Press Releases

A press release is a formal communication that contains some information or other that is deemed to be newsworthy. So, for example, a company that is opening up a new division may send out a press release to the relevant media in their industry. The aim here is to make the press releases interesting enough for a paper or magazine to mention it. This is often used as a way of getting press coverage - the advantage here is that you don't have to pay to get the coverage.

In general terms a press release will follow a specific format which lists who is sending the release, when it can be released and who should be contacted if there are any queries - and, of course, it must contain the actual item(s) of newsworthiness. The way that a press release is sent will often depend on the media in question. Some papers and magazines, for example, will only accept press releases via fax or email whilst others prefer them to be posted.

In most cases a media company will have some kind of press officer or reporter who monitors incoming press releases to see what will be included in an issue. One of the key things to remember with any press release is that an exciting or interesting headline will stand out here and will make it more likely that the press release is actually read in the first place.