News Releases, Newsletters, and Brochures

1
News Releases, Newsletters, and Brochures

• Chapter 14

2
The News Release

• Also still known as press releases, news releases
  are the most commonly used public relations
  tactic
• They date back to Ivy Lee in 1906 (Pennsylvania
  railroad client)
• A news release is a simple document whose primary
  purpose is the dissemination of information to
  mass media such as newspapers, broadcast
  stations, and magazines
• A high percentage of articles in newspapers come
  in some way from news releases
• Up to 50 percent of Wall Street Journal articles
  have news release origins
• 75 percent of journalists said the used PR
  sources for their stories, according to one study

3
Meeting the Media Needs

• The media rely on news releases for many reasons
  
• Reporters and editors today spend more time
  processing info than collecting it
• No media operation has enough staff to cover
  every single event in the community
• Consequently much of the more routine news in a
  newspaper is PR-provided or has PR origins

4
Judging News Releases

• The news media have no obligation to run news
  releases sent them
• Releases are judged solely on newsworthiness,
  timeliness, interest to the readers, and other
  traditional news values
• So to have a chance of being used, releases must
  be formatted correctly, be well written and
  contain accurate and timely information

5
Newsworthy News Releases

• Short succinct headlines and subheads to
  highlight main points and pique interest
• Descriptive and creative words to grab attention
• Avoid hype, exaggeration and over-promotion
• If your company is not a household name, focus on
  the news in headline/lead
• Focus on how your announcement affects industry

• Critique by asking Who cares? Why should
  readers be interested?
• Dont use lame quotes. Write like people speak
  avoid corporatese that editors love to ignore
• Look for creative ways to tie your announcement
  in with current news or trends.
• Follow the AP Stylebook
• Dont expect editors to print entire releaseput
  most important info in first two paragraphs

6
Releases must have direction and purpose
consider these questions as putting one together

• What is the key message?
• Who is the primary audience for the release?
• What does the target audience gain from the
  product, service, event, or distinction?
• What objective does the release serve?
• Is it to increase product sales, to increase
  attendance, to enhance rep?

7
The 5 Ws and H of Journalism

• Who, what, when, where, why and how
• Think like a journalist and write a well-crafted
  news story that answers these basic questions
• Write in inverted pyramid style with a basic
  summary lead, followed by information in
  descending order of importance
• With this formula, editors can evaluate the
  release in the first three or four sentences
• Also, editors cut stories from the bottom
• Also, people often dont read the entire story

8
Writing the release

• Use Associated Press (AP) style
• Be concise
• Avoid clichés, jargon, embellishment,
  exaggeration, gush
• Double-check all information
• Include organization background
  (boilerplate)this is a short graf, a thumbnail
  sketch of what the organization does, makes, is
  about, etc
• Localize whenever possible
• Review Sunkist Take a Stand Release (p.370)

9
Internet News Release Format

• Format and content can be somewhat different for
  emailed and online releases
• An emailed news release, for example, would be
  single-space
• Contact info would be at bottom, not top
• Make subject line specific to what release is
  about
• Entire release should be no more than 200 words,
  in five short paragraphs

• Use bullet points to convey key points
• Never send a news release as an
  attachmentjournalists may not open due to virus
  concerns
• Write like you have 10 seconds to make a point.
  Because online, you do.
• E-releases can be emailed to journalists, posted
  on organizations website page or newsroom, and
  distributed via electronic news services

10
Media Alerts/Media Advisories

• Different in format than news releases
• Media alerts use short, bulleted items rather
  than long paragraphs
• Usually consists of a headline, contact info and
  bulleted Who, What, When, Where
• Media alerts are often accompanied by the more
  formal news release

11
Media kits/Press kits

• These are often prepared for major events and new
  product launches
• Purpose is to give editors and reporters a
  variety of information and resources that make it
  easier for the reporter to write about the topic
• Kit contents news release fact sheet
  background info photos and drawings
  biographical info basic brochures a news
  feature about the product/service

12
Pitch letters

• These are short letters or notes written to
  editors and other media gatekeepers to try to
  grab their attention
• These are more personal, and are addressed to
  specific reporters/editors
• Pitch letters can be mailed, e-mailed, faxed, or
  the pitch can be done in person or on the
  telephone

13
Mat Feature Releases

• Called mat because they were sent in mat or
  camera ready form
• Today, distributed as word docs, jpegs, pdfs, and
  other ways
• The concept of these canned features is to
  provide helpful consumer info and tips about a
  variety of subjects in an informative way,
  mentioning sponsoring group only briefly
• See Purina Pet Care example, p. 375 reads and
  looks like a feature page in a newspaper

14
Distributing media materials

• Mailstill liked by journalists for unsolicited
  PR materials that is not as time sensitive
• Faxstill used when people want to quickly get a
  copy of a document instead of having to download
  it
• E-mailreporter/editor favorite subject line key
• Electronic news services (such as PR Newswire and
  Business Wire)
• Web newsroomsmost major organizations have a
  press or newsroom as part of their websites

15
Newsletters and Magazines

• Typically, a newsletter is four to eight pages
  and printed on 8.5-by-11 paper
• Usually have short articles, few graphics
• Employee newsletters typically report promotions,
  employee/company achievements, upcoming
  events/workshops/training sessions/seminars,
  policy announcements
• Purpose is to make employees feel they are being
  informed of company affairs

16
Company Magazines

• Considered the apex of organizational
  publications
• Are the most expensive, elaborate in terms of
  color, graphics, paper stock and design
• Accentures glossy mag has an annual budget of
  700,000 Boeing spends 500,000 on its quarterly
  magazine
• E-zines are popular online versions that have the
  advantage of instant dissemination of information
  to employees or members via a listserv

17
Brochures (aka pamphlets, leaflets, booklets)

• Are used primarily to give information about an
  organization, product, service
• They are handed out to potential customers,
  placed on info racks, handed out at conferences,
  and generally distributed to anyone who wants
  basic information
• PR people often write brochure content but work
  with designers and printers to make the final
  product