Understanding The Onion's Headline Process

The video tutorial explains the process of creating content for The Onion, focusing on the importance of headlines, the weekly writing process, and the brainstorming sessions that develop jokes. It also highlights how The Onion adapts to breaking news, using a recent example involving Lou Dobbs. The tutorial emphasizes the practice needed to identify headlines with enough substance for full stories and the fun yet challenging nature of the brainstorming process.

What is a key factor in determining if a headline works for The Onion?

• Its context and potential for development

• Its popularity

• Its complexity

• Its length

What happens during the Monday meeting at The Onion?

• The issue is selected

• Headlines are submitted by writers

• Jokes are brainstormed

• Articles are published

What is the focus of the Tuesday meeting at The Onion?

• Training new writers

• Reviewing past issues

• Selecting and developing the best headlines

• Publishing articles

What is a 'misplaced focus joke' according to The Onion?

• A joke that is not funny

• A joke that is too long

• A joke that focuses on a minor detail instead of the main issue

• A joke that targets the wrong audience

What is the most enjoyable part of the week for the speaker?

• The brainstorming session

• The Monday meeting

• Reading feedback

• Publishing the issue

How did The Onion respond to Lou Dobbs leaving CNN?

• By writing a serious article

• By publishing a retraction

• By quickly adapting a joke to the situation

• By ignoring the event

What was significant about The Onion's response to Lou Dobbs' departure?

• It was their most controversial piece

• It was their longest article

• It was their first serious news article

• It was their first attempt at breaking news

How has social media changed The Onion's reach?

• It has not affected them

• It has decreased their audience

• It allows them to reach more people more quickly

• It has made them less popular

What is The Onion's stance on doing breaking news regularly?

• They plan to do it more often

• They only do it for major events

• They are not interested in doing breaking news

• They have stopped doing it altogether

What is the primary purpose of The Onion's use of social media?

• To engage in political debates

• To publish serious news

• To quickly share their comedic content

• To mimic real news organizations