A news feature takes a broader approach to current events than a normal news story. It takes a topic and examines it from many angles to give it an unexpected or illuminating slant. It also covers history or culture and explores its facets. For example, a news feature might look at the latest below-the-knee fashion, or it might explore the discovery of Haley’s Comet.
It is important to keep your audience in mind when planning a news feature. What is important to one group might not be so to another, and it’s up to you to find the right balance.
People are often interested in what happens close to home, so the proximity of a story is often an important factor. But with the globalization of society, there are also times when a story happening far away is a big draw. Generally, the more dramatic a story is, the better chance it has of becoming a news feature.
Often, a news feature requires the interviewing of experts and others to support its topic or its claims. This can be a time consuming part of the process, especially when sources are difficult to reach or are reluctant to talk. It’s important to be patient and polite in approaching potential interviewees, but if they don’t respond to your requests, you might need to turn to other sources or take a different approach to the story.