TFB 055: What’s the difference between news and a feature?

With Alistair Clay, founder, Class: PR

On today’s episode, I take a look at the crucial difference between news stories and features – and why it matters to your business –  if you’re serious about getting media coverage.

Once you understand the difference between these two pieces of editorial you’ll be able to create PR campaigns that help journalists do their job – and get the media coverage you are after for your business.

Don’t stumble into the PR world uninformed – if you want to put your business on the map you must know the difference between these two.

News stories and Features are Very Different

Knowing if the story you want to tell about your business is more suited to a feature rather than a news story will mean you need to gather different information and present it in a different way.

Also, the deadlines you’ll be working to for a news story compared to a feature can be vastly different.

Features are often much longer and take weeks to write, not hours. If you know this you’ll know the information you need to give to a journalist and when.

Every business has a story today, and most have many.

If you’re pitching a hard news story about your business then you’re probably better off issuing a well-written newsworthy press release.

But if you want to feed into a feature then the journalist will more than likely be looking for case studies so a well-written email highlighting how you have the right case study for their piece is much more useful.

There are subtle differences between news stories and features – which you can read more on here – and knowing these nuances will put you ahead of your competition for media coverage.

This is the news…or maybe it’s a feature? Soon you’ll know the difference.


About Alistair Clay

Alistair is a former national journalist with 20 years’ experience working in the media and PR. He is the founder of UK healthcare agency Arc Seven Communications and a registered member of the PRCA.