A news feature is a non-fiction piece of journalism that takes a deeper look at an issue or story. It is different from a news article because it presents information in more of a narrative way and often uses emotion and a more personal touch. A news feature can be used to showcase an event, a person or to raise awareness of a problem.
A good news feature should take much longer to write than a normal news article because it is more reflective and takes a more in-depth approach to the subject matter. This is a great chance for journalists to really capture their audience’s attention with their research and creative writing skills. They can use literary and rhetorical techniques such as second-person language and rhetorical questions to build relationships with their readers and add a sense of intrigue and challenge.
For example, when the BBC covered an apartment building fire in 2020 that trapped two children, citizens came together to save them. The BBC created a powerful interactive news feature story that showcased their heroic efforts and highlighted the importance of community. It is this sense of human connection that distinguishes a news feature from a regular news article. The two stories may cover the same topic, but the one that has a more reflective and in-depth approach will succeed in engaging its audience. This type of storytelling is also a great opportunity for businesses to generate press coverage and pique the public’s interest without the expense of advertising.