Media Writing

Writing Leads

Writing Leads
Leads are the bait to hook the reader Stimulates the reader to pay attention Readers will decide whether the

message is compelling, entertaining or informative enough to warrant their attention

Guidelines for Writing a Lead

Be Brief
Lead should be direct and to the

point.

No more than 30 words.

Dont try to put everything into the

lead.

Use Short Sentences

More readable. Eliminate unnecessary words. Avoid redundancies. Not rambling, confusing No one wants to work too hard at

understanding most communication.

Example
Columbia Gas Transmission Corp. has

started discussions with its subsidiaries and major customers that could result in increasing the supply of natural gas to its Kentucky subsidiaryand thus to industrial users in the central and northeastern parts of the state who now face a total cutoff of supplies this winter.

Example
Columbia Gas Transportation Corp.

has started a search for ways to save industrial users in central and northeastern Kentucky from a threatened total cutoff of gas this winter.

Avoid Jargon
Specialized language that all groups

develop.

Use words in the average persons

general vocabulary

Use Third Person

Incorrect: Larry Norman, vice president for

enrollment services, said enrollment at our school has increased in 2005.

Correct:

Larry Brown, vice president for

enrollment services, said enrollment at Rochester College has increased in 2005.

Write in the Active Voice

Use Active Verbs. Subject acts upon an object. More vigorous and direct Not necessarily present tense. News

stories generally describe events that already have occurred.

Example
Passive: A downtown jewelry store

was robbed on Saturday of $50,000 to $100,000 by a well-dressed gunman, police said.

Active: A well-dressed gunman stole

$50,000 to $100,000 from a downtown jewelry story on Saturday, police said.

Use Said
When attributing a statement to a

person, use the word said

Neutral word
Use repeatedly

Avoid Buried Leads

This happens when you dont

recognize the news values of a story. news.

Dont make reader have to hunt for

Example
Police chief John Jones discussed the

citys crime problem with interested townspeople at a meeting Monday night.

Jones agreed to meet with residents who

have grown increasingly concerned about the safety of their neighborhoods. reported here in the last 12 months than during any year in the citys history.

The chief said more serious crimes were

Dont begin lead with a date

usually the least important of the

information

slows down the reader

Example
Incorrect: On Jan. 15, XYZ Company

will officially open its new corporate headquarters in Rochester.

Correct: XYZ Company will officially

open its new corporate headquarters in Rochester on Jan. 15.

Dont begin a lead sentence with a persons name making an announcement.

The announcement is almost always

more important than the person making it. at the end.

Put the information first, with the name

Example
Incorrect: Palace President Tom

Wilson announced that parking will be free at all Palace events for the remainder of January.

Correct: Parking at all events held at

the Palace of Auburn Hills will be free for the rest of January, said President Tom Wilson.

Summary Leads
tells or summarizes the facts of the story; the

most important information

inverted pyramid style

used most often with stories written in contain the most important fact or facts create interest and indicate importance of

story

give information quickly

helpful to audience who skims

Practice Leads

Facts
Fire destroys home of Mr. and Mrs. C.J. James, 222 Birch

Drive, east-side of city

Couple at movie last night Dog, Rover, left in basement, apparently perished in fire Frame building enveloped in flames when firemen arrived Faulty electrical wiring believed cause $75,000 estimated damage

Source: Fire Chief H.X. Phillips

Possible Leads
A fire ravaged an east-side home Monday,

causing an estimated $75,000 in damage.

A fire believed to have been started by faulty

electrical wiring destroyed an east-side home Monday.

Facts
Private plane crashes in Rochester In blinding rainstorm Friday night Two passengers, A.D. Brown and Walter Smith, both of Flint

were found dead

Claude Stokes, resident, heard plane flying low and crashing Called county sheriff Bodies removed this morning Crash about 5 miles north of Rochester, near Romeo Road

Possible Leads
Two Flint men were killed in the crash of a

private plane during a blinding rainstorm near Rochester Friday night. night in the midst of a blinding rainstorm, killing two Flint men.

A private plane crashed near Rochester last

Facts for Lead

Utica Boosters Club gave annual awards at

banquet Friday night

Jose Flores, president of club, presided Charles Becker, former mayor, named Man of the

Year

For work with the clubs youth program Sam Smith, owner of Smiths Grocery at 1100 S.

Main, received Best Booster award for attending all meetings of the year

Possible Leads
The Utica Boosters Club named former

mayor Charles Becker its Man of the Year at its annual awards dinner on Friday. Mayor Charles Becker as its Man of the Year for his work with the clubs youth during its awards dinner on Friday.

The Utica Boosters Club honored former

Facts for Lead

Happened today at noon Scott Hymes, an Air Force major, was killed At Pebble Creek Shopping Mall, a new shopping mall on

the east side of town

Jet aircraft piloted by Hymes crashed No one on the ground was injured or killed 15 cars were destroyed in malls parking lot when the

aircraft crashed into them

Hymes had no known local connections. He was killed. He was stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base.

Possible Leads
An Air Force major was killed Wednesday when

the plane he was piloting crashed into the parking lot of the Pebble Creek Shopping Mall on the citys east side.