In 1986, a Magazine Asked Readers to Find the Most Boring Headline Ever Printed

In 1986, a magazine asked readers to find the most boring headline ever printed

In 1986, the New Republic held a reader competition to submit the most boring headline ever. The idea for the contest was inspired by a New York Times column from April of that year, headlined, "Worthwhile Canadian Initiative." The New Republic said of the headline, "Each word taken alone is sleep-inducing. — Read the rest

Strike Up the Bland

In 1986, Michael Kinsley, editor of The New Republic, spotted the headline “Worthwhile Canadian Initiative” in the New York Times and challenged his readers to come up with a more boring one. This was a tall order: The Times head, someone said, manages to be “not only boring as a whole, but boring word by word.” Submissions included: “U.S. Leadership Needed” (New York Times) “Trade, A Two-Way Street” (New York Times) “Beyond the News, Larger Iss…