News feature is a broad genre of journalism covering anything from behind the scenes looks at events to personal stories. Unlike informative news, it often has an emotional element and may have a lighter tone.
Your audience must come first when planning and producing a news feature. They should remain in your mind throughout the process – you want to interest them enough to tune in, keep them listening and inspire them to talk about the story to others too.
People want to hear about what is happening close to them and in the places they live. However, they are also interested in events that happen far away and in societies or cultures with which they are unfamiliar. Providing background and context for events is particularly useful in news features to explain why people react to them in the way that they do.
Choosing the right topic is key to a successful news feature. Look for a story that is not too broad or too narrow and try to find an angle which will grab the listener/viewer’s attention.
A good news feature should follow a clear structure and have a’story arc’ – how the story will develop, change and end – just like an oral story told over time. This gives the reader/listener a sense of direction and keeps them interested so they do not turn off or change channel. When you are recording a news feature, always consider how long it should be and whether it will require studio or editing suite time (especially if your broadcaster has specific requirements). You also need to think about seasons and weather conditions for outdoor shoots.