Media Release Creation Tips

Referring to your release as a “media release” rather than a “press release” expands your opportunity to include the print media and the broadcast media.

  • Create your document with wide margins for editors to write notes: 1.25 inches is recommended
  • Submit your media release no later than two weeks prior to the event

TOP:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (indicate release date if it shouldn’t be run before a specific date)

Contact:

Contact Person: First and Last Name, Title

Company Name:

Telephone Number:

Fax Number:

Email Address:

Web site address

Headline / Sub-headline : Concise but compelling

MIDDLE: Body of Release

CITY, State - Date (release date) and Lead Paragraph

The main theme or message is stated in the first sentence. Any information you include should be directly related to or supportive of that overarching message.

Contains brief who, what, when, where, why, cost, and deadline for reservations:

•Name of the business, club, organization, etc.

•Type of announcement

•Date, time, and location of event

•Cost and/or deadline for reservations

•Contact for more information: name & phone number

Several supporting paragraphs that answer the why, including a quote (or two) from key spokesperson(s) or management

Concluding Paragraph / Call to Action

Brief company History

END:

Use three numbers symbols “###” immediately following the last paragraph to indicate the end of the press release.

If a release becomes longer than one page, do not page break in the middle of a paragraph. Type "-more-", centered at the bottom of the pages preceding the final page. Top of page 2 includes:

•Abbreviated headline

•Remainder of text

•Restate contact information after your last paragraph

•Centered # # # to indicate Press Release is finished

PHOTOS:

Only send out high quality photos and only when they add to your story. If you have high resolution photograph, send them or include the words "photos available upon request" with your information at the top of the first page.

Accompanying photos should be large, high-resolution and clear, not fuzzy or grainy, sent as jpeg attachments. Be sure to identify the people in the photo from left to right AS YOU LOOK AT THE PHOTO. Include the full names of everyone in the photo, name of the photographer, and date and place of the photograph. Photo information can be typed at the end of your press release.

NOTE: Candid, close-up, action shots of a small, representative sample of a group are preferred to posed, lined-up group shots in which each face is miniscule.

People in the picture must have given permission for the photo to be published; minors' parents or guardians must have given permission for minors' photos to be published.

PROOF:

Edit well because you only have one chance to get it right. Perfection is critical and can often be overlooked in the haste to get a release out on time. Confirm correct spellings of names and correctly spelled full names of venues and companies.

Do not rely solely on grammar check and spell check. Ask someone who is good at proofreading to help you. It never hurts to have several people review an announcement to make sure you have not overlooked anything.

CLOSING TIPS:

Your press release may not appear word-for-word even though it may be well composed.

Also remember that the press often cuts from the bottom of a story to fit it into the space available, so be sure that your important points are all at the beginning of your release.

All copy submitted is edited to conform to Associated Press (AP) style rules.

•E-mail submissions pasted into the body of the e-mail using a plain black font, like Times New Roman, size 12

•No borders, backgrounds, clip art, or animated characters

•Single spacing preferred – more fits on the screen that way

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