Soft news usually covers a long-term change or point of interest, or a general trend -- an aspect of the zeitgeist, while hard news always covers a specific event that can be nailed down to an exact date and time.
One difference between hard and soft news is the tone of presentation. While a hard news story tells its audience the facts regarding what happens and ideally leaves it up to the audience to decide what to do with the information, a soft news story tries instead to entertain or advise the reader. You may have come across newspaper or TV stories that promise "news you can use." Examples might be tips on how to stretch properly before exercising, or what to look for when buying a new computer.
Many such soft news stories as those cover topics such as health tips or gardening tips, exploring television show genres, travel, shopping, yachting or exploring new wines -- topics that are not actually "news" at all, in the sense of things that are currently happening. Other stories deal with something that is happening, but is gradual, rather than tied to a single event -- a new music genre coming into prominence, a shift in tide in the political views of the nation, a new turn in teen attitudes about sexuality, a commonality among political candidates, the returning appeal of the retro styles and memories of a past decade, crazes like Tamagotchis or Furbys, or a common thread among current events that reveals something about the times.
Knowing the difference between hard and soft news helps you develop a sense of how news is covered, and what sorts of stories different news media tend to publish or broadcast. This can be important when you want to write articles or influence the media yourself.
