Press Council rules that headlines don't have to be true

expectationlost

Press Council rules that headlines don't have to be true http://www.presscouncil.ie/Decided-by-the-Press-Ombudsman/mr-patrick-hurley-and-the-irish-independent

On 13 September 2017 the Irish Independent reported on its front page that the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) had advised that the retirement age would have to be pushed back to 70 years as people were living longer and the cost of funding pensions was, therefore, increasing to unsustainable levels. The headline on the report was “Now we’re going to have to work until we reach 70”. There was in addition a sub-heading “Budget tax cuts risk overheating economy, government warned”.

Mr Hurley wrote to the editor of the Irish Independent stating that the headline was “blatantly untrue” and asked the newspaper to publish a correction.

The Irish Independent replied saying that “the headline has to be read in context”. It said the article clearly states that the ESRI is proposing the raising of the retirement age to 70. The editor offered to publish a letter from Mr Hurley in the Irish Independent.

their excuse is the subheadline, but headlines are often seen by themselves so they should be true by themselves

the front page of the paper http://www.broadsheet.ie/2017/09/12/de-wednesday-papers-230/

article https://www.pressreader.com/ireland/irish-independent/20170913/283098479248591

seemingly changed online https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/now-we-face-working-until-we-are-70-if-government-follows-think-tank-advice-36127387.html

coylemj

Headlines are written by sub-editors who often pick a meaty aspect of the article and write it into an eye-catching headline. In many cases you will quickly determine that the subbie didn't read all of the article.

It happens all the time so I'm afraid I'm with the press council on this one, it's a fact of life.

Donal55

It's the Indo. I'd take everything I read there with a pinch of salt anyway.

expectationlost

coylemj wrote: »

Headlines are written by sub-editors who often pick a meaty aspect of the article and write it into an eye-catching headline. In many cases you will quickly determine that the subbie didn't read all of the article.

It happens all the time so I'm afraid I'm with the press council on this one, it's a fact of life.

what lowering standards? i really don't get the logic behind eveybody does it so its ok.

two wheels good

coylemj wrote: »

Headlines are written by sub-editors who often pick a meaty aspect of the article and write it into an eye-catching headline. In many cases you will quickly determine that the subbie didn't read all of the article.

It happens all the time so I'm afraid I'm with the press council on this one, it's a fact of life.

Dishonesty in reporting is never to be condoned.
They could use a question mark or quotation marks to communicate the ... I don't know .... "element of doubt?"

expectationlost

two wheels good wrote: »

Dishonesty in reporting is never to be condoned.
They could use a question mark or quotation marks to communicate the ... I don't know .... "element of doubt?"

headlines with question marks are nearly as bad.

L1011

The adage that the answer to headline formed as a question is always No seems to be entirely true

IRE60

Also Mr Hurley must have little to do throwing the toys on that issue!

expectationlost

IRE60 wrote: »

Also Mr Hurley must have little to do throwing the toys on that issue!

see this is why I would never complain to the press council because I'd expect personal abuse


Why is the frontpage of national newspaper not something worth complaining over.

Muahahaha

expectationlost wrote: »

see this is why I would never complain to the press council because I'd expect personal abuse


Why is the frontpage of national newspaper not something worth complaining over.

Agreed. The Indo editors must have been laughing their heads off at this Press Council ruling. They will now be thinking nice one, we can write any old lies and the Press Council will give us a pass.