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Leads. Starting off right. General Rules. A Lead is the first paragraph of your news story. Leads should be no more than 30 words. It performs one of two jobs: It can entertain It can inform. Just my Type. There are five types of leads. Summary Source Colorful Scene Setting Punch
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Leads Starting off right
General Rules • A Lead is the first paragraph of your news story. • Leads should be no more than 30 words. • It performs one of two jobs: • It can entertain • It can inform
Just my Type • There are five types of leads. • Summary • Source • Colorful • Scene Setting • Punch We will go over each type.
Just Pretend • To serve our purposes, let’s pretend that a man named Jeff Goly just tried to rob a bank in Dyer yesterday at 3 p.m. He held the teller (Kelly Johnsen) at gunpoint until a little old lady (age 87) named Fannie White in the next line noticed. Fannie pulled a small gun out of her bag and shot the robber in the knee. When police chief Gary Glen arrived on the scene, Jeff was still on the ground grabbing his knee. No money was taken.
Most basic lead Covers the important Who What When Where Why and How of the story. Strictly follows the Inverted Pyramid. Fannie White, 87, stopped a bank robbery yesterday afternoon in Dyer. Summary Lead
Uses same basic principles as Summary Lead Adds a source to the lead to enhance credibility. Fannie White, 87, stopped a bank robbery yesterday afternoon in Dyer, according to police chief Gary Glen. Source Lead
Colorful leads use bright writing to add interest. Writer must be careful not to go over 30 words. A normally frail and usually gentle old woman foiled a bank robber yesterday afternoon in Dyer. Colorful Lead
Gives the background information from the event. Requires intense note taking from the reporter. Lets the reader “see” what’s happening. Reporters must again be careful of the 30 word limit. With her stiff, wrinkled hands wrapped around the cool revolver, Fannie White, 87, stared down the man in the black mask. Scene Setting Lead
Leads that are intentionally vague. These are cliffhanger leads. The are high in interest and trust that the reader will keep reading. The frail woman grabbed her gun. She would not let this happen. Punch Lead