London Lite, Apple, iTunes and headline-writing

The London Lite made an interesting headline choice today. Here's the headline in question and part of the story:

Apple slices 20p off iTunes songs

Apple is introducing a new pricing structure to iTunes, meaning the cost of some tracks will fall by 20p to 59p. From April, a three-tiered system will see songs priced at 59p, 79p and 99p. Currently, all tracks cost 79p.


The London Lite could easily have gone with a negative rather than positive headline - after all, some songs are increasing in price by 20p. It would have been just as accurate, and we all know that bad news sells.

So why didn't it? Perhaps because the headline writer liked the play on words of 'Apple slices', or perhaps because the original press release was also positive (as press releases invariably are). Perhaps, for some reason, the London Lite didn't want to upset Apple. Who knows?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I haven't seen the original story but it seems accurate to me.

At present, iTunes offers regular tracks at 79p, and "iTunes Plus" tracks (higher quality with no DRM) at 99p.

I believe their intention is to reduce some of the existing 79p tracks to 59p, while retaining the 99p premium bracket as well. So in effect they are doing exactly what the headline says.

I suspect the issue with the story is, as you say, the fact that the London Lite tends to regurgitate press releases without too much though; and in this case it meant that the headline was correct but the story didn't give sufficient detail for that to be clear.

JD (The Engine Room) said...

That's interesting; when I see a headline that disagrees with the body of the story I tend to assume it is the headline that is wrong rather than the body.

After all, the body copy is usually based on some sort of research (a press release at the least), whereas the headline is usually based on the body.

Perhaps in this instance the body copy was badly cut?

Apus said...

If the London Lite sub was in a negative mood he or she might have opted for "Apple cox it up" (sorry, could resist it)

JD (The Engine Room) said...

Core blimey – you've pipped me to it!

Apus said...

Wordsmiths swapping naff fruit jokes... what a pear.