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News Release / Press Release Primer

News Release / Press Release Primer. Bob Griffin New England Institute of Art Summarized from Notes from A Master Class *. News Release / Press Release Primer.

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News Release / Press Release Primer

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  1. News Release / Press Release Primer Bob Griffin New England Institute of Art Summarized from Notes from A Master Class *

  2. News Release / Press Release Primer • The news release (press release) is probably the single most important form of communication between an organization and the media, and, therefore, between the organization and the public. • News releases account for 70% of all communication between PR and editors. • A busy editor may receive from 25 to 50 news releases a day!

  3. News Release / Press Release Primer • Editors generally cite three reasons why they don’t use a news release: • Not interesting; too complicated; boring • Too long; need to re-write; don’t have time • Too commercially oriented; too much like an advertisement

  4. News Release / Press Release Primer To achieve success: • Recognize WHAT is news • Use the proper format • Write effectively Simply stated, news is anything that interests the public.

  5. News Release / Press Release Primer • Basically, almost anything can be news to someone, somewhere. Your job is to determine which news goes where. • Know your target audience; know their reading matter, too.

  6. Since the audience varies and the concept of news varies, it is important to realize that some people and things are ALWAYS news: Progress - Software release Names (celebrity of any kind) Anna Nicole; Paris Hilton Conflict and controversy - Microsoft Lawsuit Disasters - 12/26 Tsunami A significant event “Shuttle Explosion” Novelty - Microsoft Wallet Current Events -Y2K The Future -Almost nothing will guarantee press coverage as well as the future News Guidelines

  7. News Release Format • Your job is to help the editor; give him what he wants is the best possible, ready-to-use format. • Here’s a checklist to get it right the first time: • Who the release is from • Contact name and telephone number • The release date (For release on: ______; For Immediate Release) • Date the release is being mailed • What the story is about: Headline, subhead and two sentence grabber; inverted pyramid

  8. Some mechanical details • Use 8 1/2 by 11 paper only • Double space • Maintain wide margins, left, right and bottom • Use only one side of paper • Leave 1 1/2 to 2 inches between letter head and headline (gives editor room to instruct typesetter) • Use “MORE” bottom of page if more than one page • Use # # # # or * * * * to show end

  9. About the writing. . . • Ask yourself these questions? • What am I trying to communicate? • Why is it news? • Does it make a difference? • Who cares? • What do they care about? • Why do they care? • What is relationship between reader and writer? • Is it timely? • Relevant to the audience? • Significant? • Interesting?

  10. About the writing . . . • Your writing should be clear, concise, interesting, accurate, simple and readable. • The gist of the story should be in the first two sentences. • Which means that the first two sentences should answer the key questions: • What is happening? • Or, is about to happen? • Who is involved? • When is it taking place? • How did it occur? • Where? • Why is it happening?

  11. Unprofessionalism - spelling, grammar, improper format, no contact info, date, titles…. No news - attempt at free advertising Editorializing No “local” angle Lack of enthusiasm Incompleteness - (don’t force the editor to have to call) Complicated writing No photos Unsuitability - the wrong story for the wrong publication A checklist of No-No’s

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