You're Only as Strong as Your Lead

The lead in every newscast is going to be the story that has the most information, affects the most people, and at times is the most shocking piece of news. It is important to know that the lead can sometimes be a devastating story. For example, this Thursday we chose to lead with the Seal Beach salon shooting as our lead. Although this story is very shocking and devastating, the different components of the story, and the small amount of crime that happens in the community make this story compelling, attention grabbing, and an obvious lead. With a lead you also need to make sure that the story will have lots of broll and interview opportunities. The more variety you have within your lead, the more interesting the story will be and the more likely viewers will be tuned into the different dimensions of the story. Also, cold opens are always a plus and a great way to catch the viewer’s attention at the start of the newscast. However, what might be more important than having all the different components of a great lead is the back-up story! As I have learned this semester, anything can happen in the newsroom, editing lab, and in the studio. There truly are no rules, and without a solid backup story somewhere else in the newscast, you may or may not have a show if your lead falls through. Tips for a leads success: stay focused, stay calm, stay on top of your reporter/ MJs, and stay on time!