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...attempt to attract more readers in an age when reading has become passé, the Associated Press (AP) is endeavoring to spice up its writing with a little more artistic flair. The media organization recently announced that it will begin providing its 1,700 members with two versions of the same news story lead: one “traditional” and one “optional.” The latter alternative will be designed for those newspapers wanting to offer readers “something fresh so they will want to pick up the newspaper and read...
...readers, news writers should find ways, as they always have, of marrying objectivity with compelling news writing. Preserving impartiality in a paper’s news stories should be a primary concern for any responsible managing editor. By opting for more “artistic” devices, the AP risks losing credibility and undermines its purpose of presenting the news with a neutral, unbiased voice...
According to the advisory, “The concept is simple: On major spot stories...[the AP] will provide you with two versions to choose between. One will be the traditional ‘straight lead’ that leads with the main facts of what took place. The other will be the ‘optional,’ an alternative approach that attempts to draw in the reader through imagery, narrative devices, perspective or other creative means.” In an effort to illustrate how such a policy can go awry, we offer some hypothetical examples with...
Creative leads can also belittle news. Depending on the story, the casual and sometimes flip language necessary to make metaphors work can undermine the seriousness of issue. One might wonder how an optional lead might work for a suicide bombing in Iraq, for instance. Luckily, the AP has already generated a sample...
Sources: TIME (4); New York Times; AP; AAA (2); USA Today