Good news

Journalists have always known it, but a global study on news consumption last year confirmed the belief that negative news headlines work (30 per cent!) better at getting readers' attention than positive ones. Well, at least one media group in India has made up its mind to go against conventional wisdom. It has decided that on Mondays, it will not offer any negative news. In a letter signed by the managing director of the group it has promised that given the "general wave of optimism sweeping the country", every Monday, its flagship newspaper will carry "only positive news generating hope, inspiration, delight and sense of pride". All negative news of the day that could be important for the reader would be segregated and boxed under a clear header of "Negative News". "The readers will therefore have a choice of whether to read the negative news or to avoid it altogether", the letter said.