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The New York Times Is Using Emoticons in Headlines Now: Awesome or End of World?

SodaHead Fun 2011/09/30 22:33:52
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Whoever thinks the end of good journalism is near, they may have an even stronger case now than they did before. The New York Times -- you know, that dinky little newspaper in that one random city -- is using emoticons for their headlines now. And we don't just mean they're doing it as a cute little bonus to a light-hearted article -- they're inserting it as an actual replacement to a word in the headline.

On a recent article about Twitter and mood swings, The New York Times decided that a happy face emoticon would be more appropriate than writing out the word "happy." Talk about lazy. It's not even a long word, NYT!

emoticon headline

Well after receiving some negative press from...well, everyone...the Times' Senior Software Architect tried to clarify the surprising decision on Twitter. "Just to be clear, the :) is not in the print headline or the e-headline sent to electronic devices," Harris tweeted. “It’s just some homepage fun.”

Homepage fun or not, according to The Cutline’s Dylan Stableford, this is the first time that “an emoticon was used to convey information in a headline.” Though, apparently, it's not the first time that an emoticon has been used by journalists and editors in the headline.

The best part of this story is that "Curb Your Enthusiasm" totally predicted this trend in its newest season. Way to go, Larry. We knew you had all the answers.

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  • die Küss der Tod 2011/10/01 01:04:51
    End of World
    die Küss der Tod
    +13
    Since when did this seem like a good idea? Newspapers are supposed to be all about formal language...and now they're going to use emoticons? That is just bizarre. Emoticons belong in chatrooms and instant messages, not in newspapers (especially not headlines).
    >> See Replies

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  • lovalovett 2011/11/30 05:36:25
    End of World
    lovalovett
    All I can say is there is a reason papers are still in existence and that because not everyone wants to read a blip or scrolling bar on a tv, or see a tweet, or a post on a computer, or have the encyclopedia Britannica on a phone that costs more then the whole series of books..... hell there are people who want to stay off the radar and don't own a computer hell some don't even have a cell phone....society has to have all this hi-tech stuff .....I fell we are really straying from the very basic and at times I swear we are getting dumber.....a good writer doesn't need o_o.... or.... ;)....or :(.....to convey how they feel or to show or convey what feeling they want reader to feel that's what writing is about and as a reader I really love being swayed by words and reading between the line....Is that not what reading is all about....
    reply
  • Sam DePecan 2011/11/18 22:09:52
    End of World
    Sam DePecan
    The NY Times and The Wash Post will do anything that they can think of right now . . . . They are both in some kind of serious trouble. They suck and they really are trying hard to unsuck!! . .. . So, I am not surprised about anything that they try to do . . . Just to sell a Newpaper.
    reply
  • queenalyss 2011/10/11 07:34:00
    End of World
    queenalyss
    WE'RE SUCCUMBING TO STUPIDITY....oh my....oh dear....
    reply
  • TheatreAddict 2011/10/04 21:29:56
    End of World
    TheatreAddict
    1984, anyone?
    reply
  • besarta 2011/10/04 15:31:33 (edited)
    End of World
    besarta
    No it's not cool to use emotions in newspapers,but I still complain that the option "END OF THE WORLD" is quite exaggerated.
    reply
  • rspell 2011/10/04 15:01:44
    End of World
    rspell
    +1
    The New York Times was one of the last papers with a high level of journalistic integrity and a stable of talented writers. Our society is doomed.
    reply
  • Resp 2011/10/04 10:47:32
  • Brian and Lyn Froggatt 2011/10/04 09:17:07
    End of World
    Brian and Lyn Froggatt
    Idiots, trying to be trendy. Emoticons are for chat/ email online, not in news where a reader makes their own mind up as to funny/not
    reply
  • Green day #1 fan 2011/10/04 03:54:42
    Awesome :)
    Green day #1 fan
    Idk but that's kinda cool?
    reply
  • CitizenErased 2011/10/04 03:17:05
    End of World
    CitizenErased
    +1
    Not "end of the world", but unnecessary.
    reply
  • WilliamPeebles 2011/10/04 00:49:43
    Awesome :)
    WilliamPeebles
    Oh my god. It's just a creative way to assemble a headline for a newspaper. What's the big stink about it?
    reply
  • lovalovett William... 2011/11/30 02:24:08
    lovalovett
    The big stink about it is this........ picture the earthquake that happened in japan....and all the damage it caused and will cause due to the reactors...Now think of the stories you read in the paper.....OK so do you want to see this in the stories or headline... ಠ_ಠ......? I don't think so!!
    reply
  • Black Crow 2011/10/03 18:56:21
    End of World
    Black Crow
    +1
    You mean people still read that rag?
    reply
  • srini 2011/10/03 17:52:17
    End of World
    srini
    Or more accurately, preponed end-of-line for NY Slimes.
    reply
  • intolerantrwj 2011/10/03 17:39:00
    End of World
    intolerantrwj
    .... who will see them, they chased away any readers with a brain
    reply
  • Ego Death 2011/10/03 16:38:58
    End of World
    Ego Death
    Not cool,

    Established papers such as this should retain their formal delivery.
    reply
  • Mark In Irvine 2011/10/03 16:08:56
    End of World
    Mark In Irvine
    i was gonna say "EOTW" but i see now that it was a special use ... for the story
    reply
  • Ms. Texas 2011/10/03 16:06:16
    End of World
    Ms. Texas
    I admit I have sunk to a 13-year-old mentality by using emoticons in texting, but they do make texting faster and take up less room. But a newspaper should never use them. We're adults. We can read words and don't need smiley faces to keep our attention. Anything less than correct spelling, proper grammar and all that in a newspaper is unacceptable.
    reply
  • Gimmedap 2011/10/03 16:04:32
    Awesome :)
    Gimmedap
    I am saddened to see this in a world where about 70% of the applicants I interview can not compose a concise and grammatically correct sentence. Between Ebonics and text slang our language, including spelling are suffering.
    reply
  • Ms. Texas Gimmedap 2011/10/03 16:06:56
    Ms. Texas
    Did you mean to choose End of World?
    reply
  • Gimmedap Ms. Texas 2011/10/03 16:13:47
    Gimmedap
    Yes I did! Crap! :(
    reply
  • Ms. Texas Gimmedap 2011/10/03 16:20:19
    Ms. Texas
    :-D
    reply
  • Resp Gimmedap 2011/10/04 10:48:39
    Resp
    Not only that, but the New York Times has become thinner and the price has gone up! WTF?
    reply
  • smitty 2011/10/03 15:24:09
    End of World
    smitty
    People still read the NYT?

    Once The WSJ starts using then we are doomed.
    reply
  • Waiting in the Wings 2011/10/03 14:27:53
    End of World
    Waiting in the Wings
    +1
    Newspapers rank up there with English composition class: proper grammar and syntax only. Smileys are slang. Then again the tv news considers celebrity "news" actual news.
    reply
  • Bronar 2011/10/03 13:38:46
    End of World
    Bronar
    Hardly the end of the world. The paper has been going downhill since the nineties when it decided not to print "all the news that's fit to print:, and became a biased news source. The sales figures show I am not alone in my feelings. Used to be I couldn't wake up without it, now I try to borrow the Sunday magazine from someone so I can do the crossword. It amazes me to see bias in that as well. What a shame.
    reply
  • jmc07806-PWCM-JLA 2011/10/03 11:47:22
    End of World
    jmc07806-PWCM-JLA
    +1
    Then again the NY Times has been out of touch for a long time now and just tries to ride the PC train.
    reply
  • william raggett 2011/10/03 11:45:32
    Awesome :)
    william raggett
    I think it is great.
    reply
  • FJ 2011/10/03 11:40:40
    End of World
    FJ
    Of course its the end of the world. Period XD
    reply
  • lamestrider 2011/10/03 11:17:27
    End of World
    lamestrider
    +1
    facepalm
    reply
  • hippietim lamestr... 2011/10/04 15:31:48
    hippietim
    +1
    LOLOL@ that ^^^

    you must be this high to ride
    reply
  • BlackwinterG36C 2011/10/03 10:45:19
    End of World
    BlackwinterG36C
    +1
    More like act of desperation!
    reply
  • Ruger 2011/10/03 09:58:44
    End of World
    Ruger
    +1
    And soon the only show on TV will be "Ow my Balls". idocracy
    reply
  • DeanoBeany 2011/10/03 09:38:29
  • RhettDempsey-Taylor 2011/10/03 06:24:02
    End of World
    RhettDempsey-Taylor
    It's both sad and disappointing to see a reduction of formalised language in some of our best newspapers, it makes it look so trashy and tacky, dumbed down headlines belong in those teen magazines with headlines such as "the stick-insect diet"
    reply
  • ☆Snapefangirl☆ 2011/10/03 05:50:39
    End of World
    ☆Snapefangirl☆
    Emoticons are cool for informal chats and such, not for newspapers.
    reply
  • smitty ☆Snapef... 2011/10/03 15:26:29
    smitty
    +1
    I am surprised by the amount of business emails that I receive where my clients use emoticons. I have never used one in a business email. I stay away from texts because my fingers are too fat and I look like an idiot trying to text.
    reply
  • ☆Snapef... smitty 2011/10/03 16:46:51
    ☆Snapefangirl☆
    +1
    I use emoticons when chatting to other people or just posting an opinion of Sodahead, but I never use it when doing something like homework or business email.
    reply
  • smitty ☆Snapef... 2011/10/03 17:15:42
    smitty
    +1
    I only use them with my wife and kids. So far only people I text. Oh and my mom. No one else is worthy of texting.
    reply
  • pyromaniaticwhale17 2011/10/03 05:40:26
    End of World
    pyromaniaticwhale17
    The only reason why they would have used that in the headline is because it deals with a website. It was still unappropriated.
    reply
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