At least three recent, prominent stories wasted valuable space in print.
First, a Star story that the late prominent Uasin Gishu businessman and “chairman” of the Men’s Conference Wilson Kibor’s will was read out.
Second, a People Daily story purporting to inform readers why Narc leader Martha Karua was the best pick for Raila Odinga’s running mate.
And third, another Star story that Deputy President William Ruto is opposed to a lawsuit seeking his removal from office.
Why were these useless stories? Because, for starters, their headings alone immediately told you they had zero news value.
“Kibor’s will publicly read out to family under tight security,” said The Star’s May 6 story by Mathews Ndanyi.
What is the news here? That a piece of paper was read out?
The second story’s heading, “Why Karua is the best pick for Raila’s running mate,” by People Daily on May 13 was circumspect.
Most headlines that begin with “Why” end up hoodwinking readers. This did, too. You’ll see how in a minute.
And the last story’s heading by an unnamed Star reporter on May 11 said, “Ruto opposed to case seeking his removal.”
Opposed, huh? But of course! Who would support a lawsuit, any lawsuit, against them? Had the Star simply tweaked that verb to “opposes ” – emphasis on definitive action (“Ruto opposes case seeking his removal”) – that would have nailed it.
Besides wasted headlines, the content of the first two stories turned out to be a waste of space, too.
The Star’s story about Kibor’s will uselessly started out by actually promising you zero news value.
“The late Mzee Jackson Kiprotich Kibor’s will has been publicly read out to the family in Eldoret under tight police security,” said the intro.
The next sentence told you who read the will: a lawyer. Duh! Then, readers were told that Kibor’s eldest son addressed the media.
Where, oh where, is the news in any of this?
Compare that to People Daily’s angle on the story, May 10: “Kibor’s family buries hatchet as contents of will are revealed.”
Now that is a promising heading. Not the best, but better. What’s important in a will? Its content. Of course, the People Daily’s heading would have done better by summarising the heart of the will – “Kibor’s will shared dash billion shillings property equitably among children.”
Anything would have been better than The Star’s angle, that a will was read.
As for the People Daily’s Karua story by unnamed columnist – the by-line absurdly said, “By Columnist” – the heading overpromised; the content under-delivered.
You knew this instantly from the first sentence off the gate, a bunch of careless words thrown into a winding paragraph.
“Karua was among candidates facing the Azimio-One Kenya running mate selection panel which concluded interviews on Wednesday and their list of the best three proposed candidates will be released any time this week, according to the panel officials. Kenyans are waiting.”
Who would want to read further?
The story about Ruto opposing his removal was told better; it listed Ruto’s reasons for rejecting the suit. It’s the heading that failed readers.
