NEWS RELEASES

Chapter Five

Backbone of Publicity Programs

55-97% Of all news releases sent to media outlets are never used

Getting Your News Release Published Follow the standardized format Provide information that will interest the

audience Recall traditional news values (Ch. 3)

Material must be timely

Value of News Releases

Achieve organizational objectives Cost effective Credible Major source of story ideas for journalists

and bloggers Basis of many news stories

News Release Planning Worksheet What is the subject of the message?

What is the specific focus of this release? Who is this message designed to reach? What is in it for the audience? What goal is the organization pursuing? What do you want to achieve with the

news release? What key messages should the news

release highlight?

Planning a News Release

Complete planning worksheet to develop content and structure

Meet journalistic goal of presenting information objectively

Include key messages Think like a journalist Format

Answers key questions (Who, What, When, Where, Why & How)

Format

Basic Components of News ReleaseNEWS RELEASE COMPONENTS

Letterhead identify organization; may

specify release date Contacts

contact person should be available, accessible and qualified

Headline quick indication of what

release is about Dateline

start of lead graph; city where the release originated

Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

p. 122, Copyright John G. Shedd Aquarium

Figure 5.2 Many organizations use a “news release” letterhead for all media materials. This letterhead, used by the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago to announce a new exhibit, also uses the traditional “For Immediate Release,” but many organizations consider it unnecessary.

The LeadNEWS RELEASE COMPONENTS

The Lead 1-3 sentences on main point of release; should

entice the reader

What to Avoid Cramming too much information Flowery adjectives Technobabble

Guidelines for Writing a LeadNEWS RELEASE COMPONENTS

Use strong, declarative sentences Use 25 words or less for the first

sentence of the lead Minimize use of dependent clauses Don’t start a lead with a preposition Keep length limited to 3-5 lines Rewrite any sentence that is over 3 lines

long

Types of LeadsNEWS RELEASE COMPONENTS

Body of the TextNEWS RELEASE COMPONENTS

The BoilerplateNEWS RELEASE COMPONENTS

Basic background information about the company

Consider including: Market position Aspiration Size Scope of business activity Geographic coverage Company core values

Boilerplate ExampleNEWS RELEASE COMPONENTS

P&G

Traditional News ReleaseFORMATS

Double-spaced, 8 1/2 X 11 page document

Mailed or faxed to media Use 10-12 point, easy to read fonts Don’t split sentences or hyphenate words

at end of sentences Number pages Use slug lines Write “more” to indicate continuation Use “###” to indicate the end

Online News ReleaseFORMATS

Single-spaced copy 200-250 words Subject line in email is most important factor Contact information given at bottom of email Highlighted quotes and embedded pictures Provide contact and URL for additional

information Never send as an attachment

Social Media ReleaseFORMATS

Multimedia news release Social media release (SMR) Search engine optimization (SEO)

Tips for writing Reinforce message using multiple links Place keywords in headlines and first paragraphs Distribute on services that carry hyperlinks to

downstream sites Be judicious with links Use high-resolution multimedia that’s easily

downloadable Choose relevant photos

Miscellaneous Tips & Guidelines Use an interesting and appropriate quote Avoid jargon Use sentence variety Keep paragraphs short and skimmable Write clearly and directly Use active voice Avoid personal pronouns Avoid formulaic writing