Reading the news: a worksheet

Delhi riots case: Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam challenge Delhi HC's bail refusal in Supreme Court

6 reports from 5 outlets over 11 hours.

• Hindustan Times and Deccan Herald used nearly the same words. Headlines this close usually come from one news agency’s copy.

1. TI Times of India · 5 Nov
   Delhi riots case: Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam challenge Delhi HC's bail refusal in Supreme Court

   Words only this outlet used: refusal.

2. HT Hindustan Times · 23 h · ≈ same wording
   Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam move Supreme Court for bail in 2020 Delhi riots case
3. DH Deccan Herald · 22 h · ≈ same wording
   Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam move Supreme Court for bail in Delhi riots conspiracy case
4. NI The New Indian Express · 21 h
   2020 Delhi riots UAPA case: Sharjeel Imam challenges HC order in SC

   Words only this outlet used: UAPA, order, SC.

5. HT Hindustan Times · 19 h
   Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam move Supreme Court in 2020 riots case
6. IE The Indian Express Cities · 13 h
   2020 Delhi riots ‘larger conspiracy’ case: Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid move Supreme Court seeking bail

   Words only this outlet used: larger, seeking.

Questions

1. Which words do most headlines share? Which words does only one outlet use, and what do they stress?

2. Who reported it first, and how long did the others take? Does “first seen by Huduku” mean they broke the story?

3. How many different owners carried it? Do any outlets share an owner, or nearly the same words?

4. Which outlets you know did not carry it? What might explain that?

5. What is the original source (a judgment, notice, speech or set of figures)? Find it. Does any headline say more than the source does?

6. If you shared one of these headlines, which would it be, and why?

Each headline links to the outlet’s own report. Huduku shows headlines only. https://huduku.org/story/11802