cover story

cover story (plural cover stories)

(media) A story included in a publication that is highlighted on the front cover.
We didn't even think it was that important, at first, and yet by the end of the week it had become the cover story of the next issue.
- 2020 May 6, “Letters: Open Access”, in Rail, page 48:
  It's ironic that the day before the Prime Minister confirmed the go-ahead for HS2, RAIL 898 hit my doormat with a cover story 'Is reopening the GC a viable alternative to HS2?'
(espionage) A fictitious account that is intended to hide one's real motive.
The cover story of an intelligence agent posing as a foreign service officer is called a diplomatic cover in the trade.
- 2008–2021, qntm, “We Need To Talk About Fifty-Five”, in There Is No Antimemetics Division, →ISBN, page 9:
  "This is just a cover story," Clay says to O5-8, not taking his eyes off Marion. "It's a good one, but she's had it worked out in advance."
  "Clay, lose the piece," says the O5.
  Grudgingly, Clay does so.

story on a publication's front page

Arabic: please add this translation if you can
Chinese:
Mandarin: 封面故事 (fēngmiàn gùshì)
Dutch: omslagartikel n
Finnish: etusivun juttu
French: gros titre (fr) m
German: Titelgeschichte f, Coverstory f
Portuguese: manchete (pt) f
Russian: те́ма но́мера f (téma nómera), гла́вная статья́ f (glávnaja statʹjá), загла́вная исто́рия f (zaglávnaja istórija)
Spanish: primera plana f

fictitious account

English