Difference Between Hard News and Features in Magazines

Difference Between Hard News and Features in MagazinesDifference Between Hard News and Features in Magazinesfruchtwein of us dont give a lot of thought to the technical definition of what were reading when we open a nachrichtenpaper or other print publication or access one online. In fact, not all news stories are created equal. If youre considering a career in journalism, your success can hinge on knowing the difference between a straight news piece and a feature. Features Are Defined by Length and Style A feature is typically longer than a standard news story. Its written in a different writing style, typically with more detail and hintergrund based on more extensive research than would be required to simply report a news event. Features can vary widely- you might write a news feature, an arts feature or a human interest feature. Although the term implies softer news, a feature is often defined by its length and style, not necessarily its subject matter.The style component is i mportant. Features humanize events and issues rather than make a recitation of facts. Why should your readers care about theevent youre writing about? Explain why they might. You might address this question in your opening paragraph or paragraphs, hooking your readers, then move on to more of the nuts and bolts of your topic. Think of it like the difference between Dragnet and telling a friend a story over coffee. A news report might be Just the facts, maam. Your feature will be friendlier, though not at the risk of solid facts and research. Features in Magazines Features often appear in magazines, although they also appear in newspapers and on websites. Readers tend to prefer them over straight-line hard news reports. Youll usually find a magazines features toward themiddle section of a magazine. This section is known as the feature well. How to Write a Feature Writing a featurebegins with two important factors your topic and how much space you can devote to ityour assigned word count. You must work within this parameter, which means you cant stray off topic. You should, however, go into as much depth as possible. This usually includes conducting interviews and gathering background information. For example, a news report might read Witnesses report that the pipe burst at 132 p.m.While a feature mightread Joe Smith said he saw the pipe burstfrom his kitchen window just as he was cleaning up from lunch, at 132 p.m. Water shot 10 feet high and drenched everyone in sight, Smith said. Features typically includeexpert opinions.Why did the pipe burst? You might get statements from a knowledgeable pipefitter explaining likely problems the pipe may have had. Did any passersby sustain injuries? A news report would most likely give a yes or no answer to that, and, if so, cite the number of injured bystanders. A feature would delve into whether the city or municipality that was responsible for maintaining the pipe might be liable for those injuries. It could incl ude a statement from someone in authority at the city or municipality regarding the incident and whether that person believes any negligence might have occurred. The idea behind a feature is to go one step further Youre not just telling your reader what happened. Youre explaining why its important, who is affected and presenting the big picture.