NEWS LEAD

STYLES
L E A D
• Introduction of the news story.
• To tell the news story in a nutshell.
• It gives the answer to the questions that the author has
in mind, as to what the news story about, when and
where did it happen, who and why were they involved.

• In some instances, the lead or the news story may be

presented either in a single word, in a phrase, in a clear
clause, in a complete sentence or in a paragraph,
depending on what kind of lead as to form may be
used.
KINDS OF LEAD
CONVENTIONAL
OR SUMMARY
LEAD
This is used in straight news, it
answers right away all or any of
the five W’s and H questions.
 TYPES OF CONVENTIONAL
LEAD
• What Lead
This is used when the
event or occasion is given
more prominence than
the character who is
involved.
Example:
The Licensure Examination for
Teachers (LET) will be given on
September 26, 2010, at
examination centers either
announced by the Professional
Regulation Commission (PRC).
Example:
President Benigno C. Aquino
will be the guest speaker at
the Philippine Military
Academy (PMA) graduation
in April 2011, Baguio City.
• Who Lead
This is used when person or
character involved should
be given more
prominence over that of
the occasion.
• Where Lead
This is when the place where
the event shall be held should
be given special importance
for reason that no prominent
person is involved.
Example:
Baguio City, the summer
capital of the Philippines, will
be the site of the
forthcoming Miss
International Beauty Contest.
• When Lead Example:
February 16, 2011, is the
This is used when the date deadline for filing the LET
accounts for special application for the next
importance , as in setting teacher’s board
deadlines. examination scheduled in
April, 2011.
Example:
• Why Lead
On account of the deadening
effect of typhoon Ondoy, around
This is used when the five hundred students from the
reason for conducting an secondary level in the affected
activity is given more areas dropped out from school
prominence than any last year. This was disclosed by
the DepEd Director of the
aspect.
National Capital Region.
• How Lead

This is used when the method of

achieving the story is given special
lesson.
All the important facts of
the news story as called
Example: for by the 5 W’s & H
By conducting a series of donation should be made part of
draw, in coordination with the Local the lead in the order of
their importance.
DSWD, the Cabanatuan Council No.
3692 of the Knights of Columbus was
able to construct a two-storey
concrete building where the parish
hall and the Council hall are housed
at the first floor and second floor
respectively.
The Rationale of the Inverted Pyramid
form of New writing
(Alito Malinao, 2006)

1. It lessens time and effort in reading

news items for, the important facts of
new are all in the lead.

2. It provides the editor a leeway to cut

or shorten the story for insufficiency of
space, without rewriting the news
item.

3. It facilitates headline writing. After

reading the lead of the news story, the
editor could not right away discern
the proper headline.
 G R A M M AT I C A L
BEGINNING LEAD

This form of lead is introduced

by phrases or clauses. The facts
called for by the W’s and H are
not found in the introductory
phrases. The W’s and H are
answered in the main or
principal clause.
 T Y P ES O F G R A M M AT I C A L
LEAD
• Infinitive Phrase Lead
The lead is introduced by
an infinitive phrase with
infinitive sign to plus the
main verb.
Example:
To encourage the participants
in the cheerleading
competition, the coach pledge
that if the team wins, a 5-day
free trip to Hong Kong shall be
awarded.
Example:
Hoping to bring home the
beacon from the interschool
basketball tournament, the
MVGFC basketball team trained
rigorously for one month under
the tutelage of a former PBA
coach.
• Participial Phrase Lead
This lead is introduced by
the present or past
participle of the verb.
• Gerundial Phrase Lead
This lead is introduced by a
gerund. A gerund is a verbal
noun ending ing.
Example:
Winning the first place in the
oratorical contest during my
college days was one of my
valuable achievements.
• Prepositional Phrase Lead

This lead is introduced by a

preposition.

Example:

With brooms and rakes, the NSTP

students from MVGFC cleaned the
city hospital premises pursuant to
the CLEAN and GREEN DRIVE of
the City Mayor.
N O V E LT Y L E A D
This are commonly used in
writing news feature. They are
use primarily to attract the
readers’ attention and sustain
their interest to continue
reading.
Types of Novelty
Lead
Cartridge Lead – This lead is concise,
definite and solid as a cartridge. It
speaks of the gist of the event with
the use of precise and brief
expressions without much
elaboration.
Example:
Mrs. Imelda R. Marcos and
her two children, Bongbong and
Imee emerged as visitors in the last
election. Is this not a manifestation of
the people’s love for the Marcoses?
Freak Lead – Speaks an abnormality
or for a very unusual incidence which
makes the news story a freak.
Example:
A woman, an amputee on both legs,
acquired recently her expertise as a skilled
auto mechanic.
Staccato Lead – This lead as in music
emphasize distinct breaks of ideas in
successive statements of facts punctuated
by commas and/or dashes.
Example:
Back in those times – around forty years ago
– the pawns of disorderliness were sown by
the Huks, Hukbalahap, Hukbo ng bayan
laban sa Hapon – in Central Luzon with Luis
Taruc, the staunch, steadfast leader, on
behalf of the poor.
Astonisher Lead - This lead uses interjections
or exclamatory sentence.
Example:
Champion for life!
For his feat in boxing, Manny
Pacquiao was awarded a plaque of
Recognition by President Arroyo
citing him as champion for life.
Contrast Lead – This lead describes
two extremes for figurative distinction
and emphasis.
Example:
At the start of the CLEAN & GREEN
Campaign, Purok Sampaguita of
Mabini Homesite was the dirtiest
purok. At the close of the contest,
Purok Sampaguita won first place in
the entire subdivision area.
Epigram Lead – This lead is introduced with a
common, witty or satirical expression familiar
with the intended readers.
Example:
A man is known bye company he keeps.
Jose dela Cruz did not realize the essence of
the statement until people begin to cast
doubt on his integrity and reputation by
reason of the notoriety of the company he
keeps.
Question Lead – The lead is to introduced by
a quoted statement taken from the speech
of the speaker or the quotation may be an
appropriate basis of the news story that
follows.
Example:
“A home is a place where love abides and
respect is the guess.”
Punch Lead – Introduced by words or
expressions which manifest forcefulness
and circumstantial uniqueness.
Example:
Three hundred tricycles were banned
from playing within the territorial
jurisdiction of Cabanatuan City, effective
July 2010.
Picture Lead – This lead starts with the
description of a person, a place, or an
occasion for the purpose of creating a
mental picture of who or what is being
describe.
Example:
Elegant and handsome, the new dean of
College of Education is approachable.
He is not only accommodating; he is also
very entertaining with much concern and
enthusiasm. He talks with sense.
Descriptive Lead – this lead uses descriptive
modifiers that vividly describes a person or
thing being spoken of.
Example:
Dressed elegantly with white barong
Tagalog and dark pants, the bridegroom
anxiously waits at the front base of the altar
for his bride who is equally in white bridal
gown.
Parody Lead – this lead makes use of a
humorous imitation of an incident or an
ironical episode that tends to draw laughter.
Example:
Fish, fish anywhere but no fish to eat. This
was what the helpless typhoon victims found
in the midst of their over flooded fish ponds.
There are two types of news
According to form or structure

1. Hard news – known as the straight

news. These are news item which
provide direct and factual events. In Important facts to
style hard news are objective. The answer the Ws of news
lead paragraph of a hard news gives
the important facts as demanded by Facts of lesser
the SW’s in news writing. The ending Importance
paragraph may deal with additional Minor details of
minor details which could be deleted least
if space is adequate. importance
2. Soft news – are also derived from
factual events but are written in news-
feature style. The lead paragraph of this
Lead
type of news may make use of any of the Paragraph
novelty leads but the arrangement of
facts may not be that of the inverted
pyramid. As in feature news writing, the Succeeding
Paragraph
facts may be arranged in a natural
pyramid structure.

Ending Paragraph