What is a Lead?
A lead is the introductory paragraph of a news story that sets the stage for the rest of the article. It is the most crucial part of any news report because it determines whether the reader will continue reading or lose interest. A well-crafted lead provides a clear, concise, and engaging summary of the story while maintaining journalistic accuracy.
Since many readers skim through news articles, the lead serves as a condensed version of the news, giving them the essential details upfront. It typically answers the five Ws (What, Who, When, Where, Why) and one H (How)—a framework that ensures all critical aspects of the news are covered in a single paragraph.
Characteristics of a Good Lead
1. Accuracy and Brevity:
A lead should be factually correct and to the point. It usually consists of about 30 words, effectively summarizing the main event without unnecessary details.
2. Engagement and Clarity:
The lead should capture the reader’s attention instantly by presenting information in a compelling and clear manner. A strong lead hooks the audience and encourages them to continue reading.
3. Tone and Mood Reflection:
The tone of the lead should match the nature of the story. For example, a crime report may have a serious and direct lead, while a feature story might have a more narrative and descriptive lead.
4. Vivid Imagery and Precision:
A well-written lead paints a picture of the event in just a few words. It avoids ambiguity and unnecessary complexity, ensuring the reader grasps the essence of the story immediately.
Importance of a News Lead
1. Introduces the Story:
- The lead acts as a gatewayto the article, providing the most relevant information upfront.
- It gives the reader an overview of the event, helping them decide if they want to read further.
2. Grabs Attention:
- A compelling lead instantly hooks the audience and makes them interested in the rest of the story.
- In a world of short attention spans, an engaging lead ensures that the news doesn’t go unnoticed.
3. Summarizes the Story:
- The lead condenses the story into a single paragraph, covering the core aspects of the event.
- By answering 5Ws and 1H, it provides readers with an immediate understanding of what happened.
4. Sets the Tone:
- The tone of the lead dictates how the rest of the article will be perceived.
- A formal, serious tone is used for hard news, while a lighter, narrative approach might be used for human interest stories.
5. Informs Quickly:
- In today’s fast-paced world, most readers don’t have time to read entire articles.
- The lead allows them to grasp the most critical information at a glance.
6. Reflects Journalistic Judgment:
- A poorly written lead may make the journalist appear unprofessional and affect the credibility of the publication.
- The ability to craft a strong lead showcases a journalist’s skill in identifying and prioritizing key facts.
Examples of News Leads
Example 1 (Crime Report - Hard News Lead)
"Seventeen Maoists, including 11 women, were killed in an anti-Naxal operation conducted by security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on Saturday, according to the police. Four security personnel were injured.”
(The Hindu, 30/03/25)
Breaking Down the 5Ws and 1H in this Lead:
- What: Death of 17 Maoists
- Who: Security forces
- When: On Saturday
- Where: Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district
- How: An anti-Naxal operation
This lead is short, factual, and direct, making it an ideal hard news lead. It quickly informs the reader of the most crucial facts while keeping the story engaging.
Example 2 (Legal Report - Hard News Lead)
"The chargesheet in the suicide abetment case of former Additional District Magistrate, Kannur, K. Naveen Babu, was filed at the Kannur Judicial First Class Magistrate Court on Saturday evening. Babu was found dead in his government quarters here on October 15 last year."
(The Hindu, 30/03/25)
Breaking Down the 5Ws and 1H in this Lead:
What: Chargesheet in the suicide abetment case
Who: Former Additional District Magistrate, Kannur, K. Naveen Babu
Where: Kannur Judicial First Class Magistrate Court
When: On Saturday evening
Why: Babu was found dead in his government quarters on October 15 last year
This lead provides essential legal information concisely and effectively, ensuring the reader understands the core issue in the case.
Different types of lead:
1.Direct Address Lead: The Direct Address lead is aimed directly at the readers and makes them relate to the facts in the story. It usually employs the pronouns “you” and “your”.
Example: “You might not get relief from the harsh winds as the weather is going to be the same for the next 10 days or more.”
2.The Circumstantial Lead: This type of lead stresses on the circumstances under which the story occurred. It usually is used in human interest stories.
Example: A 60–year old retired bank employee raised the alarms when two unidentified persons entered his house with the intention to steal his most valuable and prized positions.
3.The Statement or Quotation Lead: Statement or quotation lead clutches the attention by stating the words said by a person, usually presented in quotation marks. It helps in understanding what exactly the speaker wanted to convey.
Example: “I’d like to jail parents themselves who are so lax their kids are boosting the crime rate!” This statement came from Juvenile Court Judge Warren Jones, in releasing a report on the rapid rise in juvenile crime rate in this city.
4.The Descriptive Lead: Descriptive lead focuses on describing a person, place, or event in vivid detail. They aim on tapping into the five senses of the readers, in order to paint a life -like picture. Descriptive lead is used in both traditional and feature news stories.
Example: Thousands dressed in scarlet and grey T–shirts eagerly shuffled into the football stadium as the university fight song blared.
5.The Summary Lead: Summary lead aims at providing the readers with the major facts about the article in a compacted form. This usually includes what? why? where? when? who? and how of a story. This helps in saving time and efforts of the reader.
Example: Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan told Congress yesterday that U.S. economic growth appeared to be slowing, heading off for the moment any need to raise interest rates. Wall Street responded with a cheer, sending stocks and bonds soaring.
6.Contrast Lead: The contrast lead grabs the attention of the audience by presenting extreme ends relating to a situation – tragedy with comedy, past with present, age with youth, beauty with ugly.
Example: Less than 3 years ago, two college friends decided to build a website to exchange their favourite videos. Today Your Tube is owned by Google and gets over 25 million unique visitors to the site each month.
7.Anecdotal Lead: The anecdotal lead uses a short but fitting story to excite the audience. The anecdote presented must help in enhancing the understanding of the article, and it must explain the relevance and connection to that point in the first few sentences.
Example: Sharon Jackson was sitting at the table reading an old magazine when the phone rang. It was a reporter asking to set up an interview to discuss a social media controversy involving Jackson and another young woman. “Sorry,” she said. “I’ve already spoken to several reporters about the incident and do not wish to make any further comments.”
8.Question lead: Question lead seizes the attention by asking the readers opposite query, which ignites curiosity in them, they feel obligated to find answers in the forthcoming text. The question asked in a rhetorical way which cannot be answered by a “yes” or “no”.
Example: “What’s increasing faster than the price of gasoline? Apparently, the cost of court lobbyists.”
9.Parody Lead: A parody lead is a fun, satirical, or humorous take on a news story. It often mimics a famous saying, song, movie line, or cultural reference but with a twist that fits the news. It’s mostly used in feature stories, opinion pieces, or light hearted journalism.
Example: "To be or not to be?" That’s not the question for politicians this election season—it’s whether to switch parties or stay loyal. It plays on Shakespeare’s famous line from Hamlet but twists it to fit politics.
10. Punch lead: The punch lead is a short, sharp, and impactful opening that grabs attention instantly. It often consists of a single sentence or a few words that create a dramatic or shocking effect. Used mainly in crime reports, sports, and hard news, it gets straight to the point with powerful words.
Example: Bang! Three shots. One dead. A city in fear. Short, direct, and dramatic—immediately creates impact.
Single and Multiple Incident lead:
•Single Incident lead - A single-incident lead focuses sharply on one pivotal moment within a story, crafting an emotionally compelling and engaging introduction that draws readers in. By zeroing in on a singular event, it creates a strong psychological appeal, encouraging readers to continue. Rather than presenting a broad or multifaceted perspective, it aims for immediacy and impact, delivering the essence of the news in a concise and powerful manner. This type of lead is uncluttered, streamlined, and built around the most critical aspect of the report, ensuring maximum clarity and engagement.
Example - A loud explosion shattered the midnight silence. As Ramesh Gupta opened his door, he saw his entire veranda had collapsed. “If I had stepped out a minute earlier, I might not be alive,” he said, still shivering with fear. This lead focuses on one person and one specific incident, making it dramatic and engaging for the reader.
•Multiple incident lead - Multiple incident lead paints a wider picture of the story. Multiple developments taking place in a story are tried to incorporate in this lead.It is like providing a short and crisp summary of the story in the lead itself. It is convenient for readers to know important facts of the story.
Example - A powerful storm wreaked havoc across the city last night. In one neighbourhood, Ramesh Gupta’s veranda collapsed, narrowly missing him. In another part of town, a tree crashed onto a parked car, injuring two people. Meanwhile, power outages left thousands in darkness as emergency crews struggled to respond .This lead combines multiple incidents related to the same event (the storm), giving a broader picture of the situation by providing further information about impact on the city and injuries.
Why do we need variety of Leads
1. Capturing Audience Attention: Different leads cater to different types of readers. A dramatic or emotional lead grabs attention for human-interest stories, while a fact-based lead might work better for hard news. Variety ensures that stories resonate with a broader audience.
2. Adapting to Story Types:
○ Straight News: A summary lead provides the "who, what, when, where, why, and how" upfront, perfect for urgent or breaking news.
○ Feature Stories: Narrative or descriptive leads help set a scene, draw readers into a compelling story, or evoke emotions.
○ Analysis Pieces: Leads that present a question or statistic can intrigue readers and set the stage for in-depth discussion.
3. Maintaining Reader Interest: Using similar leads across stories can make content feel monotonous. Varied leads keep readers engaged and ensure that each story feels fresh and unique.
4. Highlighting Key Angles: A story often has multiple dimensions. Crafting leads in different styles allows journalists to emphasize different aspects—whether it's the human impact, statistical significance, or a controversial element.
5. Tailoring for Platforms: A headline-style lead works well for social media, whereas a more detailed lead suits traditional print or long-form digital articles. Variety enables adaptation across platforms and audiences.
6. Boosting Creativity: Crafting diverse leads encourages journalists to think creatively about how they approach storytelling, making their reporting more impactful.
Ultimately, variety in leads is a powerful tool for storytelling and it also ensures that stories are not only informative but also engaging and memorable.
How to write a lead:
1.Identify the 5Ws and 1H - Before writing a lead, you should be clear about the who, what, where, when, why, and how of the story, as these questions form the basis of the lead. You should highlight these points in your lead. Research and verification are equally important for writing a lead.
2.Keep it simple - It means the language, words, and sentence structure should be easy to understand for readers. Apart from this, important facts must be clearly mentioned. A lead should be simple because readers want to grasp the story in less time.
3. Be specific and clear - Though most leads require you to summarize content, you must be as precise as possible. If your lead is too long, it will not be useful or engaging.
4. Concision - Readers would like to discover why the narrative is important to them, and they won't wait long to find out. Leads are usually one or two sentences long. They are typically between 25 and 30 words in length and should never exceed 40.
5. Use active voice - Powerful verbs will make your lead more vibrant and engaging. Passive sentences, on the other hand, might seem boring and leave out vital information, such as who or what prompted the action.
6. Don't bury your lead: Your lead is your hook (the thing that makes the reader interested in your story). If you bury it, then their interest might be buried along with it! They shouldn't have to ask themselves what the story is about, you should be telling them upfront.
7. The ABC of journalism - The ABC of journalism are Accuracy, Brevity and Clarity. Though it should be incorporated in the entire story, they are especially important in the lead.
Conclusion:
It emphasizes the importance of crafting clear, concise, and engaging leads to capture the audience’s attention. A strong lead sets the tone for a news story, providing essential information while encouraging readers to continue. Whether using a summary lead, anecdotal lead, or question lead, journalists must ensure accuracy, relevance, and impact. In today’s fast-paced media landscape, where readers have shorter attention spans, mastering the art of writing compelling leads is crucial. A well-structured lead not only informs but also enhances the credibility and readability of a news article. Ultimately, effective lead writing is a fundamental skill that shapes journalistic storytelling, making news accessible and engaging for all.
Prepared by Rinki and Shivani
Corrections made by Nimi , Falak and Kopal
(Batch 2026)
References:
https://vartikananda.com/studentcontribution/rep-lead-importance-and-types-of-lead/
https://nmu.edu/writingcenter/writing-leads
https://journalistsresource.org/home/lead-basics/
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Cts5xc89pOKVFeBWJy_BWG3WDdPXlTgNaApO43tcccg/edit?usp=drivesdk
https://www.easymedia.in/kinds-leads-iii-simple-multiple-point-quotation/
https://www.nimcj.org/blog-detail/understanding-lead-and-its-types-in-journalism.html
