You're Asking Me?

There is a certain type of newspaper headline that is always posing a question. They're easy to spot because they always end with a question mark. If it's a Spanish newspaper, these headlines will always start with an upside down question mark. Get ready. Keep going and somebody's going to ask you something.

The question-ending heading is called a Betteridge, a nod to Ian Betteridge, a British technology journalist who in 2009 said that any headline that ended in a question should be answered with the reply, "no."

Editors use it as a cheeky nod to use the headline as "clickbait." Draw the reader into the article in search of the answer. Since clicks can translate to advertising revenue, there is an ulterior motive to its use. It's not really used to lead you to the following narrative that will answer the question. At the end of the article you will likely not be left with a definitive answer to the question. There is no answer. Only an opinion. But if reading online, you will have advanced the "click" count by one. And you won't be the only one to do so.

I don't have a background in journalism other than reading newspapers most of my 70+ years. I got credit for working on the high school newspaper, The Spectator at Stuyvesant by virtue of a Greek friend in the office of the paper who recorded me as being present and doing work for service credits, when in fact I just scooted out of school and headed to the family flower shop after the final bell.

I try and read three newspapers a day: The New York Post, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. I don't read every word, but I do read every headline and sub-headline, and I will admit I do sometimes read on to see if there's an answer to the posed question. But for the most part, I mentally answer the posed question myself: "You're asking me? If you don't know, I certainly don't know." Next.

Here is a sampling of Betteridge headlines gleaned from some recent editions of the NYT and the WSJ. You may have read the following articles. I didn't.

If Trump Defies the Courts, Then What? This is the hypothetical headline. It's great for making stuff up. About anything.

Stock Always Rise in the Long Run, Right? Well, Not Necessarily. This is the headline that might lead to an answer. But don't count on it.

How's Trump Doing? There is an out quote that gives us an answer. Maybe. He's transactional and trolling but so far aspires to be transformational. If you say so.

How Soon Could Ukraine's Forces 'Start to Buckle' Without U.S. Weapons? Make what you will from the graphs that follow.   

Jobs Report Looks Fine, But Is Pain On the Way? That's easy. Pain is always on the way. Especially when taxes are due.

Voters Like Tariffs. Why Don't the Democrats? The assumption is all Democrats don't like tariffs. You're just going to have to ask them why. 

OK, hit me: What's the top style rule for men? I have a feeling you're going to try and tell me. But I'm not interested. 

Is an Appliance That Last Decades Really More Economical? The answer must be, "no" or they wouldn't ask.

Is NYC Really Ready for Cuomo? I have a question of my own. If they're not, who is?

Read enough newspapers and you'll always come away with more questions than answers.

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