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Notes taken from:Public Relations Writing and Media Techniques

Chapter 5 Reading Notes

1. *A news release creates awareness about ideas, situations, services, and products*
2. The Value of News Releases
   1. Cost Effective
      1. i.      Almost any organization can create and distribute news releases at a nominal cost compared to the cost of buying advertising.
   2. Credibility
      1. i.      Studies consistently show that people consider information in a news story to be much more believable than an advertisement
3. Planning a News Release
   1. Selection of Paper
      1. i.      White paper measuring 8.5×11
   2. 20/24 lb weight
   3. *The use of colored paper for a news release does not get much support from experienced publicist, despite the logic that colored release will stand out from the hundred of releases that pile up in a newsroom.
   4. Spacing and Margins
      1. i.      Double-spacing is the standard for printed news releases
      2. ii.      News releases via e-mail and the Internet are single-spacing
      3. iii.      Standard margins for a printed news release are 2 inches from the top of the page and about 1.5 inches from each side and the bottom of the page.
4. Use Ap Style
   1. Associated Press Stylebook is the standard reference fr writing news releases because most American newspapers use “AP style”
5. Types of News Releases
   1. Announcements
      1. i.      Personnel appointments, promotions, and changes; new products or services; reports of sales, earnings, acquisitions, mergers, events, awards, cntst, policy changes, employment opportunities, anniversaries, price changes, new employees.
   2. Spot announcements
      1. i.      When things due to some outside action or influence happen to an organization
   3. Reaction Stories
      1. i.      When an event or situation has an impact on the organization
      2. ii.      To hitch on to a news event or public issue that, although not directly involving the organization, has some bearing on it.
   4. Bad News
      1. i.      A release giving facts and the organization’s point of view should be drafted immediately
   5. Local News
6. Parts of a Traditional News Release
   1. Letterhead
      1. i.      First page of news release
   2. Contacts
      1. i.      Directly after letterhead
   3. Headline
      1. Appears in boldface and in a slightly larger type than that used in the body of the news release
      2. Purpose is to give an editor or journalist a quick indication of what the news release is about.
      3. Supposed to give the “bottom line,” the most newsworthy aspect of the story. Headlines should be factual, devoid of hype, and to the point.
   4. Dateline
      1. Appears in all capital letters at the start of the lead paragraph
      2. The city where the release originated, plus date
   5. Lead paragraph
      1. The most important part of any release
      2. 1-3 sentences
      3. Give the reader the basic details of the story or entice the reader to read the second paragraph
      4. Types of leads:
         1. Straight summary lead
         2. Informal lead
         3. Feature lead
   6. Body of text