A news feature is an article that goes into great detail regarding concepts and ideas that are of specific market interest. It can focus on a person, like an author, singer or entrepreneur, a group of people, a topic, an issue or even a location. A news feature is often written to entertain or inform and can have a political, social, cultural or economic angle.
Unlike hard news, which tends to be time-sensitive, a news feature can be more of an “evergreen” piece that stays relevant for a long period of time. This can be beneficial for a newspaper or magazine that is looking to maintain its reputation as a source of accurate information and thought-provoking articles.
News features also tend to make more direct plays for emotion than hard news pieces. This can be useful in covering stories about conflict, famine or disease and can help readers to connect with the story and its subjects. They also take more license in terms of using storytelling techniques such as flashbacks or reverse chronology.
The best news features are generally well timed and aligned with special days and events. For example, a story about a local AIDS prevention initiative might be arranged to coincide with National AIDS Awareness Day. This will help the story to attract attention and perhaps garner support from other organizations that may wish to identify with or join forces with the community initiative in question. It could also encourage the state health bureau to work with the initiative in question and provide funding or resources.