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No matter what medium you're writing for, reporting is reporting and storytelling is storytelling -- you'll always need to include the basic building blocks of a story.

The Lede grabs the attention of the reader or listener.

The Nut Graf gets to the point of what this story is all about

More on effective ledes

From "How to Write a News Article: The Intro or Lede"by St. Petersburg College Communications dept.

Types

Summary lede or 'hard news' lede delivers the 5 W's and an H in the 1st paragraph, getting to the most important or compelling information immediately:

"A California mother is recovering from second- and third-degree burns after colored rocks her family collected from beach unexpectedly caught fire while in her pocket."

Analysis lede introduces a story where the basic facts are already known and where readers are looking for explanation:

"The suspension of US sanctions in Myanmar in response to political reforms gives a green light to US firms looking for business opportunities."

Blind lede a summary lede that leaves out particularly confusing details:

"World leaders say they are committed to soothing financial markets to prevent an economic calamity."

Narrative lede sets the scene for the article by introducing the main players:

"Eight California high-schoolers with the same last name pull off a witty stunt."

Scene-setter lede introduces the article by highlighting a key location in the story:

"A broken-down cargo ship drifts towards the fringes of Australia's Great Barrier Reef amid fears of major damage to the World Heritage-listed site."

Tips

Read your lede OUT LOUD
Do you stumble over words? Does it sound like something you would tell a friend? Eliminate any words you trip over or that are confusing.

Cut out extra words
See how many words you can eliminate. Have you put in description that could come later in the article? Have you added details that slow down readers' scanning? Have you used only words that will catch a reader's attention? Especially look for passive verbs - is playing should be plays.

Check for accuracy
Have you spelled names correctly? Did you give the right locations, times, and dates? Is what you said what you meant to say? Is what you said what actually happened?

Avoid being cliche and cute
Clichés are overused expressions that have stopped being original. Think carefully about whether you're using phrases or words that you hear everyday, even popular ones, and work for something more original.

Also read "Strong from the Start - Leads and Nut Grafs" by Steve Buttry on ijnet.org

The rest of your story includes quotes, conflict and background, which are all crucial storytelling elements, but usually further down in the pyramid and less original.