Reading the news: a worksheet

Mphasis extends Social Security Scotland deal in £35.4 million contract

3 reports from 3 outlets over 3 hours. Those outlets have 2 owners.

• The Hindu and The Hindu BusinessLine have the same owner: The Hindu Group.

1. TH The Hindu Business · 9 h
   Mphasis extends Social Security Scotland deal in £35.4 million contract
2. DH Deccan Herald · 6 h
   Mphasis signs £35.4 million deal with Social Security Scotland

   Words only this outlet used: signs.

3. HB The Hindu BusinessLine · 5 h
   Mphasis extends £35.4 m contract with Social Security Scotland

   Words only this outlet used: m.

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/2616