Reading the news: a worksheet

Class 12 student found dead in a burnt condition inside East Delhi school

4 reports from 4 outlets over 3 hours.

• Deccan Herald and The New Indian Express used nearly the same words. Headlines this close usually come from one news agency’s copy.

1. IE The Indian Express Cities · 24 Oct · changed
   Class 12 student found dead in a burnt condition inside East Delhi school

   Words only this outlet used: condition inside.

   Earlier headline Class 12 student found dead with burn injuries at Delhi government school · change seen 24 Oct, 6:35 pm?

   Earlier headline Class 12 student dies by suicide at Delhi government school · change seen 24 Oct, 8:35 pm?

2. HT Hindustan Times · 24 Oct
   Class 12 student found dead with burn injuries at east Delhi school, police suspect suicide

   Words only this outlet used: injuries, police suspect suicide.

3. DH Deccan Herald · 24 Oct · ≈ same wording
   Class 12 student found burnt to death on school premises in east Delhi
4. NI The New Indian Express · 24 Oct · ≈ same wording
   Class 12 student found burnt to death on school premises in East Delhi

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/7378