Press Release: Format and Structure

Reading Time: 2 minutes

 

Press release is a written document prepared for the media

• Announces a news story
• 1-3-page document
• Reporters use the information for TV/radio broadcasts, in a newspaper/magazine, or on the media’s website/page.  
• Delivered physically on paper or electronically
• Promote/provide significant and specific information.
• An official statement.
•  It saves time & money.

PRESS RELEASE: EXAMPLES

—  Honours or awards announcement

—  Govt. Department  announcement

—  Product announcement 

—  Research announcement

—  Company Announcement

STRUCTURE OF PRESS RELEASE

https://prowly.com/m/what-is-a-press-release-definition

 

— Four to five paragraphs

— Word limit ranging from 300 to 800.

—  Usually, there are nine structural elements.

NINE STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS

—  1. Letterhead / Logo

—  2. Contact Information – name, phone number, email, mailing address, etc.

—  3. Headline – to grab the attention & summarise the news.

—  4. Deck – A sub-headline to describe the headline.

—  5. Dateline – release date and city of the press release.

—  6. Introduction – first paragraph – that gives answers to who, what, when, where and why.

—  7. Body – explanation, background and other details relevant to the News.

—  8. Boilerplate – a short “about” section of the background of the issuing company, organisation, or individual.

—  9. Close – symbols indicate that the release has ended. It includes – text “ends “,  “-30-“, and “### “.

DISTRIBUTION

• The one who releases information to the media hires agencies to write and distribute written information to the newswires/ news agencies. The newswire/agency disseminates the information to the media.
• Self-published press releases are sent directly to local newspapers or to free and paid distribution services. The distribution service then provides the content to the media.

SAMPLE PRESS RELEASE FORMAT

1. Title and italicised subheading to summarise the News
2. News Location  in the  opening line
3. Two to three paragraphs to add information
4. Bulleted facts or figures
5. Company description at the bottom
6. Contact information and “For Immediate Release” at the Top
7. A “###” at the end

 

 

 

 

 

WORKS CITED

Newsom, Doug, and Jim Hayes. Public Relations: Strategies and Tactics. Pearson, 2021.

Blake, Jennifer, and Janet L. F. Candelora. Writing Effective Press Releases: A Guide for the Media Professional. Writer’s Digest Books, 2019.https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zqt7k7h/revision/3#:~:text=A%20press%20release%20is%20a,people%20like%20politicians%20or%20celebrities.