Class 2: Writing for Public Relations

Types of Public Relations Writing

Media Advisory: • Alerts the media to an upcoming event or announcement.• Explicitly calls out who, what, where, and when.

Press Release: • Used for announcements, stories, or results• Quote from expert or company representative.• Full details of announcement and implications.• Includes information about where to learn more

Pitch: • Outreach to a specific journalist based on his or her

interests or beat. Less formal, more personal.

Public Statement: • Used when the public seeks a response or position from you.

Other PR Writing Terms

Boilerplate:Generally a short "about" section, providing independent background on the issuing company, organization, or individual. (source: wikipedia)

Press Kit: A more robust compilation of media materials including bios, testimonials, sources, specs, videos, or other relevant materials.

Interview Brief / Talking Points: Materials to prepare a company representative for an interview - may include key points, background statistics, and/or information about the interviewer.

Embargoed press release / Exclusive:A press release given to a media outlet with legal restrictions as to when the news can be “broken.” Usually embargoed press releases accompany exclusive rights to a story.

Average Journalist

Bored Intern

What makes something Newsworthy?

Timing

Significance

Proximity Prominence

Human Interest

Quirk / Humor

1 2

3 4

1

2

Time for a Break?

Is the Press Release Dead or Alive?

“Far from dying, the press release flourishes. Indeed, a credible survey by the Oriella PR Network shows that nearly 75 percent of journalists questioned – over 750 in 15 countries during May-June 2010 – said they like to receive email press releases if the content is “high quality and well targeted.” -- Neville Hobson

“Press releases are created by committees, edited by lawyers, and then sent out at great expense through Businesswire or PRnewswire to reach the digital and physical trash bins of tens of thousands of journalists.This madness has to end.”

-- Tom Foremski

Dead or alive…

we’ve got some

changes to make.

Emerging themes in PR writing

1. Fewer journalists, and yet, stories travel faster

2. Integration with social media channels, at times, announcement through social media channels first

3. Response time almost nonexistent.

4. Skimmers - diagonal readers.

5. Three kinds of readers.

Shrinking Newsrooms

The U.S. Department of Labor has forecast another 120,000 newspaper layoffs over the next 10 years.

The Boston Globe Cut 50 Newsroom Jobs Last Year.

Increased pressure to be first to report.

Increased pressure to drive click-throughs.

At the same time: stories travel faster

• 24-hour “blackberry” news cycle

• Aggregators

• Blogs

• Twitter

• Comment boxes

OMG THEY’RE TALKING ABOUT US, NOW WHAT?!

When to respond.When not to respond.How to respond effectively.

Shrinking newsroom+

Proliferation of publishing platforms+

24 Hour news cycle and blackberry syndrome+

Social media+

Citizen Journalists and commentators

The fastest, most critical conversation you’ll ever take part in or lead.

…and you must take part.

The New PR -- equation

Writing Assignment

Write a press release based on a new social project that is launching in Allston-Brighton.

Start with WAY TOO MUCH information, whittle it down to the core “newsworthy” story.

Write a traditional press release in the inverted pyramid style.

The MOST critical information: Who, what, where, when, why

Strengthening DetailsQuotes, future information, background

EverythingElse

Components of a traditional press releaseFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

These words should appear at the top left of the page, in upper case. If you don't want the story to be made public yet, write ”EMBARGOED UNTIL ...." instead.

Headline

Just like a headline in a newspaper. Make sure this describes the content of the story.

City, State/Country - Month Day, Year

These details precede the story and orient the reader.

Body

This is where the actual story goes. There should be more than one paragraph, each paragraph no more than a few sentences. if there is more than one page, write "-more-" at the bottom of the page.

Quotes: Insert approved quotes from relevant individuals

Company/organization info (Boilerplate)

Include any background information about the company or organization featuring in this press release.

###

This indicates the end of the press release.

Examples

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2011/08/24Steve-Jobs-Resigns-as-CEO-of-Apple.html

http://supportunitedway.org/press/2011/09/15/doug-flutie-joins-eastern-bank-and-united-way-literacy-breakfast

Components of a media advisoryFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

These words should appear at the top left of the page, in upper case. If you don't want the story to be made public yet, write ”EMBARGOED UNTIL ...." instead.

Headline

Just like a headline in a newspaper. Make sure this describes the content of the story.

City, State/Country - Month Day, Year

These details precede the story and orient the reader.

Who

What

When

Where

Background info/boilerplate

###

Examples

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2011/07/15FY-11-Third-Quarter-Results-Conference-Call.html

http://www.csufresno.edu/ccchhs/documents/CCROPP/medAdvis.pdf