Brad Nelms
Comm. 1002
Due 2/18/11
Exercise #41:
Write a lead from this set of facts. In this case, you want to write a sentence that quickly summarizes the most important facts, leaving out what you think is either not important at all, or of lesser importance that can be described in subsequent paragraphs.
Some of this information is badly written on purpose. It is up to you to make it better.
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East Carolina University National Broadcasting Society met today at noon. About
40 students attended.
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Meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by a group song: “America the Beautiful.”
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National Broadcasting Society treasurer Rufus Parsons reported that the organization has a balance in its bank account of $725.35.
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Members voted to hold their next regular meeting two weeks from today.
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Members decided to organize a boycott of all classes tomorrow to protest the university tuition increase set for next semester. Tuition will go up 10 percent.
- Susan Kuykendall, National Broadcasting Society president, said, “We are confident that all NBS students will boycott all classes.”
Members of the East Carolina University National Broadcasting Society met today to organize a boycott tomorrow against the 10 percent tuition increase set for next semester.

Brad Nelms
Comm. 1002
Due 2/18/11
Exercises on Leads: Exercise #44
Examine the following leads. Explain what is wrong with the leads and then revise them. (You do not have to use all the information provided. You can leave some information out, or include it in a second sentence.)
1.
Interested in learning about pandemics, terrorism, human rights, and other global health issues? Then you might want to attend the Great Decisions Program Series. It begins in
January at East Carolina University and costs $59 to attend. Each week for six weeks a lecturer will discuss a topic related to the United States and its role in the world. Topics are: “The U.S. and Iran,” “Brazil,” “Human Rights in the Age of Terrorism,” “United
Nations Reform,” “Global Health Pandemics and Security,” “Turkey,” “Energy
Resources,” and “China and India: Partners or Competitors?”
Interested in learning about pandemics, terrorism, human rights, and other global health issues? Then you might want to attend the Great Decisions Program Series.
This is all that is needed in this lead. It captures the reader by first asking a question and then gives key details to what is being promoted.
2.
He’s the second wealthiest man in the United States. He’s been called by some the greatest investor of all time. He’s Warren Buffett, wealthy investment guru and chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway.
And he spent his time with a group of East Carolina business students this past
November. In a trip set up through the College of Business and coordinated by finance professor Sam Tibbs, the students met with Buffett. They toured his operations in
Omaha, and discussed his views on investing for more than three hours.
He’s the second wealthiest man in the United States. He’s been called by some the greatest investor of all time. He’s Warren Buffett, wealthy investment guru and chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway.
This lead is a bit lengthy, but gives an interesting introduction. The second part is not needed for the lead.

Brad Nelms
Comm. 1002
Due 2/18/11
3.
YIKES! That’s what most people think of when they think of spiders and millipedes.
Not Jason Bond. He’s just received three grants to study the creatures. Bond, a professor of biology at ECU, will use a grant from the National Science Foundation to document and catalogue species from around the world. He hopes to further what is known about these diverse, yet understudied creatures. The first grant for $750,000 is effective Jan. 1.
YIKES! Jason Bond a professor of biology at East Carolina University never says that word when it comes to creepy crawly things like spider and millipedes. He has just received three grants to study the creatures.
This lead starts off with an eye grabber, but just needed less and only important information.
4.
ECU researchers are getting more money. That’s what Deidre Mageean said. Mageean joined the university in July as vice chancellor for research and graduate studies, and she announced this week that ECU is going to be allocating an additional $1.5 million to enhance the university’s research infrastructure during the upcoming year. “These dollars will go to support new positions, services and opportunities in the research division,” she said.
East Carolina University’s vice chancellor of research and graduate studies announced that ECU is going to be allocating an additional $1.5 million to enhance the university’s research infrastructure during the upcoming year.
This selection needed to emphasize key information and be a bit shorter for it to be a lead.
5.
“Sections looked like a tent city,” said ECU’s Small Business and Technology
Development Center Director Carolyn Wilburn. “Everywhere you looked there were tents. Entire families are still living in tents outside their homes. For some that plot of land is all they have left, and they do not want to leave it. It is heartbreaking.”
What was it that was breaking Wilburn’s heart? Wilburn had traveled to Gulfport,
Mississippi for two weeks to assist business owners filing for federal assistance after hurricane Katrina. She went with about 30 other volunteers from around the country, who worked with the Small Business Development Center at the University of Southern
Mississippi in Gulfport. During her stay, she aided approximately 20 to 25 people in filing federal assistance for their homes and businesses.
Many business owners affected by hurricane Katrina are filing for federal assistance so they may keep their homes and businesses.
To make this selection a lead, quotes should be removed and the focus should center on exactly what is going on. Once an idea has been mentioned, detail can back it up.

Brad Nelms
Comm. 1002
Due 2/18/11
Exercise # 46 Writing Leads
Write leads based on the following information. You are writing for the Greenville Daily
Reflector, so consider the local angle. Leads preferably should be one sentence, ONE paragraph. No lead should be longer than 30-35 words.
Copy edit each lead according to AP style, and correct all spelling and grammar errors before turning in your papers. You do not have to use all the information provided in your lead.
Tip: The leads in this exercise require summary leads with “delayed identification,” the latest information, or a combination of the two.
Please type these double-spaced, with a couple of extra spaces between each lead. Consider all time references to be as of today, the day you are given the assignment. Be very careful with the facts.
1. The Pitt County Board of Education has been considering building a new elementary school. The school was to be a model for schools across the state because it would give elementary students a chance to work with more high-technology classroom equipment than other schools. The school would take about 14 months to build. But instead of opening next fall, the school will be delayed for a year, school officials said yesterday. The delay occurred because the site needs water and sewer hookups which can't be provided without the approval of the town of Winterville. The Winterville Utilities Commission won't meet for two more months, delaying further construction.
2. George Blackburn and Brian Livengood, both of Wilmington, went fishing off the North
Carolina coast two days ago. Their boat capsized about 2 p.m., and the two men spent 24 hours in life preservers in the Atlantic Ocean before they were rescued by the Coast Guard.
Today Blackburn was released from New Hanover Memorial Hospital. Livengood remains hospitalized, but he is in good condition.
3. Robert Earl Edmonds, 26, of Scotland Neck, was travelling west on State Road 1105 about 11 p.m. last night when he lost control of his car as he tried to turn left onto N.C. 125.
The car went off the road, hit a ditch and overturned. Edmonds was thrown from the car and killed. The information came from the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. Two passengers in the car were treated for minor injuries. Scotland Neck is in Halifax County.
4. An accident happened yesterday near the town of Bethel. Craig Stephens Matthews, 27 of Route 11, Bethel, was riding his motorcycle along Shaw Avenue when he lost control. He was thrown from the motorcycle, which struck a curb and then hit two women sitting in front of a Shaw Avenue house. Matthews was killed. The two women were injured and taken to Pitt
Memorial Hospital. They are in stable condition. The accident happened about 2 p.m.

Brad Nelms
Comm. 1002
Due 2/18/11
1.
Pitt County is considering building a high-technology elementary school as a model for other schools in the area. However, opening the school will be delayed a full year due to complications with approval of sewage and water hookups by Winterville Utilities
Commissions.
2.
Two Wilmington men were hospitalized after their boat capsized off the North Carolina coast two days ago. Both are men are in good condition after spending 24 hours in the
Atlantic.
3.
26 year old Robert Edmonds of Halifax, died last night after losing control of his automobile along State Road 1105. The two passengers survived and are being treated for minor injuries.
4.
27 year old Craig Matthews of Pitt County was killed yesterday afternoon after losing control of his motorcycle. Matthews was thrown from his motorcycle, which then hit two women in front of their home. The women were injured, but are in stable condition.