Distasteful Headline

Senator Leila de Lima | CMFR file photo.

JEERS TO the Manila Standard for a headline that reeked with sexual innuendo.

On Sept. 21, the Manila Standard ran a banner story on the House of Representatives hearing on the alleged involvement of Senator Leila de Lima with the New Bilibid Prison drug syndicate. The headline read “Witnesses finger Leila.”

While “finger” is technically a synonym for “point,” the use of it in the headline of the news article was inappropriate because it also carries with it a sexual innuendo.  More appropriate — and less distasteful — words such as “implicate,” “incriminate,” “accuse,” or “tag” could have been used.

As a general rule, reporters should “not use obscene, profane or vulgar terms in a story unless they are part of direct quotations and there is a compelling need to use them in completing the story” (“Some Guidelines: Covering Women”).

Several Facebook and Twitter users tagged CMFR regarding the Standard’s headline.