News Advisories & Press Releases

News Advisory

A news advisory is designed to inform a reporter or editor about an upcoming news conference. The advisory should include the date, time, place and purpose of the press conference. If there are any important speakers or visuals, the advisory should mention these as well. The advisory should not tell the whole story or else nobody would bother to come.

Writing the advisory should take about an hour. If should be proofread before being distributed. The advisory should be faxed out 3 to 4 days ahead and then re-faxed the day before the event itself.

Press Release

A press release is the story you would write if you were the reporter covering the event. It is a way to get a clear, concise, standard message across to all interested reporters. It is designed to answer their questions before they are asked. You need to write a press release along with a press conference. Also, you should write the release when something happened that is important, but not visual enough for a press conference.

Drafting a Press Release

• Answer the questions. Who, What, When, Where, and mainly answer the Why.
• Limit use of acronyms and abbreviations
• Always use the active voice.
• Use simple sentences. Limit clauses and detailed accounts within one sentence.
• Double-space the release.
• It should be no longer than two pages.
• Title your release as simply as possible.
• Have someone proofread your work.
• Do not editorialize…nor sensationalize your event.
• The first paragraph is the most important, in that when edited, a release is edited from the bottom up.
• Craft your release with your media message in mind.

Follow up is will make or break your coverage. Call the reporter to whom the release was distributed. Make sure the reporter got it and read it. Answer questions.

Write down responses you get from each reporter. Keep track of what they like or do not like about your release. Look back at your notes before calling them to help you frame your story.

Build a database of media contacts including reporters whom you have built a relationship with, and use this database as your group grows. Update--, as the turnover of reporters is great.

A sample news lease can be found in Appendix i.