what is lede

A lede is the introductory section or first paragraph of a news article or journalistic piece, designed to grab the reader's attention and entice them to read the rest of the story. It usually summarizes the most important or interesting information, often answering the key questions of who, what, when, where, why, and how. The spelling "lede" is used in journalism to differentiate it from the word "lead," which has other meanings related to printing.