BBC Bites Back

From: Rob
Email address: [hidden]
Url: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/3682114.stm
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COMMENTS:
The URL referred to here is just one example of many. Headline: "Singh Eyes Earnings Record." Yesterday it was "Khan Eyes Professional Bid." A day or so before that, "McLaren Eye Shanghai Test." And on and on. What's all this about eyes? Is it a verb? No. Is it a cliché? Yup. Do you use it too much? Oh, yes. Search for the word "eyes" on your site and you'll find 143 pages of hits - an awful lot of them sporting headlines. Gemmil Eyes New Deal. Tinnion Eyes Henderson. Glamorgan Eye Victory. Is this some kind of running joke? Or could you perhaps use some other senses? Keene Nuts Passer-by. Clough Noses Heaven. Fate Fingers Ferdinand. Ericsson Ears Voices....*

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Hi,
Thanks for your email - your examples of alternative headlines certainly tickled us in the BBC Sport office!

The reason we sometimes use words like "eyes" in headlines is due to the need for brevity. As well as appearing on the website, these headlines are also used on other platforms, like mobile phones and Ceefax. Some of these other platforms have limited space for headlines and there is a strict limit on the number of characters they can contain - which is why we sometimes have to find short words to do the job of longer ones. So rather than being cliches, we prefer to think of words like this as clear, concise abbreviations.

But you make a very pertinent point and it is one we will take on board. We are always looking to improve the quality of our service.

Regards,
Ben

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*Big thanks to Roy for the use of alternative senses and the joke about earing voices. We love you Roy.