Special Leads

Special leads online

Contrast Lead:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/22/us/22mendota.html?ref=us

MENDOTA, Calif. — The country’s biggest agricultural engine, California’s sprawling Central Valley, is being battered by the recession like farmland most everywhere. But in an unlucky strike of nature, the downturn is being deepened by a severe drought that threatens to drive up joblessness, increase food prices and cripple farms and towns.

• Is this the best for this story? I believe that this is a great fit for the content because it brings attention to the different situations across the U.S. and highlights how Central Valley is in a different situation.
• Can this lead be improved? To improve this lead, I would make the difference more apparent.  I like that it reminds readers who may not live in Central Valley or a small farming town how the drought might affect them: higher food prices.
• Is a summary lead more appropriate? No, this lead identifies the who, what, and where, even if vaguely.  
• Would another special lead work better? No, I think this fits well.

Direct-Address Lead AND Question Lead:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/21/oscar-is-in-the-house-tro_n_168891.html

LOS ANGELES — Psst: Have you heard that the Oscars are going to be a little ... well, different this year?

Oh. You have.

The worst-kept secret in Hollywood this awards season has been how first-time producers Laurence Mark and Bill Condon, in a bid to build buzz and bounce back from last year's ratings nadir, are keeping their Oscars overhaul plans a secret. From promising sweeping format changes without elaborating to shrouding presenters' identities and shutting the press out of rehearsals, they've largely succeeded.

• Is this best for this story? I think this lead brings attention to the issue but also plays off the fact that despite their best efforts, the Oscar changes won't be complete surprises.  It draws in each individual reader and calls out their cultural awareness. 
• Can this lead be improved? If I had already known about the changes, I would likely stop reading after the second sentence. It seems like that's the whole story in a nutshell and gives readers a chance to neglect the story too quickly.  
• Is a summary lead more appropriate? Again, I think a summary lead might give away everything a reader would want to know within the first two sentences since the Oscars aren't the most important thing in most people's lives. 
• Would another special lead work better? There are a lot of quotes in this story so my first instinct would be to start off with one of those, however it might just be too many quotes for one column.  I think a narrative lead could be fun, taking readers through what is known and still unknown to give them a first-hand account.