Chapter 15 - Types of Features : Obits, Reviews, Columns, Trend Stories

Introduction to the Chapter

A feature is a longer piece of writing than a news story. Features come in many different types and are widely used in magazines, newspapers and online. A feature will often cover an issue in greater depth than a news story would do; or it might look at an ongoing story from a different angle. Features generally fall under the category of soft news.

The additional types of feature stories you’ve mentioned each offer unique perspectives and styles within journalism :

1. Orbit Features : These types of features often focus on topics that orbit around a central theme or issue, providing various angles and insights. They explore different facets related to the main subject, offering a comprehensive look at the topic.

2. Review Features : These are critical assessments of products, services, performances, or artistic works like films, books, music, theater, restaurants, etc. Review features provide an evaluation based on the writer’s experience and expertise, offering readers guidance and opinion.

3. Column Features : A column is typically a recurring piece or article in a newspaper, magazine or website, written by a columnist. Columns usually reflect the writer’s personal style and present a specific viewpoint or perspective on current events, social issues, or personal
   experiences. They can range from political commentary to lifestyle advice.

4. Trend Stories : These features identify and explore current trends in society, culture, fashion, technology, or any other area. Trend stories analyze what’s popular or emerging in a particular field, providing insights into cultural shifts and consumer behaviors.

Each type of feature has its own distinctive style and serves a different purpose. Orbit features provide a multidimensional view of a central topic, review features offer critical insights, column features showcase personal perspectives and style, and trend stories highlight and analyze current societal trends.

Feature Story Examples

Sports feature story example

Sky Sports posted an article that discussed the history of the WNBA throughout the past 25 years. This article is an example of a sports feature story, because it tells the story behind the organization.

Livein feature story example

The Guardian posted an article summarizing the top US feature stories of 2017. This article included a feature story titled, "My month with chemtrails conspiracy theorists," which is an example of a livein feature story. The writer applied to be part-time farm hand to learn about why the people who ran the farm believe that the government shares chemtrails.

How to feature story example

The Guardian article in the above example also included a feature story titled, "America’s midlife crisis : lessons from a survivalist summit," which is an example of both a livein and a howto feature story. The writer attended the Ohio Preppers and Survivalists Summit to learn about what survivalists do.

...Prev | Next...