100% chance this was an editor decision. Their mission is not only to edit what the journalist wrote, but to also sell it, make it engaging, bring in eyes for ads or subscription. I’ve never met a journalist who had the title of their article intact as written. That is almost always rewritten entirely by an editor or a team of editors.
I think a lot of them do it on purpose because they know it will drive up engagement with people posting about the shitty titles.
100% chance this was an editor decision. Their mission is not only to edit what the journalist wrote, but to also sell it, make it engaging, bring in eyes for ads or subscription. I’ve never met a journalist who had the title of their article intact as written. That is almost always rewritten entirely by an editor or a team of editors.