news releases pr 305: dr. kelly winfrey. who gets releases? before you start writing, identify and...
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News ReleasesPR 305: Dr. Kelly Winfrey
Who Gets Releases?
• Before you start writing, identify and understand your target audience. Write about what interests that audience
• News releases are targeted at the news media, so understand them and their readers
• Audiences can be narrow or broad• Cyclists in Ames• Americans that own iPhones
What do They Do?
• Arouse curiosity of reporters
• Draw attention to your client’s message so reporters will write a story, or editors will let the release run
• Used by reporters to supplement existing stories and save the media time, money and effort
What do They Do?
• Part of a client’s strategic public communication campaign
• Help explain an organization’s objectives in a timely, accurate and newsworthy manner
• Ultimate purpose is to inform the public
• Provide public with newsworthy information about your client
How Do the Help?
• Increase credibility of an organization
• Introduce a platform to discuss issues relevant to your client
• Can position client as a credible authority on issues of interest to your client and/or organization
• Spokesperson of an organization becomes a source for news media
Planning the Release
• What is the key message? • Express it in one sentence
• Who is the audience(s) of the release?• Journalists in traditional media, bloggers,
consumers, etc.• Media is usually the gatekeeper for what
information researches the public
• What does the target audience gain?
• What objective is served?
Pitfalls
• Can position client as an unreliable source
• Timeliness is important- past events are taboo
• Language should be directed toward journalists and news directors
• Media style and format
• All information released to the public can be used by parties who claim they have been mislead by an organization’s information
• Hiding the “bad” shows intent to mislead
Libel
• Libel • Legal claims for false statements about a person
group or entity that are printed, broadcast, spoken or otherwise communicated to others
• Don’t send out news releases that make false statements or injure someone's reputation
• Accurate information and delicate choice of words are required• Unflattering comments about competition• Overstep between puffery and factual
representation
Libel
• Clarify facts and clearly indicate opinion
• Opinion statements should be accompanied by the facts that support them
• Statements of opinion should be clearly labeled as such
• Context of language surrounding the expression of opinion should be reviewed for possible legal implications
Style and Form
• Find out how target media deals with releases• Email• Format (software) requirements• Print copy• Publishing work schedule (daily, weekly, bi-
weekly)• Magazines’ schedules do not mirror newspapers
Style
• Consult The Associated Press (AP) Stylebook and Libel Manual
• It will help you deal with names, titles, addresses, stock prices, percentages, meteorological data, years, highway numbers, etc., each with its own style
• Refer to people- AP uses first and last name for first mention then only last name
Style
• Titles- • Can use common abbreviations, “Gen.” or “Sgt” • Spell out long or unfamiliar titles• Short titles go before the name, long titles after
• Sgt. Tyler Smith• John Kerry, Secretary of State
Style
• Numbers• Numbers one through ten are spelled out• 11 or greater are written as numerals• Complex numbers require writer to restructure
sentence.• $12,445,687.90 would become an approximation
such as “over 12 million dollars.”
• Check the stylebook: http://www.apstylebook.com/
• Buy a used copy for cheap
Format
• Above the Headline• Media alert• Editor’s Note
• Not required, but can be useful.• Example: “Jeffery Baker will be available for
interviews at 3:40 p.m. at the Telecommunication Center’s fifth floor studio or after his 8 p.m. lecture in The Great Hall.”
• Insert FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Date• Or Embargoed
• Contact Information- include name, title, phone, fax, email
Headlines
• Need to attract editors’ attention
• Good headlines key into news values
• Usually rewritten
• Contain as many of the 5Ws as possible
• HEADLINE IN ALL CAPS AND/OR BOLD• Subhead includes important supplemental
information not in the headline. (optional)• Headline and subhead font should be larger
than text
Format
• Length is 1 -1 ½ page
• Double spaced
• Type page number and headline on second page in header
• Insert ### at the end
Newsworthiness
• Timeliness- relevance to current events or issues or relatedness to an important event that has just happened
• Magnitude- the degree to which the story or issue has an effect on people (numbers)
• Impact- the effect of the story on public
• Human interest- appeal to readers’ emotions
• Celebrity- involvement of well-known person
• Proximity- has local relevance
• Novelty- angle that makes story unique
Newsworthiness
• Hooks (see p. 140 of PRSG)• Tie-ins with daily news events• Cooperation between organizations• Poll/survey• Speeches• Taking part in a controversy• Special event• Analysis or prediction• Etc…
Announcement Release
• Highlights changes that occur within an organization
• Changes must interest readers
• Internal promotions, new products, upcoming events, new hires and appointments honors, awards, etc.
• Examples:• Greenlee School Hires Two New Professors• Leadership Studies Program to Offer New
Minor
Reaction Release
• Used to counter or respond to something that was said or done within the public domain that has an effect on the organization
• Reactions are incorporated into a related release
• Primary tool for political candidates
• Examples:• Trump Did Not Donate to Planned
Parenthood• Taco Bell’s Meat is USDA Grade A
Spot Announcements
• Written when an external influence or action has an effect on an organization
• The information in the release is related to the organization and is relevant and newsworthy
• Examples:• Volvo Cars Cleanest Sold in U.S.• Clinton Unveils Gun Control Policy
Hometown Release
• Focus on local angle to a bigger news story
• Examples:• Iowa State Grad Appointed Secretary of
Education• Webster City Native Leads Cyclones to
NCAA Basketball Victory
Feature Release
• Offers an alternative news perspective to a larger news story
• Often called “soft news” and are not time sensitive; they usually focus on the human interest side of a larger news story
• Example:• Ames Woman Protests Closing of Mental
Health Facilities
Format
• Includes boilerplate• a paragraph about what your group/org does,
usually about 100 words• Provides snapshot of the group/org• Often inserted at the end of news release and
brochures
Fact Sheets
• Similar to a news release, but in outline form
• To be used as a quick reference tool
• Often more than one sheet (depending on the purpose)
• Each fact sheet has a different purpose and is designed to aid journalists
Fact Sheets
• Types• Summary sheet- about the new characteristics
of a new product or service• Profile sheet- provides one page summary in
bulleted list form that provides facts about an organization, company, or event
News Release Activity
• Each group will be given a news release
• Identify they type of release
• Announcement, spot, reaction, hometown, feature
• What makes it newsworthy?
• What would you include in a corresponding fact sheet?
Assignment 3
• 1 page strategy memo (double spaced)• How do these materials fit with your strategy?
What is their purpose?• Newsworthiness- what is the newsworthy angle• Content- Explain and justify the content of your
news release/fact sheet. What information would you include/exclude? Why?
• News release (1-1 ½ pages double spaced)
• Fact sheet (1 page double spaced)
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