, Mr. Fournier?

[ThomWV]

10. Great Catch!

That one didn't even dawn on me. Thanks.

[Berry Cool]

11. As a person who has written headlines for papers, I can testify

that a person who is writing newspaper headlines has no real luxury to consider politics when doing so.

It needs to be done quickly, and it needs to be done in a way that is accurate, non-misleading, doesn't include any double entendres (note how much attention unintentionally embarrassing headlines get) and fits the space. The aim is to be as neutral and objective as possible, also. Lack of neutrality or objectivity is in most cases unintentional and sometimes motivated by a desire to fit the space available, but chances are it will be caught and changed.

Honestly, I think the best explanation for this is either that the headlines were written by different people at different times, or that they were written to fit different layouts of different editions. (If the layout changed for a story, it might require rewriting the headline so as to fit the changed space.)

edited to add: This is an opinion column, so the goal here is to try to closely mirror the gist of the columnist's opinion. Maybe one headline writer interpreted it one way, and another interpreted it another?