A fundamental news writing structure where the most important information appears at the beginning of the story, followed by supporting details in descending order of importance.
This format places the lead paragraph containing the who, what, when, where, why, and how at the top, followed by additional details, background information, and quotes. The inverted pyramid allows readers to quickly grasp the essential facts and enables editors to cut stories from the bottom without losing crucial information.
This structure evolved from telegraph-era journalism when technical failures could interrupt transmission. It remains relevant in digital journalism where readers may not finish entire articles, ensuring they receive the most important information first.
