Use commas to replace the word and. Also,
where natural, use commas to make pauses or
breaks in headline construction.
Use semicolons to divide thoughts, where
needed especially three-line heads.
Use periods only after abbreviations.
In a caps and lowercase head, start each line and
l
All punctuation characters each receive one-half
(0.5) count.
EXCEPTIONS: Each hyphen (-) receives one
(1) count; each dollar sign ($) or question mark
(?) receives one and one-half (1.5) counts; each
dash (—) receives two (2) counts.
In counting the units in a headline, you place one
every important word with capital letters.
Articles (which are rarely used) and prepositions
(which do not lead off a line) are not capitalized
tick mark over each character or space that has a count
of one; place two tick marks over each character that has
a count of two; and place one tick mark beneath each
character that has a count of one-half.
in a caps and lowercase head.
HEADLINE FITTING METHOD
LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Summarize the
method used to fit headlines properly.
To make sure a headline fits in its allotted space, you
can use a form of measurement called a “unit count.”
This system assigns each letter, number, punctuation
mark and space character a specified number value. The
area on a newspaper page is limited, so it is important
that you use the unit count system properly.
“Flit-j” UNIT COUNT SYSTEM
Headline counting systems vary from newspaper to
newspaper. However, in this section, we use the standard
system in the newspaper industry today — the “flit-j”
unit count system. The letters that compose the name of
this system act as a crutch to remind you what groups
of letters receive unique values when counting the
headline.
The “flit-j” unit count system is determined by the
following rules:
l
l
All lowercase letters and spaces between words
or characters each receive one (1) count.
EXCEPTIONS: f, l, i, t and j each receive
one-half (0.5) count; m and w each receive one
and one-half (1.5) counts.
All uppercase letters and all numeric characters
each receive one and one-half (1.5) counts.
EXCEPTIONS: M and W each receive two (2)
counts; I and the numeral 1 each receive one (1)
count.
For example, say you want to count the units in the
following headline:
Congress approves billion year-end budget
First, either write or type the headline on a sheet of
paper. Then place the tick marks in pencil, as shown in
the following example:
Congress approves billion year-end budget
After placing the tick marks, total the whole number
count values and then add any one-half count values.
Note the following example:
Congress approves billion year-end budget
In this example, the headline count is 43. If the count
does not fall within the range of allowed minimum and
maximum values for the headline width on the headline
schedule, try to change the verb to make it fit. If the
headline still does not fit, work with other words in the
headline. If you cannot make it fit by changing the other
words, begin again with a new headline.
HEADLINE SCHEDULES
Maximum unit count limits are predetermined for
various newspaper column widths for each headline size
of a particular typeface or font. These count limits are
provided in charts or lists called headline schedules. A
sample headline schedule is shown in figure 9-13.
9-10
