Is this news?

All news websites aim to attract a wide audience, which may be one of the reasons why they are keen to include both hard news along with feature pieces. Most readers would associate a feature article with a magazine but the web allows this cross over to be more acceptable. With both styles playing a role on news sites I am finding it increasing difficult to decide whether a piece is a news story or a feature article.

So, how can you tell you’re reading a news article?

The role of a title in a news article is to plainly inform the reader of the story that is about to be told. Within a feature you will spot a punchy title designed to grab your attention and hook/draw you in to read the story. This title is followed by a dramatic introduction which creates questions you want answered and so (they hope) you will read the feature to find them.

News stories are based on serious factual information provided for the reader on a need to know basis. This information is current and of general interest to most readers. A feature piece expands on this idea by focussing on a universal subject and delving deeper into the background of it. This leads to the piece being designed for those who have a specific interest in the topic discussed.

With features providing a broader range of information on a subject they vary in length from a typical news story. A narrative style is usually adopted, with the article taking a story telling format of introducing, detailing and then summing up the story.

News stories are structured in an inverted pyramid format, which means they reach a conclusion once all the information needed has been given to the reader. A feature will have an obvious summing up sentence to make it clear that is the end.

The basics of who, what, and why are always important when writing any type of article but a feature will focus primarily on the human interest of those involved. The personal tone portrays the story from a specific perspective providing an insider view.

To confuse you even more I’m now going to fit this none news article, none feature piece into the style of a feature and provide my concluding sentence. Features allow readers further insight into a topic. They are the close friend who gives you all the extra information you are desperate to know in a clear linear format.

This post was originally published by Jess on Wed, 03/11/2009