A couple of readers today condemned a headline on the front page of the New Haven Register that read: Komisarjevsky 'a miracle.'
This headline, one reader said, should not even make it to the headline of a tabloid paper.
The headline on the Register story on the website may have made more sense to some: “Komisarjevsky’s father testifies during penalty phase: ‘Josh was always a miracle to us’”
That headline makes it clear that the use of the word “miracle” came directly from Joshua Komsarjevsky’s father, Ben.
But the paper headline also had what we call a “drop head” or headline that is placed below the main headline, which said, “Killer’s father recounts adoption, troubled childhood.”
That drop headline was used to express to the reader that the word “miracle” came from Ben Komisarjevsky, and not from the Register. The placement of the words “a miracle” within quote marks also signals the reader that the words came from someone other than us.
We take all comments about what we share at nhregister.com seriously, as we do complaints, suggestions and praise for our print product. Check back regularly on this blog as we address reader complaints and concerns.