This is in response to a beautiful feature story written in my hometown newspaper.
The world of journalism has changed because of "fake news," social media, and the technology age. Journalists have lost respect because of bloggers. Fake news has given the press a bad reputation, and the mass media is perceived as biased. There seems to be a growing negative public disposition toward journalism. Even high reports of local crime may affect public attitude toward the local newspaper. Good, heartfelt stories may seem rare to find, but they are out there.
As a communication major and through my experiences with print and online writing, it is clear to me that journalism is important. How else are accurate stories going to be told? Do you want amateurs tackling the substantial stuff? Reporters are not perfect, but they are professionals. I don't want to dwell on bias or facts. My favorite articles are the ones that tell human stories.
If you don't read much, feature stories are like inspiring movies that end with phrase "This was based on a true story." Feature stories relay true and sometimes disturbing or sad facts but are spun in an interesting way to be expressive and transforming. If done well, they make you feel something--emotions like inspiration or awe.
Feature stories are the difference between reading a story compared to experiencing a story. They are the stories that are shared and marveled at, and you find they resonate with you for hours or days. It is news storytelling at its best. Human interest stories are crucial for relating human experiences and making a connection. They are the path to empathy.
Feature stories are rare to find, hidden behind negative crime articles or sports stories. I was inspired by a remarkable local story because it was informative, touching, and inspiring. It is easy to want to be inspiring but difficult to achieve it. The details were beautiful and the quotes were compelling. It resulted in new meaning and knowledge about something I knew little about while providing a local connection to someone I have met before. It resonated with me. It made me feel something, and that is the point of feature stories.
Don’t lose faith in the power of words.
