A news feature is a story about people – the people involved in an issue or event, or the people who are affected by it. Often the things that happen in human life which make news are unwelcome (deaths, accidents and crimes). But good journalism is able to present stories of people living with or recovering from such events and adjusting to their effect on them.
The way in which you tell the story is important. In all stories you need to keep the audience in mind – what will capture their attention, and how they can relate to it. This is especially important in news features. The story should also have a story arc – a general pattern for how the story starts, develops and changes as it progresses – similar to how a bridge has an arc over time.
In a profile feature, it is essential to have details about the person you are profiling, and how their background, skills and experience relate to their work or subject. This is where some of the most interesting aspects of the feature come from.
You will need to think about the availability of talent for your feature – and be prepared to move quickly on to other options when one does not materialise. You will also need to consider the season and weather, particularly if you are producing a news feature with outdoor segments.
For some subjects you will have to solve problems like gaining permission for access to places or people which are normally out of bounds for journalists, and for recording purposes. This can take time and you should allow plenty of time when planning the production. It may be worth setting your final on-air deadline well ahead of schedule, to give you time to polish and perfect your work.
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