It's actually the same in journalism. As a writer, you want readers to read ALL of your story because every word is imperative, right? (We all feel this way as writers -- which is why you shouldn't edit your own work!)
However, the reality is that most readers don't make it halfway -- or "below the fold," as they used to say way back when people read actual newspapers. So it's crucial to get the important stuff at the top of your story or above the fold (this is part of a journalism philosophy we will discuss in the near future that uses the inverted pyramid as a story structure guide).
But what's even more crucial -- is getting the reader past the first sentence. How do you do that? You nail the lead. Below is a video that discusses what leads are and how to write them that's taught by an actual journalism professor. The professor also goes into nut graphs a bit, and we will be discussing those in the very near future.
It is about a half hour long, but it's worth a listen even if you listen in your car on the way to a showing. We'll also start calling out really good leads from your stories in the future. Enjoy!