'McCain's Crusade Against Pork'

Read that headline twice. After, that, read the full story here. I'm not taking responsibility for it. I'm just the messenger boy.

But it's my job to keep an eye on Time magazine and the Columbia Journalism Review between now and the November election. I was cruising around on Time's Web site to try to find something ridiculous, and moments later, I found this ridiculous headline.

Election news should sell itself. Journalists should be able to dig up substantial dirt in the story so that editors can sum that up in a headline that readers want to read. I'm sick of this sensationalism. Readers want to read the real issues. They don't need to be tricked by something silly in a headline to try to get them to read a story.

Editors need to stop being lazy and use "shock journalism" to hook people in. Do real journalism. It's your job.