Sunday, February 15, 2009

MCOM Info: Summary and feature story leads



There's a great difference between a summary and a feature lead. Both are inteded for very different purposes and for very different stories. 

Summary leads do just how they sound - they summarize the story. These leads typically stick to the facts and describe the issue as simply and to the point as possible. These summaries are best for hard news stories or stories that are breaking. It is the quickest way to tell others the necessary information.

Feature leads are completely different. These are intended to be pleasing to read and understand. The are typically used for softer news stories or human interest stories. These leads are when the basis of the story usually comes in the second or even third paragraph. The first is designed to pull the reader in with a catchy tidbit or interesting description. 

Both leads are very effective but are both for very different stories. Below are a couple examples:

Baltimore Sun

Fox News

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