MAGAZINE FEATURE VERSUS DAILIES:Feature versus Editorial, An overview

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Feature and Column Writing MCM 514

LESSON 14

MAGAZINE FEATURE VERSUS DAILIES

Feature versus Column, News and Editorial

Feature versus Column

A feature is a dramatized description of the basic facts of news in interesting manner; whereas a column is

that form and shape of writing, which is allotted a special place in the paper under a permanent title. Both

feature and column draw their material and data from the news-stories, which in turn originate in the

society.

Column is rather a relatively personalized form of journalism reminiscent of past traditions and practices

in the sub-continent, whereas a feature is an informal type of writing in which any subject can be

attempted to make it an interesting description of a story. A feature is rather a long description ranging

from 1000 to 3000 words, whereas a column is rather a limited form of humorous writing.

A Column aims to laugh off a serious matter in light vein. It may contain the germs of criticism, sarcasm,

humour or similar elements; whereas a feature may be written on any subject under the sun and on the

earth, in informative, instructive, guiding, educative and in entertaining form in simple language and with

dramatized elements. A feature may consist of more than one headline, highlight and with abundant

pictorial material, whereas a column is a personal type of composition with no scope of pictorial

supplement and material besides of headline and highlight.

As to style and form of composition, a feature is narrative with dramatic elements with positive objective

to inform, educate, instruct and guide the masses in light and attractive style. On the other hand, a column

usually projects a personal touch, and is a direct address to the reader, creating an informed, friendly and

gossiping type of atmosphere.

A feature is a pre-planned venture requiring elaborate studies, preparation, collection of relevant data and

material from different sources as an interview, books periodical, magazines reference books and various

other sources. A column does not need any pre-planned studies, interviews and collection of facts.

A feature is usually related to recent issues, happenings and episodes, whereas a column takes the

universal moral, scientific end technical principles of happenings in the universe. A feature revolves

around a stylish composition with the sole and definite objective to absorb the attention of the readers

immediately, by creating suspense with the assistance of dramatic elements.

A feature is invariably written in narrative style of writing, with proper parts and paragraphs. Contrarily a

column is light writings, and frequently are drab, cold, logical and deductive style of writings. Besides

column has more than one style.

Feature versus News:

News is an event or happening about which people are most interested and anxious to know the details,

and a journalist likes to tell; whereas a feature is a spontaneous type of composition, developing on a

news-story of deep human interest with dramatic and narrative elements addressed direct to the readers in

an alluring and attention-absorbing manner.

News consists of bare and hard facts and presented similarly without any kind of addition or alteration. A

feature is an objective type of writing, sharing common pains, sufferings in national affairs to be

presented to the readers and the government

The features are universal, comprehensive, and all-enveloping type of writing based on hard facts of life;

whereas news is gauged according to different scales of territorial, geographical and human interests. A

feature does not necessarily make any difference or distinction between a caste, colour, or race or class of

people. News is value-oriented writing to a particular territory, or geographically limited and

comprehensiveness. Whereas a feature is of a universal value regarding of any kind of distinction or

difference, and appeals to the whole humanity equally and simultaneously. It has its psychological roots

in humanity. News may comprise elements of mobility, riots and disturbances, massacre, killings and

other forms of extremism. Human society has a variety of colourful activities, different aspects, angles,

reactions, which give rise to attraction and interest for the human beings.

Feature and Column Writing MCM 514

Features are composed in view of the social inter-actions. News has a temporary existence, and is not

durable from its very nature and structure, and its values are always subject to changes and alterations.

Features are somewhat of permanent value basing their material and data on the facts relating to the

different aspects, angles and during human interest. Hence the interest attraction of a feature cannot

possibly be limited to any geographical areas. Features are preserved for future references. There is a

wide difference in the objectivity of the news and a feature. The scope and the objectivity of the news is

limited; whereas a feature is comprehensive and universal from its objectivity point of view, and its

effects are not immediate and emergency type as in the case of news, but are permanent. A feature writer

enjoys a greater freedom in his writing, in his approach to write a feature. In the feature, personal feelings

and passions can be included to make it a direct address or sermon to the readers. On the other hand a

report has to depend on the bare facts of the news, in his writing and approach and cannot possibly add

his likes and dislikes, and adopts the strict policy of not adding anything personal or impersonal.

Feature versus Editorial:

Editorials are collectively the name for those articles, published and given under the editorial page, which

may consist of a leading article and other small articles.

Editorials are usually written on serious matters of national and international significance, besides current

affairs. As such editorial articles are basically related to the national and international topics of grave and

serene nature and scope. Contrarily features are related to expository and explanatory affairs of light

nature and essentially related to the social order and structure, and are generally limited to the national

basis. Their scope and range relate to the social problem of the country or a nation.

The readership of the editorial is very limited one as being serious and drab prose, its objectives are to

instruct and educate the readers. The readers of the feature are numerous as their nature scope and range

and even the structure are based direct with relation to the general interest of the people, their social order,

structure and problems. The feature readers are countless who are deeply interested in perusing the

serious essays of feature composition, which are durable, effective and unique in nature and deeply

embedded in the psychology of the human beings. As for as the nature and structure is concerned, feature

are light socially-based articles, narrated in an attractive manner with profusion of dramatic elements;

whereas the editorials are based on good deal of research and investigation and its sources of information

and facts and figures are derived and deduced on national and international scale.

There is a wide difference between the objective of the editorial and the feature. A feature may appeal

rather adopt the mode of preaching or delivering moral messages; whereas an editorial is a problematic,

academic and investigational writings or articles, weaves in a cold and logical style of description. A

feature aims at projecting the social problems, ailments and diseases, diagnosing the underlying causes

and even suggesting the possible remedies and measures to tackle with them. Features take into

consideration the various customs, traditions and conventions with regard to their merits and demerits,

moral lessons, teachings, guidance instructions, serving the post-mortem of the prevailing social evils etc.

An editorial is an amalgam of superb material and data of current affairs, conveying the serenity,

seriousness logically arranged matter in cold and logical manner.

As to the types and forms, editorials are generally informational, deductive and entertaining articles which

are less attractive to the readers, Whereas features can be arranged in numerous forms and types as

commemorative features, experimental or research features, personality, based on travelogue and

countless other general features. There is a world of difference as to the style and language of description.

An editorial requires a high academic and literary style and language due to its very nature, whereas a

feature is composed in commonly understood and intelligible style and language; which naturally attracts

the largest a number of readers.

Magazine temperament versus daily paper

Certain differences are there between the magazine features and the features written for the Daily. Almost

the same is applicable to the `Freelance writer versus staffer'.

Mostly, magazines rely on the freelance writers besides the staffers of the magazine. No doubt, the latter

are more reliable, and can be held responsible for anything unwanted more easily than the former.

However, once a freelancer loses his credibility, it is always very difficult for him to get back on to the

track. Secondly, freelancers tend to be less communicative with the editor as compared to the staffer who

Feature and Column Writing MCM 514

has to stay in touch with him. He can get his problems resolved more easily and quickly than what the

freelancer does.

An overview

Writing features for magazines and newspapers is quite a different ball game, and one can visible

differences in the treatment of the subjects. If not in entirety, then features for these both are different to

quite a large extent.

How people fare in both areas?

The writer has to consider before writing whether he is writing for a magazine or a daily. It is primarily

because of the nature of the write-ups, and the space where he has to be very careful.

Which is considered of more value?

No doubt, some hard-hitting features written for the dailies make a huge impact; whereas the importance

of magazines cannot be negated considering the fact that magazine readership is bit different, as it wants

subjects to be treated at length. Some people do call it `laid back approach' as well.

What it entails to be a feature writer for the magazine?

A feature writer of the magazine has to write in detail covering the subject from all possible angles.

Moreover, he has also to talk to a number of people, both experts and ordinary ones. Ultimately, it comes

out to be a long piece of writing, which is also occasionally divided in to short pieces, which added to

beauty of the display and enhance the readability.

Deadlines

Steep deadlines for the dailies

A journalist has to write mostly against steep deadlines while writing for dailies, whereas it is not a case

with the magazines as such. However, both case scenarios could be reversed, which is as such a rarity.

Nevertheless, a steep deadline is not a case for the magazine features, as their deadline varies from hours

to days and weeks. Hence the feature writer for the magazine is comparatively as ease, and can work

really well on his subjects. That is why, the magazine features are comprehensive and detailed ones.

Spaces

One finds shrinking spaces of the dailies, which are due to numerous reasons, like that of the

advertisements and lots of news items. Hence when the dailies have fewer spaces, this adds to the

possibility of less number of words, which is not the case with magazines.

That is why; features in dailies are always marred by short of space, which is why magazines become

more important.

Sometimes, for magazines, the writers are given a chance to come up with as many words as they like.

However, mostly, the word limit is specified.

Room to play

Journalists feel more comfortable, while writing for magazine, primarily because of the allowed word

limit, more space and long deadlines. Secondly, they have more room to play with ideas, words and space

besides being more time at their expense.

Thirdly, limited words are written for dailies, which are in minimum possible time, whereas one can write

at length for magazines.

Long life versus short

Dailies have short shelf life in comparison to magazines, whereas magazines have longer shelf life.

Dailies are once seen or read by the readers, and then put aside by them. Secondly, the magazine features

also become part of history, as people keep them in their book rags. Hence one can say the Dailies enjoy

less weight age in comparison to magazines, when feature writing comes.

Feature and Column Writing MCM 514

Word limit

As said earlier, features in magazines are given comparatively bigger space and room, whereas there is a

less of margin in Dailies.

Playing with the idea

Practicing feature writing means that considering all ideas, and these all ideas can be put at one place

when it comes to magazine writing. However, this is not truly done for Dailies, where one idea is picked

up and tackled from one angle so that it could be accommodated in a limited space.

From all possible angles

For magazines, the Discussion on the subject is from all possible angles, which is not usually done for the

Dailies, as the feature writer is sticking to one point and presenting it, while never digressing from the line

given to the writer by the editors. However, a bit of a digression for magazine features is a possibility.

Display of the feature

Magazines give huge display to features, whereas the Dailies, which are always running short of space, do

not have this liberty. Secondly, the pictorial aspect of magazines make them more interesting for the

readers, which is also primarily because of the changed circumstances where the readers do not have

much time to read long pieces placed without any break in the text.

Giving what reader wants

Readers look for more and more information though they might be running against time. Their

satisfaction lies in the having the required material with them, even they do not have time to read them

fully. Only a magazine provides such an information and satisfaction to the readers.

Dailies do the same, but at the limited level and in different shades that is, coming up with follow-ups and

discovering news angles of the subject.

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