MAPACA

Mid-Atlantic Popular &
American Culture Association

One of the pillars of journalism writing is the 5Ws: who, what, where, when and why. These are the basic facts gathered for any story. They also make up what is called the “summary lede,” a way to open a news story that gives just those facts. But how common and functional is that kind of lede today? Is its time passé? Are audiences looking for more from writers and reporters to draw them into stories?

The common use of the summary lede has been in existence for roughly 150 years. The historical underpinnings of this style of writing came from an emphasis on speed and cost-savings. This type of lede was also crafted in part to reflect changes in the technology of mass communication of that era.

This paper/presentation will examine that history and the summary lede today. It will explore how 21st century technology has affected current mass communication and will look at where the summary lede makes sense. It will also examine the changing mindset of storytelling by journalists and how that is affecting their approach to writing.

The proliferation of communication on different platforms has changed what audiences know, when they know it and how it is presented. Sometimes audiences expect, and want, facts in just a few characters but other times they seek something different.
This paper/presentation will examine the options for writers and journalism students to tell stories and the how the focus of the story can affect the reporter’s writing. It will look at the role of technology and multimedia and their impact on the styles and presentations of stories. It will examine what is being explored by scholars about the future of journalism communication and what educators need to consider in teaching journalism students the skills and understanding of news writing.