Which Headlines Attract Most Readers?

In one effort to increase readership, The Times is using a tool that allows us to simultaneously present two different headlines for the same article on its home page. Half of readers on the page see one headline; half see the other. The test measures the difference in readers clicking on the article and lets us know if the numbers are statistically significant. If so, the winning headline goes on the home page for all readers.

And so, for a short while on March 15, one reader might have seen this:

$2 Billion Worth of Free Media for Trump

While another saw this:

Measuring Trump’s Media Dominance

Any guesses on which won the test, and by how much?

The top one got nearly three times as many readers, which underlines the crucial role of headlines in the digital age.

..  clear, powerful words and a conversational tone make a big difference.

2016 Lawyers in Trump University case seek maximum political pain

Legal fight is escalating over potential release of real estate mogul’s deposition videos.

However, legal experts say the plaintiffs’ lawyers’ approach in the long-running litigation seems less driven by political loyalties and more by opportunism — a chance to capitalize on Trump’s predicament to try to force him into a financial settlement far more costly than would have been on the table before his improbable political ascent.

.. A dispute erupted over the developer’s refusal to answer some questions based on advice from his lawyer, Daniel Petrocelli.

..

During the deposition, Trump circled around questions posed by Jason Forge, an attorney for the plaintiffs, often answering them with questions of his own or saying he didn’t remember people or incidents because they took place too long ago.

“Just answer the questions and we’ll get through it quickly,” Forge said at one point.

“You’re not going to get anything through quickly,” Trump replied. “You don’t want to get anything through quickly.”

.. Gallo wrote in an order giving the plaintiffs’ lawyers another 3½ hours to question Trump.

.. During the deposition held that day on the 61st floor of the Trump International Hotel — the same floor on which Trump reportedly has a penthouse suite for his own use — the lawyers pushing the Trump University suits zeroed in on Trump’s past statements about Bill and Hillary Clinton and former Republican Govs. Jeb Bush of Florida and George Pataki of New York.

.. “It seems to me the import of the questions is that Trump says things without believing them to be true. That is also and partly the claim of the Trump University plaintiffs,” the NYU law professor said. “So, while the questions may seem more political than legal, there really is a legal angle to the questions.”

.. setting the first trial for about three weeks after the November election in order to try to avoid what Petrocelli has called a publicity “zoo”

.. “Trump made many spontaneous and ad hominem remarks that are not reflected in the paper transcript of his depositions. Last, Trump’s tone, facial expressions, gestures, and body language are also not reflected in the paper transcripts, yet they speak volumes to … Trump’s complete and utter unfamiliarity with the instructors and ‘instruction’ that student-victims received, instead of ‘my hand-picked instructors [teaching] my techniques, which took my entire career to develop,’ which is what Trump promised,” the plaintiffs’ lawyers wrote.

..

Trump has publicly attacked the opposing lawyers on their politics, too — though both Trump and his trial lawyer in the case also have a history of donating to Hillary Clinton.

 

There Is No Trump Campaign

But not only has Trump set his sights on winning his home state, he’s also hired a pollster to assist him. Not just any pollster: He’s reportedly hired John McLaughlin, infamous for working on Eric Cantor’s primary campaign in 2014, when the then-House majority leader lost to upstart Dave Brat. McLaughlin’s internal polling heading into the race showed Cantor leading by 34 points.

.. For most intents and purposes, there appears to be no Trump campaign.

.. Back in April, with Trump’s campaign faltering, he laid off scads of staffers in early states, whereas Clinton has maintained her organization, laying groundwork for the general.

.. There’s a vicious cycle at work here, which is that as donors see the Trump campaign in chaos, they’re unwilling to fork over their hard-earned cash. Why back a candidate who’s rending the Republican Party apart, doesn’t follow conservative orthodoxy, and seems to have no idea what he’s doing with the money?

.. “There’s no reason to raise [$1 billion],” Trump told Bloomberg. “I just don’t think I need nearly as much money as other people need because I get so much publicity. I get so many invitations to be on television. I get so many interviews, if I want them.” In an interview with The New York Times, he cited social media as a replacement: “He noted that he is nearing the ability to reach 20 million people by himself through his personal Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts, providing an alternative way to reach the public, even if it’s largely a one-way conversation.”

.. “There’s no reason to raise [$1 billion],” Trump told Bloomberg. “I just don’t think I need nearly as much money as other people need because I get so much publicity. I get so many invitations to be on television. I get so many interviews, if I want them.” In an interview with The New York Times, he cited social media as a replacement: “He noted that he is nearing the ability to reach 20 million people by himself through his personal Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts, providing an alternative way to reach the public, even if it’s largely a one-way conversation.”