Editors take note: be mindful of photos accompanying headlines…

June 4, 2009 by  
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kennedy_killedThe “Second Extra” of the Atlanta Journal newspaper of November 22, 1963 has a curious–if not macabre–combination of headline and photo. As would be expected of an “Extra” of this date, the large & bold headline proclaims: “KENNEDY KILLED” but immediately beneath it is a photo of a street sweeper pushing his bucket which has a pair of trousers & boots protruding from the top, with the caption: “Sweeper Means What He Says”.

One might excuse the editor, for I’m sure that in rushing this edition to the streets as quickly as possible  the planned headline was removed and the Kennedy death report quickly inserted with little thought as to what else was scheduled for top half that day’s edition.  But it serves as an important lesson to budding newspaper editors everywhere: be mindful of what what might accompany an article or photo.

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Comments

One Response to “Editors take note: be mindful of photos accompanying headlines…”

  1. Paul Sarna on July 16th, 2009 9:51 pm

    Tim, as you know I’ve seen that issue and it is really incredible.
    Also on the Kennedy assassination and almost equally as bizarre is an early issue of the New York Journal American. The headline itself is great with a big red background screaming “EXTRA!” above the masthead with “KENNEDY IS SHOT, BADLY WOUNDED”. Beneath it is one 4-column large picture of Jackie Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson are amused, looking at each other smiling broadly and between them Lady Bird Johnson is laughing rather hysterically! Of course JFK is “suspiciously” absent from the picture.
    ….Oh gosh! I hope conspiracy theorists don’t find out about this picture!

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