A news feature is a long form journalism article that takes an in-depth look at a topic and may involve interviews, research, data and visuals. A good news feature should captivate the audience, inspire them to tune in and share it with others.
Like in movie making, the talent – or people who will express the story – is the most important element of a successful news feature. As such, this must be a priority from the start and continue to be front of mind throughout the planning, production and scheduling process. If the talents you want to talk to are busy or not available, keep trying – politely and persistently. This is especially true with sources who may not want to talk or whose opinions you think the audience will value.
The topic or theme of a news feature is often a human-interest story or it may be a more in-depth look at an existing newsworthy event or trend. It can also be a prediction of future events, although care needs to be taken with this, as incorrect predictions make newspapers look foolish!
A well-written news feature will also be concise, and ideally, should come in under the on-air length limit set by the person asking you to produce it. This gives you time to add the finer details that can make a story really sing, and avoids your listeners or viewers feeling like they have been shortchanged.
About the Author
