Name: OMOREGBE AUSTINE EMMANUEL
MATRIC NUMBER: FSS/21/22/276813
COURSE: MCN217
LEVEL: 200
ASSIGNMENT: QUALITIES OF A GOOD NEWS RELEASE
WHAT IS NEWS?
The concept of news refers to the communication of current events,
information, and stories to the public through various media channels. News
plays a crucial role in informing and educating society about local, national, and
global events that impact people’s lives. It serves as a vital tool for promoting
transparency, accountability, and democratic participation.
The origin of news can be traced back to ancient civilizations, where individuals
disseminated information through oral communication or written records. Over
time, the development of technologies such as printing presses, telegraphs,
radios, televisions, and the internet has revolutionized the way news is gathered,
produced, and distributed.
“News is a form of communication that informs the public of current events,
issues, and trends in society.” (Croteau & Hoynes, 2014)
“News is a cultural production that transforms events and issues into symbols
and narratives that reflect and shape social meaning.” (Fishman, 1980)
WHAT IS A NEWS RELEASE?
A news release according to Darren Richards (n.d) is “a summary of an event or
business development that may be of interest to the media”. It is an official
statement delivered to members of the news media for the purpose of providing
information, creating an official statement, or making an announcement directed
for public release. Press releases are also considered a primary source, meaning
they are original informants for information. A press release is traditionally
composed of nine structural elements, including a headline, dateline,
introduction, body, and other components. Press releases are typically delivered
to news media electronically, ready to use, and often subject to "do not use
before" time, known as a news embargo.
QUALITIES OF A GOOD NEWS RELEASE
1. Clear and Concise headline: The headline should be attention-grabbing
and summarize the main point of the release. The subject line needs to be
short, snappy, and to the point. Most importantly, it should make it
instantly clear what the story is. Leave writing the captivating headlines
to the press — your job as a PR is to explain the story clearly in a few
words and make a reader want to find out more.
2. Quotes: Including quotes from key individuals adds a human element and
credibility to the release. Journalists and editors will want interesting,
high quality quotes from relevant sources, so don’t forget to include these
when writing a press release. As a general rule of thumb, quotations
should provide insight, opinion, and a human touch to the piece. Don’t
use quotes that simply explain facts or repeat the points in the rest of the
press release, and avoid ones that use jargon or technical language.
Instead, pick interesting and accessible quotes that add value for the
reader.
3. Strong Lead Paragraph: The first paragraph should cover the who,
what, where, when, why, and how of the story. The news release should
be written in an easy-to-understand manner. Typically, the first paragraph
is a brief yet captivating summary, explaining the basics of the news you
are sharing. The next two to three paragraphs explain more details and
highlight significant actions, people, or insights from the event.
4. Boilerplate: A brief company or organization description should be
included at the end. The boilerplate is a quick description of the
organisation that gives important background information. By providing
this extra context, you make it more likely that a journalist will pick up
the story. This is usually a standardised paragraph that is included at the
end of a press release.
5. Contact Information: Clear contact details for further information
should be provided. In case journalists want more information not
covered by your release or additional quotes, it’s important to list the
relevant contact information at the end of a press release. This is often
done by writing ‘Ends’ to indicate the end of the release and then adding
below: “For more information, please contact...”. The listed contact
details can be those of the press release writer or of an appointed person
within the organisation. Providing a number is preferable because it
makes it easier for journalists to get in touch quickly about the news
story.
6. Accurate and Factual: All information included in a press release
should be accurate and factual. Avoid making exaggerated or
unsubstantiated claims, as this can damage your credibility.
7. Newsworthy: The overall purpose of a press release is to serve as a
newsworthy article. In order for it to grab the attention of your target
audience, it needs to have a noteworthy angle. Before you dive into
your press release writing, you want to focus on these two factors:
1. Why is this story newsworthy and will my audience care about it?
2. Is this story actually relevant to my target audience?
8. SEO Friendly: Finally, your press release should be written with
SEO and Google’s consistent algorithm updates in mind. These two
factors play a huge role in how marketing departments create and write
content today. Press releases are no different, even if they’re written in a
different style to other marketing content.
REFERENCES
Croteau, D., & Hoynes, W. (2014). Media/Society: Industries, Images, and
Audiences (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Fishman, M. (1980). Manufacturing the News. Austin: the University of Texas
Press.
Richards, D. (N.D). Qualities of a Good News Release.
th
[Link] Accessed on July 4 , 2024.