NEWS RELEASES Comm 260W

Writing a News Release 1. Identify the point you are trying to make – the theme. 2. For whom are you writing – who is the audience? 3. Obtain relevant information to make your point. 4. Decide whether the release will be in the form of a straight news story or a feature. Lead Amplification of Lead Background Secondary Material

News releases are either… Tossed out Used as is (problematically) Rewritten Used as the basis of a story the reporter will develop

News Release Checklist - Form Name of organization distributing the release and its phone, fax and info Contact’s name, phone, fax and info Release date & time Headline, preferably in caps Wide margins 1-2 pages in length Names, addresses and contact info of people willing to be interviewed

News Release Checklist - Content Straight news form; inverted pyramid Human interest Quotations Written for a specific or general audience Sent to specific person at a publication, station, online, etc. Conforms to Associated Press Stylebook guidelines Objective; does not contain the writer’s opinions or judgments; avoids exaggerated claims Double-check for correct spelling of names; accuracy of dates, addresses, contact info, etc. Is newsworthy

Tips for Writing News Releases Performance precedes publicity. Make sure that the event, program, project, person, activity has had or will have an impact. Find a key message and focus there. Avoid jargon. Say it clearly and concisely. Provide quotes. Make sure those quoted are willing to talk to TV and radio reporters who may want pictures and sound with additional quotes. Keep deadlines in mind. Take advantage of slow news days—Monday mornings, long holiday weekends. Thanksgiving to New Year's are generally slow times. Remember the smaller papers. They have small staffs but a big need to fill space. Don't send 500 words when 50 will do. Do your homework. Know the audience. Don't send a release about a flower show to a columnist who writes about music. Not for your eyes only. Let someone you trust review the release for typos and errors. Make sure anyone you mention or quote approves.

Content Tips Here are the guidelines that PRWeb, the free wire service for news releases, suggests writers follow: Is your news "newsworthy"? The purpose of a press release is to inform the world of your news item. Do not use your press release to try and make a sale. A good press release answers all of the "w" questions (who, what, where, when and why), providing the media with useful information about your organization, product, service or event. If you read your press release and it reads like an advertisement, rewrite it. Start strong. Your headline and first paragraph should provide the detail. You have a matter of seconds to grab your reader's attention. Do not blow it with a weak opening. Stick to the facts. Tell the truth. Avoid fluff, embellishments and exaggerations. Pick an angle. Try to make your press release timely. Tie your news to current events or social issues if possible. Make sure your story has a good hook. Use active, not passive voice. Verbs in the active voice bring your press release to life. Beware of jargon. Avoid the hype.

Common Errors Here is a list of common mistakes that new release writers make. It is based on suggestions from Molly Wright of Burson-Marsteller and others: Too long—The release should not be so long that reporters have to spend time digging through it for a news angle. Disorganized—The release should be written in linear form, the body of the release amplifying and buttressing the lead. Headline—Too many words. Lead—Too long. Not on the newsworthy point of the release. Poorly researched—Inadequate background. Misplaced contacts—Contact information is buried in the release. Put on first page, clearly visible. "Remember, it's your job to make the reporter's life easier."