Reading the news: a worksheet

Pakistan says willing to issue visa to Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann for visit

4 reports from 4 outlets over 17 hours.

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

1. HT Hindustan Times · 20 h · ≈ same wording
   Pakistan says willing to issue visa to Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann for visit
2. IT India Today · 17 h · changed
   Bhagwant Mann gets Lahore event invite. Here's what Pakistan said on visa

   Words only this outlet used: gets, event invite.

   Earlier headline Pakistan says willing to grant visa to Bhagwant Mann if he wishes to visit · change seen 7 Nov, 9:35 am?

3. TH The Hindu News · 16 h · ≈ same wording
   Pakistan says willing to issue visa to Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann for visit
4. TI Times of India · 3 h
   'If he wishes to come’: Pakistan open to considering visa for Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann’s Lahore visit

   Words only this outlet used: wishes, come, open, considering.

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/12247