What is the purpose of a headline in journalism?

The purpose of a headline in journalism is to inform readers of the most important news. Headlines serve as a concise summary that highlights the main point or essential detail of the article, allowing readers to quickly understand what the story is about. A well-crafted headline attracts attention while conveying the urgency or significance of the news, prompting readers to delve deeper into the article.

In contrast, while summaries may provide more detail, they serve a different role than headlines, which are meant to be brief and impactful. Commentary is more opinion-based and does not align with the primary function of a headline, which focuses on conveying facts. Additionally, although humor can be a part of certain articles or sections, the main goal of a headline is to succinctly present critical information rather than to entertain.