1

Start Spreading The News

By George McKenzie
Table of Contents
1. Your Mission: To Impress the Press

2. Whats What? News releases, Press Releases, Media Kits and

Pitch Letters? Which Is Which, and Why Does It Matter?

3. Its All About the Audience

11

4. The Players: Whos Who?

14

5. The Rules

25

6. Whats News? Hitting the News Medias Hot Buttons

30

7. Formatting: Dont Be a Blockhead

37

8. Headlines: Its Whats Up Front That Counts

43

9. Diffrent Strokes: Match Your Message to the Medium

46

10. Talk the Talk: Learning the Lingo of the Newsroom

49

11. Bad Language and Bonehead Mistakes

51

12. Timing and Delivery Systems

54

13. Miscellany

57

1. Your Mission
To Impress The Press
Ive spent most of my adult life in broadcasting. As I write this Ive just passed the 30th
anniversary of the day I got my first radio job.
As Ted Baxter of Mary Tyler Moore fame would say, It all started at a 5000 watt radio
station in Indiana, PA
Only this radio station wasnt 5000 watts. It was more like 1000 watts (and probably
only 500 if someone turned on the air conditioning).
Since then Ive worked at four local TV stations, one statewide news network, and about
half-a-dozen radio operations.
And Ive read thousands of news releases.
Im sorry to report, Ive thrown 95 percent of them in the trash within seconds.
I dont feel good about that because I know someone took time and effort to write those
releases. They spent money sending them to me.
But its a fact of life in the news business. Many are sent. Few are kept.

Why Good Releases Are So Rare

Big city news operations receive hundreds of news releases a day. Only a small
percentage ever get into the hands of a reporter, producer, or columnist. Even fewer
result in coverage.
Why?
Well, sheer volume is the most obvious cause. To borrow a theme from a popular
bumper sticker/womens tee shirt:

So many news releases, so little time

But actually, there are a number of other reasons, and theyre just as important:
1) Theyre cumbersome to read poor formatting, small print, etc.
2) Theyre blatant attempts to promote a person or a product.
3) The subject isnt newsworthy.
4) Theyre not suited to the medium theyre sent to.
5) Theyre too long
The majority of news releases that have passed before my eyes over the years fell into
one of the categories above. I would estimate that only 5-10 percent get more than a
quick glance. A few seconds and thats it.
The purpose of this ebook is to show you how to beat those odds.

The Scope of This Ebook

This ebook is about press releases, which are different from media kits and pitch letters.
Ill touch on media kits and pitch letters, but most people who are likely to read this
material wont use them nearly as much as a good old-fashioned press release.
Start Spreading The News is written for people who dont have a public relations
background or extensive experience dealing with the mass media. Im trying to help
small business owners, professionals, consultants and home-based business operators.
These are the people who cant afford an advertising agency or a public relations firm to
spread the news for them.
If you happen to be a professional PR or advertising person, youll probably still find
some things in here you hadnt come across before. But generally, much of this material
wont be new to you especially if you have spent time in the news media yourself.
Im also not going to do much on some relatively new developments in the technological
delivery of press releases: specifically computer/video CDs and so called VNRs or
Video News Releases. Thats a whole separate area, and its way beyond the reach of
most of the folks who are likely to be my customers.
I should also mention that even good news releases sometimes fail to generate a response.
That doesnt necessarily reflect on the quality of the release or the newsworthiness of the
subject matter. It probably just means there was no room for it in a particular media
outlets coverage that day, that week, or even that month.

Let me share a quick story to illustrate how things work

Early in1991, when I was working for KMOL TV in San Antonio, I had lined up a
feature story about a captivating, 90-year-old gentleman who had literally fought in the
trenches in World War I. Despite a hip replacement, he was still very active, and
participated in a weekly bowling league for seniors.
I had worked with the assignment editor at KMOL to get a crew ready to shoot the story
around ten oclock on a weekday morning.
Dozens of this mans relatives and bowling buddies showed up at the center that morning
to see us do his story. His name was Henry.
I got to the site around 9:30. By 10, no crew had arrived. I went to the snack bar to call
the station and find out what had happened (this was before cell phones).
On the way in, I glanced at the TV behind the bar. I understood right away what had
happened.
The ground war in the Gulf was getting underway.
Anything that wasnt hard news was put on hold as the station devoted all its resources
to covering the local impact the war would have on our community.
I had to go back and explain to everyone who came to see us shoot Henrys story that we
wouldnt be able to do it that morning. There was a lot of disappointment.
We did eventually get the feature shot and aired, but it was after the war had ended.
My point is this. Sometimes even great news releases arent productive. It has nothing to
do with the quality of the story youre pitching or the release itself.
But sometimes even a horrid release will get a response. It might just be a slow news
day, or your story might strike a personal chord of some kind with the media decisionmaker. Or the subject matter of the release might just be so timely that it cant be
ignored. Theres just no telling some days.
The important thing is to start working at it. Start putting releases in front of the people
who make decisions.
Start spreading the news.
Theyll start to respond.

1. Whats What?
News releases, press releases, media kits and pitch letters?
Which is which, and what do I need to know about them?

In my training sessions and seminars on how businesses can get free publicity, one
question that almost always comes up is this:
Is a news release the same as a press release?
Generally the answer is yes.
Personally, I prefer to use the term news release instead of press release because
some electronic journalists feel that the word press doesnt reflect 21st century
newsgathering. The generic, collective word press, they believe, is an antiquated term
left over from the days when newspapers (which used a printing press) were the dominant
news medium.
I think its silly and small-minded, but you should be aware that there are some people
around who feel that way.
When youre dealing with the media, though, its just as easy to call it a news release.
Everyone in the business knows it means the same thing.
Ill use them interchangeably throughout the rest of this book.

Whats The Purpose of a Press Release?

The simple answer is (for the purposes of this ebook), to get publicity. I think we can all
agree on that.
But theres a huge misconception about the process.
Most people get all wrapped up talking about themselves, their book, their cause, their
product, their project, or their company.

Those people forget who the real audience is.

Its the journalist to whom theyre sending the release.
MOST OF THE TIME, the one and only purpose of a press release is to motivate that
journalist to tell the world (or at least, their little corner of the world) about you: to do a
story about the subject of the press release.
Thats critical to remember. So critical Ill spend all of Chapter 3 talking about it.

Is a News (Press) Release

The Same Thing As a Media Kit?
Generally, the answer to this one is no.
People often mistakenly use the word press release when they mean media kit. And
then theres something called a pitch letter.
These three things are decidedly different in nature, even though their ultimate purpose is
the same: to persuade the media to give you publicity. Here are some thumbnail
definitions.
Press Release A press or news release is an announcement, or a summary of
information related to an announcement.
A press release implies the question did you know that _________? It then proceeds to
fill in the blank.
There are several different kinds of news releases, but only two are relevant here. And
oh-by-the-way, these are terms Ive made up, so you shouldnt think of them as industry
standards.
Informational Press Release Informational press releases amount to a simple recitation
of facts. The writer presupposes the media is already interested in the event or story, and
is simply providing the journalistic basics: who, what, when, where, why, and how.
Informational press releases are handed out en masse at press conferences. They might
even be faxed or emailed to reporters who couldnt attend a press conference themselves
because they were busy covering another story.
Most large companies post informational news releases on their websites.

For the most part, informational news releases are designed to give the media the
background they need to fill in the necessary (or possibly even unnecessary) facts for
their readers, listeners, or viewers.
They can be single-spaced, in block paragraph form, with a small headline and the
organizations letterhead plastered all over them. Format doesnt matter much because
you dont have to hook the medias attention: its presumed you already have it. And
youre not trying to persuade them to act on the information by providing coverage.
Invitational Press Release As the name implies, youre inviting the media to take some
kind of action on the information provided in the release.
The purpose of an invitational news release is to motivate the media to give you free
airtime on their radio or TV station, or column inches in their publication.
Make no mistake about it. IT IS A SALES PITCH, and therefore the rules are very
different from an informational news release.
Those rules make up the subject matter of most of this book.
There are two kinds of invitational press releases.
Request for Coverage Sometimes youll also see or hear the phrase request for
coverage or RFC on news releases of this type.
These are releases that are designed to tease a journalist, to make them want to find out
more and possibly do a story. An RFC is generally short and focused, and all you want to
do is get someone to say, This sounds interesting. I want to know more about it and my
readers/listeners/viewers would probably like to know out more about it
Youll hear some people swear that press releases of this sort should be double-spaced,
three paragraphs, formatted a certain way, never be longer than one page, etc, etc.
I disagree. A news release should serve the needs of the journalist whos receiving it, and
those needs differ.
For instance, as a radio talk show host, I like lengthier news releases that give me enough
information to do an on-air interview on short notice.
Sometimes a guest will cancel ten minutes before air time. Yes, I know, you should
always have a back-up plan, but sometimes even your back-up plan cancels.
So I want a news release I can pick up from a stack, call the contact, and do an on-air,
live interview three minutes later -- even if I know nothing about the topic.

The other kind of invitational press release is what you might call a ready to use
release. These tend to be extremely helpful to journalists working in small town radio and
weekly newspapers.
They want something they can read on the air or reprint verbatim. They just dont have
time or resources to call someone and develop the story themselves.
So when you hear someone say, you never do this, or you always do that dont
believe it.
Do what works best for the person whos getting the release. Period.
Pitch Letter Like news releases, pitch letters may mean slightly different things to
different people, but heres my take:
Its the first cousin to a news release, with one important difference.
Its an open appeal for coverage directed specifically to one person, and it has a more
personal feel. Its in letter form, so you dont necessarily follow the same rules as you
do in a news release (which, of course, is directed to a mass audience).
You would send a pitch letter to the producers of Oprah, to a beat reporter for a certain
newspaper or publication, to a local sportscaster whom you wanted to do a feature on
youre your childs little league team.
To borrow a clich (mainly because I cant think of a better comparison right now), a
pitch letter is the rifle approach. A news release is the shotgun approach.
Theres an example of a pitch letter in Instant Press Releases. Its part of the jlgonline
critique.
Pitch letters can be extremely productive. But because theyre customized, their scope is
generally limited. You do a pitch letter when youre looking for exposure from one
media outlet, or even more specifically, one person.
Media Kit A media kit is more like an information supplement for media people. It
CAN accompany a news release as part of an appeal for coverage, but its not intended to
sell the media person on giving you coverage. Its more to provide background
information on a person, company or event, and to make the media persons job easier by
providing them with most of what they need for their story. They dont have to research
the subject themselves. Its all there in front of them, provided by the person who wants
coverage.
A expanded bio is okay for a media kit. Company history is good. Information about
credentials, awards, other media coverage youve gotten, etcall these things are fine.

But one big tip here, and again, this is based on my own personal experience.
NEVER put a news release INSIDE the folder of a media kit. It could easily be
overlooked. Make sure the news release is separate and creates attention of its own.
Media kits can also be designed to be put in a file for use later. This is especially true in
the case of anyone who wants to promote themselves as an authority or an expert on a
subject the media might be interested in someday.
Ive seen people and companies spend a fortune producing large, glossy, media kits with
20 pages of information, knock-out graphics, a beautiful folder, and so on and so on. I
suspect folks who send these believe a big, beautiful package will impress the media and
raise their chances of getting coverage.
Its been my experience though, that most media kits wind up in the trash. Few places
have the space to store them.
Your time would probably be better spent putting the same information on your website
and referring the media person to a URL in a release.
However, if you still want to learn how to assemble a boffo media kit inexpensively,
check out Joan Stewarts Special Report #8-Media Kits On A Shoestring: How To
Create Them Without Spending A Bundle
Joan also has an excellent Special Report on how to build an online media room. See
Special Report #22-How To Create An Online Media Room And Keep The Media
Coming Back
Both are available at http://www.get-free-publicity.com/specialreports.htm

10

3. Its All About the Audience

Back in my sportscasting days, Id sometimes get phone calls from viewers asking for
publicity. Theyd say something like,
You ought to do a story about my sons Little League team on your
sportscast. These kids have worked really hard and they deserve some publicity.
or
Our church is having a spaghetti dinner, and ticket sales have been slow. Would
you give it some publicity to help us out?
or (and Im not kidding about this)
My cat is lost. Would you mention it on the air? If I can get some publicity, it
would help me get her back.
These folks grossly misunderstood the mission of the news media.
The news media are in the NEWS business. The news media are not in the PUBLICITY
business.
In other words, the media work for their audience, not for you.
In theory, the news media are supposed to serve the public interest by helping to create an
informed democracy, providing knowledge that every citizen needs to make reasonable
decisions.
In reality, thats not their only mission.
Newspapers, magazines, radio and TV stations are also businesses trying to make a
profit.
To make a profit, they have to sell advertising.
To sell advertising, they have to attract readers, listeners, and viewers. The more of them
they have, the more they can charge for advertising.
What draws readers, listeners, and viewers?

11

Information.
Not just bland, boring, everyday, run-of-the-mill information, but INTERESTING
information. Information you need to know, and information you like to know.
The media are, exactly as their name implies, middle men (or increasingly, middle
women).
Their job is to find interesting information which they can sell to their audience.
I use the word sell because they have to be able to persuade their audience to watch,
listen to, or read the information theyre providing rather than what their competitors are
offering.
They do that by making it MORE interesting, informative, or timely than their
competitors.
Thats the game. Their business is selling interesting, informative, and timely data to the
public.
Their job is to gather the same information thats available to their competitors and
package it in such a way that its more interesting, informative, or timely. Thats what
draws viewers, listeners, and readers.
And thats what creates advertising revenue.
Pretty basic stuff, huh? Well, youd be amazed at how many people have never think of
it that way.
You can tell by the news releases they send. And the telephone calls they make asking
for publicity.
Publicity is a dirty word in the news business.
Despite what many people think of them, journalists tend to think of themselves as highminded and idealistic, watchdogs of the republic, guardians of the First Amendment, and
so on.
They hate to think that theyre being used to publicize something, especially if it
amounts to free advertising for a business or commercial concern of some sort.
But if you can persuade them that you have information their audience needs to know or
wants to know, then thats okay. They dont mind if you get some publicity in the
process, as long as theyve met their professional obligation: to provide their audience
with data thats interesting, informative, or timely.

12

In other words, you have to sell your data to them, so they can sell it to the public.
This concept might seem a little strange to you. You might want to say, Look, facts are
facts. Or I dont want to sensationalize my story to get attention.
Keep this in mind. It was told to me by a TV news consultant more than twenty-five
years ago, and its still true today.
There are no dull stories. Just dull approaches to interesting stories.
In the news business, THATS the name of the game.
I-N-T-E-R-E-S-T-I-N-G.
And for you to get the publicity youre looking for, your approach to the media has to be
I-N-T-E-R-E-S-T-I-N-G.
So your news release has to be I-N-T-E-R-E-S-T-I-N-G.
And thats where a combination of art, science and craft come in. Thats what Im going
to focus on in the material that follows.

13

4. The Players:
MDMs and Other Actors In
The Daily Drama
No matter how well a news release is constructed and written, however, its a waste of
time, effort and money if its never seen by the right people.
But who then are the right people?
They are the Media Decision Makers, the people who make choices about what to cover
and not to cover. From this point forward, Ill refer to them as MDMs.

The Clock Is Always Ticking

Before I tell you who the key players are in the news business, let me tell you about how
they live their daily professional lives.
Heres an example you can probably relate to.
Imagine that you had lunch with an important client or prospect. You thought you had
plenty of time, but the client/prospect got chatty, the restaurant was jammed and service
was slow.
Its now about 1:45 and youre due back at the office for an important 2:00 oclock
meeting. You cant afford to be late. If you hit the traffic lights just right, youll walk
into the conference room right on time.
But you dont hit the first couple of lights just right, and youre starting to sweat.
Then at 1:55, half a mile from the office, you see the blocking arms coming down just as
youre pulling up to a the railroad crossing. A freight train lumbers into view.
Now youre really sweating.
Ever had that feeling? Not fun, huh?
Thats the feeling most people in the news business live with. Not just once in a while
either.
Every day.

14

Unless youve been through it, you cant imagine the gut-wrenching and hand-wringing
that goes on as a deadline approaches and youre battling to get your column written,
your radio report ready, or your TV live shot on the air.
There are constant challenges -Journalistic: Is my information accurate? Have I confirmed it? Is there anything
important Im leaving out? Will my competition have something I dont?
Human: there are other people screwing up their jobs all around you, but you still
have to get yours done as if everything and everyone performed flawlessly. If
you want a great example of what I mean here, go to the end of this chapter for
the story of my interview with former President Gerald Ford.*
Technical: Computers crash, cameras and tape recorders dont work, tires
go flat. Technological advances in newsgathering have been breathtaking since I
got into the business. But one thing hasnt changed: Murphys Law.
Throw all these challenges together, and simply doing your job everyday can get fairly
uncomfortable.
Im not asking for sympathy here. If youre in the business, you know thats how it is
and you accept it. Its part of the job description. It comes with the territory.
Im describing it to you, however, so you know the normal mental state, the mindset of
the people youll be dealing with.
And the mindset is get to the point, tell me what I need to know, and dont waste my
time with anything unnecessary.
When I was doing a weeknight sportscast at KMOL TV in San Antonio, I used to hang a
sign on my office door every night at crunch time, which was the 60 minutes or so
before I went on the air.
The sign read:
If its important, say it fast.
If its not, say it later.
Thats a great rule to remember when youre crafting your news release.

15

Make It Easy On Them, and Youll Make It

Profitable For Yourself
Okay, off the soapbox.
Whether you think I overstated the case or not in the previous few paragraphs, let me
explain how you can use the constant crunch time mindset to your advantage.
You do it by constructing your news release in a way that makes it easy for a news
decision maker to figure out, almost instantly, if its worthy of attention.
In other words, you make their job easy for them.
Knowing that journalists almost always feel like theyre in a hurry, even when theyre
really not (its amazing how living with deadlines does that to you), you do them a great
favor by keeping things delightfully simple, short, and clear.
Believe me, they appreciate it.
Ill show you how to do that in your news release in subsequent chapters. For now, just
understand that its extremely important to respect their time. And being respectful of
their time means getting to the point fast, and making sure the point is relevant.
That said, lets go over some job descriptions of people youll be dealing with.
They go by different names in different places, so from now on Ill collectively refer to
them as MDMs Media Decision Makers.

Whos In Charge?
Producing a newscast, a radio show, a newspaper or a magazine resembles putting on a
stage production. The actors do their jobs in front of the audience, and they get nearly all
the glory and much of the money.
But behind the scenes, someone else is really calling the shots. Namely, the director and
the producer.
Its pretty much the same in the news business.

16

The folks you see on screen, the people whose voices you hear on radio, the writers
whose names appear in bylines beneath the headlines often have little to do with
deciding what gets covered. Generally its pointless to direct your efforts to them (there
are exceptions, though, which Ill cover below).
The real power is usually in the hands of people who work quietly and often
anonymously.
These are the people you want to get to know.
Ill spend more time in the chapters that follow on how to pitch, but for now lets just
look at some basic job titles of people youre likely to meet as you market yourself to the
media.
Before I do though, one suggestion.
Its never a bad idea to call the main switchboard at any news outlet and gather some
intelligence. Just ask the simple question.
If I wanted to suggest that someone cover a story about ______, whom should I talk to?
Dont forget to make sure you ask for a correct spelling and pronunciation of that
persons name.

Evening TV News
The assignment editor I compare the assignment editor of a TV newsroom to a hockey
goalie whos trying to watch fifteen players and three pucks coming down ice at him all
at once (I know this doesnt happen in hockey, but if it did the goalie would know what
the assignment editor is up against on a daily basis).
The assignment editor generally sits behind a huge desk, somewhere near a bank of
police, fire, and emergency scanners which he/she listens to at all times.
The assignment editor also receives dozens (some in bigger cities even get hundreds) of
news releases, faxes, email and phone calls from people requesting coverage.
He/she also decides which stories will be covered by which reporter/photographer crews,
coordinates their movements, handles equipment/vehicle malfunctions, and listens to
whining staffers complaining that they missed lunch because of breaking news.

17

I mention all these things not because I think you should feel pity for assignment editors,
but because its important to understand their state of mindwhich is generally just short
of frenzy.
Unless youve developed a personal or professional relationship with a reporter/anchor
(more on that in the next chapter), the assignment editor is THE person you need to know
to have any chance of getting air time during an evening newscast.
Producer While the assignment editor decides which stories get covered, the producer
decides which stories get on the air, and for how long.
The producer is the person who puts together a newscast, or a segment of a newscast.
He/she decides how much airtime each story will get, writes some or all of the copy that
the anchors read, and physically keeps track of time while the show is in progress on the
air.
While producers have a great deal of say about whether a story makes it into a newscast
or not, you wont have much contact with them.
If you saw the movie Broadcast News, you might remember the Holly Hunter role.
She was a producer.
There are also associate producers who help with newscast production.
Executive Producer. This position goes by different names in different placesit might
be called the assistant news director or something else.
Basically, this person is second-in-command in the newsroom, overseeing day-to-day
operations and also performing some executive/administrative duties.
As a coverage-seeker, you normally wont have much contact with the executive
producer. But since the E-P. often presides over daily meetings where decisions are
made about coverage priorities, they can have an impact on your success or lack of it.
News Director or News Manager This is the department head, and like department
heads in just about any company, they spend most of their time budgeting, hiring, firing,
negotiating salaries and doing other generic executive duties.
Theres very little reason for you to get the know the news director. In fact, any attempt
to go through the news director (instead of the assignment editor) to get a story on the air
can result in hard feelings and a definite lack of success far into the future.
Anchors Having a local TV anchor championing a cause for you can be a powerful tool
for getting free publicity. But just sending a letter to one asking for their station to come
out and cover an event will probably be counter productive.

18

News anchors tend to get a lot of mail (some of which is unkind and extremely
unpleasant), and yours might sit on the desk for days before anyone gets around to
reading it. In fact, it may never be read at all.
Bottom line: unless you already have a personal relationship with a high profile news
person, dont start your publicity campaign by contacting them.
However, there are other people at TV stations, radio stations, and newspapers who
would be happy to hear from you.
Reporters God bless reporters. They dont make much money, they dont get much of
the glory, and they generally work long hours under withering deadline pressure.
But heres the most important thing to remember about reporters if you want to get free
publicity:
Very often, theyre responsible for coming up with their own story ideas. This is called
enterprising.
One of the things I used to look for when I was hiring reporters says former TV news
exec Frank Guerra, was their ability to enterprise.
This is where you can become the reporters best friendand get a bonanza of free
publicity for yourself.
For the sake of convenience, Im going to group newspaper columnists with reporters in
this discussion (this may bother some columnists but I hope theyll forgive me).
Im also going to group print reporters with broadcast reporters (this will REALLY
bother some print reporters, but I hope theyll also forgive me).
Im going to talk about anyone who loosely fits the description of beat reporter.
Anyone whos responsible for staying-current-with-and-reporting-on a certain topic like
technology, business, crime, government, health, travel, consumer affairs, etc.
And lets not forget the real heroes of everyday journalism: the general assignment
reporters and feature reporters.
While everyone I just mentioned sometimes gets assigned to cover certain stories, very
often they find themselves responsible for coming up with their own ideas. This is where
your opportunity lies.
Theres a chapter in my other ebook, Going Public, that covers working with reporters.

19

Im not going to go into a great deal of depth here though, because the best way to get a
reporters attention is through a personal pitch letter. So its outside the main focus of
this ebook.
If youd like to read an article about it though, go to our website at
http://www.get-free-publicity.com/articlelist.htm and click on the article entitled To Get
Free Publicity, Talk To The New Kid On The Block.

TV Morning News/TV Talk Shows

And/Or Magazine Shows
The decision making hierarchy for these shows tends to differ somewhat from evening
news programs.
The producer plays more of an important role, often combining producer duties and
assignment editor duties.
For example, if you wanted to get coverage on any of these programs, youd probably be
better off writing directly to the producer.
Like the assignment editor, their job is to find interesting stories and interesting guests,
and then prepare both the guest and the host for their on-air meeting.
The producer also screens guests to make sure theyll be engaging on the air.
Whenever you have a conversation with a talk show producer about a possible
appearance, remember: YOURE BEING AUDITIONED. Talk to the producer the way
youd talk to the viewing audience during an appearance. Never, never, NEVER brush
off a producer thinking youll save your most charismatic moments for the host.
If you underestimate or minimize the role of the producer, youll never find yourself
sitting across the table from the host.
Host The hosts role varies from station to station, and from host to host.
Some hosts are mainly interested in looking good and sounding smart, but they dont
really take much of an active role in selecting guests or planning the show.
Others want total control.
Your best bet in one of these softer programs is to start with the producer and then try
to build a relationship with both the producer and the host.

20

See Chapter 10 of my ebook Going Public for more on ways to build those relationships.

Radio
In big city radio news operations, the job descriptions roughly parallel the TV job
descriptions.
Talk show producer. In general, this persons job is much like that of the TV
talk/magazine show producer.
He/she will look for topics that are timely and interesting, research them, find engaging
guests or experts to discuss them, set interview schedules, confirm interviews, and
finally, make sure the guest is in the studio or on the line at air time.
He/she will also sort through snail mail, email, faxes, and phone pitches, and decide
what to toss, what to put away for future reference, and what to put in the line-up for
airing in the next few days.
The producer usually also provides background material and even possibly a list of
suggested topics or questions for the host.
Once again, the producer is the one who auditions prospective guests--although most of
the time, prospective guests dont realize theyre being auditioned. From the first
moment youre talking to a producer on the phone, that producer is evaluating you for
subject knowledge and communications skills.
Host At many radio stations, especially those located in smaller cities, the host and the
producer are the same person. Again, its generally easy to find this out by calling the
switchboard and simply asking.
Hosts have different styles. Some may want to talk to you by phone before a day or so
before airtime. Others dont want to talk to you at all until youre in the studio.
Call screener If the show offers live phone in questions, there will also be a call
screener who answers the phones, asks the caller what subject theyd like to discuss, and
makes a quick judgment on who to put on the air next.
The screener generally sits in a separate room next to the studio, and is visible to the host
through a large window. The screener communicates with the host in a number of
different ways: via a computer screen, by writing on a slate and holding it up for the
host to see.

21

Sometimes the producer doubles as call screener. Sometimes, in smaller markets, the
host answers the phones cold without a screenerbut this is extremely rare.

Whos More Important To Pitch?

If youve never been on a particular program before, I believe the producer is really the
key contact and the person you should start to build up a relationship with.
However, producers change jobs much more often than hosts, so in the long run, you
should really work hard on making yourself useful to the host. Ultimately, its their
showand while a producer does a lot of the grunt work, the host has a lot of say.
If the host likes you, youll get a lot of air time.

Print Media
Editor The important thing to remember about the job title editor is this: the job
description which accompanies the title generally depends on the size of the publication.
Youd be wasting your time pitching a story to the editor of the New York Times.
But pitching the editor of a small town weekly is a different story.
Its a judgment call, and requires some intelligent research on your part.
Generally, its counter-productive to start by contacting a newspaper editor because
theyre department heads. Like a news director at a TV station, their duties tend to be
more executive than editorial.
Joan Stewart, a former newspaper editor herself, says Editor Sally Smith is probably tied
up arguing with the publisher about budgets. She probably has nine performance reviews
due by the end of the day and she doesnt have time to hear pitches.
Generally, youll do much better sending a release or a pitch letter to reporters and
columnists.
Reporter and Columnists These are the lifeblood of almost any print publication.
Sometimes, they write about people or topics that are assigned to them. Sometimes they

22

enterprise a story, meaning they develop a topic or idea themselves. Therefore, theyre
the exceptions I mentioned above, because they often have a little more license to
choose what they want to write about.
.
If you want publicity from a reporter or columnist though, its best to send a pitch letter.
Its definitely more effective.

Relationships Matter, But

As I wrote in Chapter 4 of Going Public, the most powerful and productive way to
generate free publicity is through long-term, professional relationships with the people
Ive described.
But even a novice with no journalism background or public relations experience can get
an amazing amount of media coverage with a single well-written news release.
As long as you follow certain rules.
The medias rules.
And thats what the next chapter is about. But first

*My Gerald Ford Story

The following story is purely a personal aside. I think it has some value because, again, it
speaks to the mindset and mentality of people youll be sending news releases to. I hope
youll take a moment to read it, even though it doesnt really have anything to do with the
nuts and bolts that go into writing a release.
In 1983, former President Gerald Ford delighted officials of the Texas Open Golf
Tournament in San Antonio by playing in the Pro-Am (Ill skip all the one-liners about
Mr. Fords lack of playing ability: spectators showing up in hard hats and Secret Service
Agents getting hazardous duty pay).
Everyone in the media wanted to have a chance to interview the former President, of
course, but he was on such a tight schedule that no news conference was planned.
Anyone who wanted to talk to him would have catch him on the fly as he came off the
course after finishing his round.

23

I was covering the tournament for KMOL TV, and I was scheduled to do a live report
from the scene at 6:18 PM.
At 6:00 PM straight up, Mr. Ford was walking up the fairway on the 18th, and I starting to
worry.
I was the only reporter there from the station, and I only had one camera operator
available to try for an interview. Several others were still on the course covering other
golfers.
That meant if I was going to get anything on the air, I would have to catch the President
as he walked from the 18th green to his limo in the parking lot. That was the only
window of opportunity.
He putted out at around 6:05 and began the walk to the parking lot. A gaggle of folks
with cameras, microphones, and notepads surrounded him.
The mass interview went smoothly. I grabbed the tape from the photographer, and took
off toward our live truck, which would feed the tape to the station for quick editing. I
would have a sound bite in my live shot at 6:18. I looked at my watch.
It was 6:11.
I had to cover about two hundred yards of ground, hand the tape to the live truck
operator, get on the two way radio (again, no cell phones back then), tell the sports
producer back at the station which sound bite to grab, take a deep breath, and be calm,
cool, and smiling at the camera when the red light went on seven minutes later.
My heart was racing, and not just because I was walking as fast as I could.
My path took me back past the 18th green, where there was still a crowd gathered
watching some of the other golfers finish up. As I strode down the asphalt path, a hand
suddenly reached out from the crowd, grabbed me by the elbow, and literally swung me
around.
I was face to face with a woman some folks would describe as a blue haired little old
lady. Only she wasnt so little.
She had this big friendly smile and she said, Well, well, well, if it isnt Mr. George
McKenzie from Channel Four. Ive always wanted to talk to you. Now listen. Tell me
this
I was stunned, and even though Id been in the TV business nearly ten years by then, I
didnt handle it well.

24

I stammered, Maam, I cant talk to you right now

Her eyes narrowed and the smile disappeared.
Why you arrogant S.O.B she hissed, only she didnt use the initials S.O.B., and she
hissed loud enough to turn the heads of golfers on the 18th.
Joe Fowler (my competitor on another local station) was just here, and HE talked to me.
But I guess YOURE too important.
In fact, Joes station didnt have a 6:00 oclock newscast so he had plenty of time to
converse.
I didnt even have time to explain. Maam, Ive gotta go, I said, and hustled off in the
direction of the live truck
The live shot went fine. I felt horrible about the misunderstanding, and I went back to the
18th after I got off the air to try to apologize and explain to the woman why I couldnt
stop. Unfortunately, she was gone.
The point of the whole story is this.
News professionals deal with deadline pressure most people never face and cant possibly
even imagine. The feeling that the clock is always ticking never leaves you. I havent
done live TV news since April of 2000, and I even now still get nervous when I
experience any kind of unexpected delay. After 30 years in the business, Im just wired
that way.
As you send your news releases to people in the media, keep that in mind. Nothing will
hurt your chances of getting publicity from them excuse me, of getting coverage from
them as the impression that youre wasting their time with non-essential stuff.
In other words
If its important, say it fast. If its not, say it later.

25

5. The Rules:
How the Game Is Played
Before you can play the game, naturally, you have to make the team.
Whether youre trying to win a position on an amateur baseball club, auditioning for a
part in a play, or interviewing for a job, you have to prove to someone that you know how
the game is played, and what the rules are.
Thats what this chapter is all about. Playing the game by the rules.
Understand clearly that the folks in the media own the ball. If you dont want to do it
their way, its not them who goes home. Its you.
So youll understand a little better how the rules work, let me explain how most
newsrooms operate.
Suppose you have a story you think is worthy of media exposure. So you print up
something about it and send it to, for instance, a large metropolitan TV station.
The release arrives in the mailroom and gets sent to the newsroom along with dozens,
possibly even hundreds of others. The envelope will be opened, and the release stacked
in a pile for review.
Who reviews them?
Again, it depends on the size of the operation. In really big news departments, this chore
may be assigned to a screener. Believe it or not, this is actually someone with limited
experience in the news business: a part timer, an intern, a new hire just out of J-school
(Journalism School).
Or your release may go directly to the assignment editor (known as the assignment
manager in some places).
Regardless of the status of the screener, they know the rules well enough to be entrusted
with the first in a series of judgements that will determine your success or failure in
getting your story on the air.
Think of each of these judgments as a test you must pass to make the team. A tryout or
audition, if you like.
Fail these tests and your news release goes in the trash. You get no coverage.
Ill describe each test in the order that it usually occurs.

26

Instant Eyeball Test

The screener takes a quick glance at the overall appearance of the release.
Does it have a catchy headline, or is the top of the page crowded with unnecessary
information or big graphics (like PR agency/company logos)?
Is it readable? Does it look cramped, with block paragraphs that suck up most of the
white space? Will the screener have to search through a lot of print on the page to figure
out whats newsworthy?
Is there any bold print emphasizing important points?
And maybe the biggest factor of all: can he/she figure out in five seconds or less what
this release is about, and what action the writer would like the news operation to take in
response?
Flunking the instant eyeball test doesnt mean the release will immediately drop into the
trash can. But if the release is poorly formatted, its definitely a strike against you.
See Chapter 7 for more details.

Headline Test
If youve just flunked the instant eyeball test, youll probably still get a chance to redeem
yourself by offering a great headline.
In my opinion, this is the most important part of the release.
Give the screener a catchy, attention-grabbing, interest-provoking headline, and the battle
is half won.
See Chapter 8 for more on this critical component.

27

Hot Button Test

The next question in the screeners mind relates to the subject of the release. Actually,
there are probably several questions running through the screeners mind simultaneously:
*Is it information people need to know, or would like to know?
*How much of a potential audience is there for this information?
In other words, how newsworthy is it?
There are certain universal themes, story lines, and angles that make something
newsworthy. I call them news hot buttons.
See Chapter 6 for a lot more detail on these hot buttons.

Medium Matching
The first question you should ask yourself is Whos going to be reading this, and what
do they need to know from me?
Very few people take the time to customize a release to the medium theyre pitching, but
those who do tend to be more successful.
The first thing everyones looking for is a hot button something newsworthy.
After that, the decision-maker looks for opportunities that are characteristic of their
medium.
TV news wants visuals of people doing something.
TV/radio talk or magazine shows look for engaging guests to interview or topics to
discuss at some length.
Newspapers and magazines look for depth.

28

Perspective
Perspective answers the question What angle has this news release been written
from?
Sometimes its obviously written from the perspective of someone who wants to sell a
product. They talk mainly about that product or their company, and they offer little or no
news value.
Remember, a news release is supposed to be about n-e-w-s. It should read like an
announcement, not a promotional flyer or ad copy.
Occasionally a news release is written from the perspective of someone who wants to pat
themselves on the back. Its the kind of self-glorification that you see in annual reports.
These news releases come off as boastful and self-serving, and usually offer little of
interest to journalists.
The best news releases are those written with the medias audience in mind.
They say to the MDM, Heres something you can offer your viewers/listeners/readers
that will hold their interest.
News releases written from those perspectives are the ones that get attention and
coverage.
To learn more about perspective, see the critiques in Instant Press Releases.

29

6. News Value
Your Release HAS To Have It
No doubt youve heard the classic analogy that explains the nature of news.
When dog bites man, its not news.
When man bites dog, its news.
Its a massive oversimplification, but its essentially correct. Anything thats out of the
ordinary, or the opposite of what you expect, is inherently interesting.
But theres another element that is also extremely important: relevance.
As I mentioned earlier, anyone whos screening news releases automatically asks this
question:
How many people need to know, or would like to know this information?
The information has to have some value to the audience. Someone screening a news
release always wants to know, as quickly as possible, Wheres the news value in this?
As one of my former news directors once told me, Take the viewers perspective on
every story. The viewer, consciously or sub-consciously, always wants to know Whats
it to me? and Why should I care?
I taped a small piece of paper to my typewriter (back in the days before word processors)
with these initials on it:
W.I.T.M? (Whats It To Me?)
W.S.I.C? (Why Should I Care?)
Pretend that youre a reader, listener, or viewer. Ask yourself those questions whenever
youre writing a news release.
But right now you might be thinking, Well, then Ive got a problem. Id like to get some
publicity for my childs Little League team, our churchs spaghetti dinner, or even a lost
pet. Not much news value in those. Does that mean Im out of luck?
Not at all.
Ill remind you once again of the advice I got from that consultant early in my TV career.

30

There are no dull stories. Just dull approaches to interesting stories.

The key is to find a way to make your dull story more interesting. In other words,
more newsworthy.
GIVE IT some news value.
And there are ways to do that.

Hot Buttons:
Universal News Themes, Story Lines,
Hooks, Angles and Tie-ins
Its conventional wisdom in the news business that certain things are automatic attentiongetters. Theyre universal themes, story lines, hooks, angles, and tie-ins.
I call them news hot buttons.
Construct your news release so that it punches one or more of these hot buttons, and
youre on your way to thousands maybe even millions of dollars worth of free
publicity.
The definitions that follow are among the most common, but its certainly not allinclusive. Theres always room for creativity.
Beating the Odds Any story about someone who has accomplished the unlikely is
inherently interesting. A story about someone whos attempting to accomplish something
unlikely is also interesting, as long as its not totally ridiculous. E.G. Sending a news
release about your client who plans to shoot himself out of a cannon and land on the
moon will get tossed in the trash.
Celebrities This ones pretty obvious. If we werent naturally interested in movie stars
and sports heroes, there wouldnt be racks full of magazines and tabloids dedicated to
them. Anything that has to do with a celebrity automatically gets media attention.
Civic & Charity Connected News people generally want to project the image that
theyre concerned citizens with a social conscience. Therefore they look for stories about
civic involvement and/or charity events.
See the Barrow news release in Instant Press Releases for an example

31

Contests Everyone does Halloween costume contests, but you can be imaginative and
creative at other times of the year. Example: if you owned a restaurant, you could ask
your customers to submit stories about their biggest holiday meal disasters, with the
winners (pick more than one) getting a free family dinner at your place. Circulate a news
release to the media with an invitation to come to your location the night the winners will
be there.
For a terrific resource on how to attract media attention with contests, get Joan Stewarts
Special Report #18-Clever Contests That Will Tempt Reporters To Call
http://www.get-free-publicity.com/specialreports.htm
Controversy Again, its conventional wisdom in the news business that heat sells better
than light. In other words, controversy gets nearly everyones attention.
Conspiracy Theory As the guardians of the common good, news people are always on
the lookout for scams, con games, and conspiracies aimed at the public. If you can
make even a relatively reasonable case that somebodys out to take advantage of
somebody else, youll probably be able to get the medias attentionespecially if its
somebody big trying to stick it to somebody small.
See the Low Fat Conspiracy release in Instant Press Releases as an example.
David vs. Goliath Everyone roots for the underdog, so stories of this sort are a gimme.
There doesnt even have to be an element of conflict as long as you show how the
little guy, working alone or with minimal resources, has accomplished something the
big guys with lots of money and power couldnt figure out how to do.
See the CrystalPort release in Instant Press Releases as an example.
Fighting City Hall Weve also heard the phrase, You cant fight City Hall. But some
people try, and some even succeed. They make interesting stories.
Again though, the fight has to have some basis in reality. There are a lot of kooks
running around claiming all sorts of bizarre stuff about their government, and they love to
share their fantasies with folks in the media. So if youre going to use this approach, be
prepared to demonstrate youre not just a crackpot.
Follow-Ups Everyone likes where are they now stories, right? Thats one type of
follow-up, but there are several others. Basically a follow-up is a technique of adding
new information to something thats already been in the news. For instance, if some
people in your area lost their homes due to flooding, the local newspaper might want to
do a follow-up story a few months later telling how those people have been managing.
God & Country Many people are religious and patriotic. Anything that touches on
these subjects tends to get attention. But because theyre such emotional issues, you
really have to be careful how you use them when approaching the media. Dont be crass.

32

Health and Medical Issues Almost every TV newscast, almost every newspaper does at
least one story related to health and medicine every day.
See the ClimaCool critique for an example of how to use this hot button in a release
Holiday Tie-Ins Stories about firecracker safety on the Fourth of July, how to bake a
better Thanksgiving turkey, gift shopping at Christmas time etc.
For a deeper treatment of this subject get Joan Stewarts Special Report #14-How To
Piggyback Your Stories Onto Holidays And Anniversaries at
http://www.get-free-publicity.com/specialreports.htm
Human Interest Everyone loves a good story. Nuff said.
Kids & Animals Weve all heard that cute kids and talking dogs are a tough act to
follow. Pets and kids are inherently interesting to people.
Local Angle If you can offer a local twist on a national story. If you see something on
the Today Show that touches on your area of expertise, send a quick news release to the
NBC affiliate in your town and offer them a "local angle" on the story.
Lost Opportunities These are stories that tell people theyre missing out on something.
People like to learn about anything that makes life more convenient, interesting,
rewarding, financially secure etc.
See the Fidelity release for an example
Milestones, Firsts, and Record Breaking Events These are so obvious, I dont think I
need to do anything other than mention them.
Money and Financial or Pocketbook Issues Another gimme, like health, human
interest stories and milestones.
See the Fidelity and stocksatbottom releases as examples
Myth Busting Information that debunks a myth or flies in the face of conventional
wisdom will raise eyebrows and get attention. When you can get talk show hosts
and reporters to say, "Wow. I had no idea" theyll be standing in line to tell your story.
The Low Fat Conspiracy critique also demonstrates this principle
Piggy-Backing This is a tie-in to a story already in the news. For instance, when the
movie Pearl Harbor was released, there were numerous stories in the media about
veterans who were there when it happened. Similarly, when floods devastated South
Texas in July of 2002, local media folks piggy-backed with stories about flood
insurance.

33

Polls and Surveys Conduct a survey among your customers, and offer the results to the
media. Even surveys asking basic questions like "Whats the number one reason youll
stop patronizing a restaurant?" can turn into a filler story on a slow news day. Write and
circulate a news release detailing the results.
See the Fidelity Critique for an example of how to use a survey
Technology Got a great new gizmo that will help speed up service or make life
more convenient for your customers? Let the local media know about it, and offer to
show them how it works. Example: when some restaurants started taking to-go
orders by email.
Because youre in the business, some technological changes may seem basic and
everyday to you, but they have a gee whiz quality to consumers and reporters.
So its often worth a news release to your local media.
See the CrystalPort release
Tip Lists David Letterman made the idea of a "Top Ten" list famous, and you can get
attention by offering the media some lists of your own. Unlike Letterman they dont have
to be funny, but they should be interesting, relevant, timely, and if possible, attentiongrabbing. For instance, a restaurant might offer: "Five Ways To Make Em Love Turkey
Leftovers." A cleaning company or maid service can provide "Five Reasons Why There
Are More Germs In Your Kitchen Than In Your Bathroom."
See the ClimaCool and Red Cross/SeaWorld critiques for some additional insights
Also get Joan Stewarts Special Report #16-How To Write Tips Sheets That Catch The
Media's Attention at http://www.get-free-publicity.com/specialreports.htm
Travel Lots of people are doing it, especially in summer.
See the Rail Travel Center critique
Trends or Signs Of The Times Stories These often overlap with stories about new
technology. Theyre examples of trends and innovations. For instance: when my wife
opened one of the first Subway Sandwich Shops located inside a convenience store, we
were sure to put out a news release to local newspapers and TV stations. The San
Antonio Business Journal responded by doing a front page story, including a color picture
of our location. Buying the same amount of advertising space in the Journal would have
cost about eight thousands dollars.
Vanity A powerful human emotion and therefore a possible source of stories. Anything
that helps people look better or feel smarter creates interest.
Weather It affects just about everybody, just about every day. Therefore it can be
newsworthy. This category would also include seasonal and climate-related stories.

34

Whoas and Over the top stuff If this kind of story didnt get attention, the circus
would have gone out of business long ago. It doesnt have to be weird, but anything thats
unusual or eye-popping will work.
Again, see the Barrow news release for an example of this sort of possibility.

Caution: Hot Buttons Are Often In The

Eye of the Beholder
Have you ever sat in front of your TV, watching a local newscast, and said to yourself, I
dont like that news anchor. Theres just something about him/her that bothers me.
Most of the time, it has nothing to do with that persons professional qualifications or
congeniality. You just dont like their looks, their voice, or the way they raise an eyebrow
when they say certain words. Or maybe they remind you of a high school classmate you
disliked.
Thats called a subjective judgment, right?
In a sense, that happens with news judgment too. You may send a news release to one
place and it goes in the trash. The same release goes to another place and they nearly trip
on themselves trying to get you on camera.
Subjective judgment. Period.
Ive sat in TV break rooms where three or four other reporters gathered to watch their
competitions newscasts. Theyd debate at length whether a particular story should have
been first in the newscast, or really belonged somewhere after the first commercial. They
pick apart each others writing styles, and fuss over the way someone spent too much
time talking about one part of the story and not enough talking about another.
Its all about human nature and subjective judgment. The news business is as much art as
science, and therefore, everyones opinion is as good as anyone elses.
So dont waste a lot of time and energy feeling good about the success of one news
release or feeling bad about the failure of another. Use the experience to learn anything
you think might be useful, and get to work cranking out other releases.
Stick as best you can to the principles Im writing about in this book. Dont be afraid to
take a chance. Dont sweat bullets over small stuff in your release, and dont fret about
splitting semantic hairs.

35

Most important of all, just keep getting your ideas in front of people.
Keep pushing those hot buttons.
Success will come.

36

7. Formatting: Dont Be A Blockhead

I believe it was Mark Twain who said, It takes about three weeks to write a good
impromptu speech.
Writing a good news release is much the same.
A well-written release looks like it could have been dashed off in a few minutes. But in
fact, it sometimes takes thought, creativity, and ability to work within accepted
guidelines.
But the most important rule is this: do whatever works.
The second most important rule is: keep at it until you figure out what works.
Meanwhile, though, here are a few generally accepted basics.

Crafting Your Release

Pages Some people and theyre people I respect, too insist that you MUST keep your
release down to one page. I dont live by the rule. Content and relevance are more
important.
If youre trying to get a story on a TV newscast, one page is probably best. But if youre
shooting for a guest spot on a talk show TV or radio two pages is okay.
Ive never known anyone who automatically tossed a release out just because it was
longer than one page.
Spacing The headline should be single-spaced. Double-spaced is best for the rest,
although Ive found that 1.5 spacing is okay. Personally, I think single spacing is all right
in a pinch, as long as the release is otherwise formatted in a way that makes it easy to
spot the news value in it.
Print The headline should be big enough to stand out from the rest of the release. Bold
print is fine. Im not big on underlining, but thats probably just subjective.
In the body of the release: most people will tell you 12-point print is about as small as
you can go. I believe 11-point is okay as long as there are some bold or underlined words
to draw the eye to important information.

37

Paragraphs Avoid big block paragraphs. The news decision maker wants to know why
this story is newsworthy, and doesnt want to have to search through a lot of copy to
figure it out.
People who send news releases of this sort, especially if theyre single-spaced, are
sometimes referred to as blockheads.
Bullet Points In my experience, well-placed bullet points are extremely effective. They
say to the person reading it, I know youll be reading this quickly, so Im going to make
it easy for you to grasp the important stuff right away.
Graphics and Logos Generally wasted space. News people dont even look at company
logos and letterhead, and pretty colors dont impress anyone. Dont spend money to
make it slick and sexy.
Keep it mind, lots of company stuff on a news release gives it the appearance of a
promotional/advertising flyer rather than a news announcement. That immediately sends
bad non-verbal signals to the decision maker.
Labeling Im going to make one recommendation that Im not sure youre going to see
anywhere else. But again, based on 30 years experience looking at press releases, I think
its something you should include.
Put one line near the top of the release that identifies what kind of story youre proposing
or how the information might be used by journalists.
As I mentioned earlier, MDMs are always in a hurry. They want to be able to figure out
instantly what a release is about. If they can look at your release, and immediately
categorize it in their mind, youve done them a big favor.
I call this labeling.
For instance, if youre proposing a human interest story, say so.
If your story ties into a holiday, say so.
If your story is an evergreen, say so.
If its related to medical, financial, or travel topics, say so.
Look at the templates in Instant News Releases. Youll understand better what I mean.
Some very savvy agency people do this, but I cant ever remember seeing a release from
anyone without a news or PR background who made a practice of it. It can really set you
apart, and tell the MDM, This is someone who knows how the game works

38

Other Content Issues

*Upper left corner should include one of the following:
For Immediate Release
For Release On or Before (Date)
For Release (Date)
*Upper Right Corner should contain all of the following
For Further Information, Contact: Name, Phone
Number (including cell and pager), email address
This is a textbook stuff straight out of Journalism 101, but you have some flexibility here.
Positioning isnt absolutely critical, as long as the information is on the page somewhere
and easy to find.
At the end of the first page, type the word MORE. At the end of the news release, type
the word END or the symbols ###. Three pound signs together are the journalistic
equivalent of saying thats all folks.
Some folks in the print media also put a 30 at the end of everything they write. In my
opinion, this is VERY old school and totally unnecessary these days.
Inverted Pyramid Style This means the most important elements go at the top, with
elements of diminishing importance following in order. Least important goes at the
bottom.

Elements
A news release can (but doesn't necessarily) include up to three elements:
1) Headline and Sub-headlines
2) Body
3) Background/Bio, testimonials, other media credits and contact information.

Lets look at each of these elements individually.

Headline
The headline is the most important part of the release.

39

The headline is the most important part of the release.

What you just read is not a typo or an oversight. I repeated it for a reason.
Because its critically important.
Truth is, the headline is often the only thing on a release that gets read. If its not
attention grabbing, the release generally takes a dive into the circular file.
Thats why headlines get a separate chapter in this ebook. Theyre crucial. Ill devote a
considerable amount of space to them momentarily.
But meanwhile
After the headline, and possibly even a sub-headline (or two), comes the body of the
release.
IMPORTANT: The body should read more like a news story than a promotional flyer
Sentence 1: Begin with an attention-getting statement or quotation (if appropriate) that
hits a hot button. Briefly mention credentials or title of person being quoted.
Next 2-3 sentences: Elaborate and expand on the nature of the situation youre bringing
to the journalists attention. Use quotes if available, (make sure they add some news
value to the release. No ho-hums. See below for a definition of ho-hums) A statistic
or two is often a good idea.
Follow with a list of tips, topics or questions in bullet form. THIS IS OPTIONAL.
These should expand on the attention-getting opening statement and continue to build the
journalists curiosity. Can be single spaced. These should push some hot buttons if
possible, elaborate on the topic, and promise that the subject of the release can enlighten
or offer news value to the audience.

Tip/Topic/Question 1
Tip/Topic/Question 2
Tip/Topic/Question 3
Tip/Topic/Question 4
Tip/Topic/Question 5
Tip/Topic/Question 6

Notes about quotes Very often YOU, the writer of the release, can suggest quotes for the
spokesperson to say. That way you can make the quotes serve a purpose in the release,
by adding or expanding the information youre offering.

40

Never, however, should you make up quotes and use them without the spokespersons
approval.
One other point on quotes. Avoid statements like
Were honored to be part of this event, said Jane Smith, chairperson.
Statements like that are obvious and add nothing to the news value of the release.
Some people (me included) refer to them as ho-hums.
Make sure to attribute your quotes. Tell who said it, their title, and possibly why theyre
a credible source.
Background/Bio Section Include some biographical information if your release is about
a person (for instance, an author or someone who can offer an opinion about a current
topic in the news).
Be careful though. Many news release writers seem to think, If a little is good, a lot is
better.
Wrong.
All the person reading the release wants to know is, Can I be reasonably certain this
person has credibility?
Generally this section should only needs be a few sentences. It should only include
information about the person as it relates to the news in the release. Don't clutter it up
with irrelevant credentials in an effort to impress.
Forget CVs or Curriculum Vitae. Most MDMs consider them pretentious.
Credits Is the person your release is about an author? Has he/she been on Oprah? What
magazine or newspaper articles have been published about them? How many times have
they been interviewed on radio talk shows?
Mentioning media/publishing credits briefly but prominently in your release adds
credibility.
Include a testimonial from a credible and recognizable source if you can.
Frequently Asked/Suggested Questions Section This is something thats appropriate to
some releases but not others. Generally, FAQs belong in a media kit, not a press release.
If you do put them in a release, they work best toward the end.

41

If youve already included bullet point tips/topics/problems in the body of your release,
you probably dont need FAQs.
But again, it depends on whos getting the release and what their needs are.
I already mentioned that, as a radio talk show host, I prefer longer releases that include
FAQs. I dont want to have to take time to do a lengthy pre-interview with someone over
the phone.
At many TV stations, an assignment editor will hand a release to a reporter as theyre
headed out the door to shoot another story. Stop by such-and-such to grab a quick
sound bite on whatever, the assignment editor will say. The reporter will never have
time to research the story. Theyll depend on the release to give them enough
information to ask a few intelligent questions.
Thats not what they do on the Today Show or Oprah, but it happens at hundreds of local
radio TV stations around the world every day.
So its worth keeping in mind.

One final note on formatting.

Again, you do whatever works best, and what works best will vary from one MDM to
another, depending on the needs of their medium and even their individual operation.
There is no ONE right way to do it, and something that works one day might not work at
all another. Sometimes success or failure depends on matters that are totally out of your
control.
But generally, if you stick to the guidelines Ive given you above, you stand a better
chance of getting the publicity you want.

42

8. Headlines:
Its Whats Up Front That Counts
Heres a quote from baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson.
Big Headline, Big Story
Reggie meant that you can take a nearly-meaningless story, put it on the front page of a
newspaper, slap a big headline above it, and it will seem like a huge deal. This, in
Reggies opinion, unfairly happened to him a number of times.
Im not saying thats a smart thing to do with your news release. I mention it because I
think it will help you understand just how critically important a good headline is.

Where to turn for headline-writing inspiration

If you want to learn how to write great headlines...just turn on your TV and listen to any
of the network newscasts.
Think about it. Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings and Dan Rather are selling to you all time,
and they're doing it through headlines.
Only the headlines are called "teases."
In the language of the newsroom, teases are those quick and often intriguing snippets of
information they feed you just before they go to a commercial break. The idea is to make
you say to yourself, "Hey, I don't wanna miss that."
And because you don't want to miss that, you'll keep your fingers off the remote through
two minutes of commercial babble about antacids, anti-depressants and laxatives.
Teases are aptly named. They're designed to show you a little, but not too much. There's
always a question, stated or not, that's left unanswered. Their appeal is in their mystery,
Here are some recent examples I've heard...
"It's a musical instrument that can kill you..."
"It's in your home...your blinds, your dishes...and it's
poisoning your kids..."

43

"Who would pay two million dollars for a piano?"

"Will kids getting high keep a drug from going to people who
really need it?"
"It's an environmental hazard that threatens every drop of your
drinking water..."
Theres something similar youll see a lot on your local stations.
Theyre called updates. An anchor from your local newscast appears briefly on screen
during a commercial break.
Stations would have you believe these updates add more information to a story or
stories they ran during an earlier newscast.
Actually, these updates, which are also known in newsroom parlance as cut-ins are
nothing more than teases designed to get you to watch a later newscast.
Im sure you get the point. Your news release headline should accomplish the same thing
as those teases and cut-ins keep the reader interested in finding out more.
And that's a big step in getting them to buy your pitch.
Hey, it works for Tom, Peter, Dan and your local anchors--it will work for you too.

Sub-Headlines
Sub-headlines, or sub-heads, can be used in a couple of different ways in a news release.
First, sub-heads break up the copy on the page and make it more appealing to the eye.
The material seems easier to digest, and gives the impression that its laid out in an
orderly and organized way.
But also
Remember that I said earlier in this ebook that most releases are scanned before theyre
actually read. In other words, an MDM gives the release a quick glance to see if he or
she can spot anything interesting or newsworthy.

44

If they do, theyll put the release aside for review later after they get through the stack
of other releases that have piled up on the desk.
Sub-heads improve your chances of having the release go to the review later stack
because you can use them to extend and add to the news value of the headline. Theres a
good example of how to do this in the Barrow release that I critique in Instant Press
Releases.

Man Pulls His WeightAnd Tons MoreTo Make

Dreams Come True For Terminally-Ill Tots
Crystal Steak House owner will tow a delivery truck with his bare hands to
pay a debt and raise money for Make-A-Wish Foundation
He runs also runs up 8000 steps a day to train for New York Marathon
This release offers a headline and two sub-heads. The MDM wouldnt have to read
anything else before setting it aside to review later.
You can also use sub-heads throughout the body of the release as a sort of an outline.
This gives the MDM an opportunity to pick up additional information about the subject
matter without actually reading the release word for word.
In the example above, the writer front loads the release with three headlines right at the
top. He/she could also, however, have used the second sub-head (8000 Steps a Day)
farther down the page.

Some Other Guidelines For Writing Headlines

Here are some other generic tips for writing headlines.
*Keep the copy generally informal. Use the words You and Yours. They speak
directly to the reader.
*Use upper and lower case print/font. Its easier to read.
*Avoid using punctuation and capitalization for emphasis. For instance:

45

5 Tips For IMPROVING YOUR MEMORY TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*Dont use acronyms and industry jargon.
*Be careful using abbreviations. Make sure theyre widely accepted and recognized.
*Dont try to be cute. If you really feel you can make the release more creative or
interesting by using puns and being clever, make sure to have a friend or two proofread it
for you. Choose a friend who will tell you the truth.
*Stay away from cliches and over used words. See Chapter 11 for more.
*Be specific where possible. For instance,
The new regulations will impact 375,000 people
works better than
The new regulations will affect a lot of people
*Use numerals instead of spelling out numbers. Again, it just makes the release easier to
read.
Finally, brainstorm your headlines. Write down as many as you can think of in a sitting
or two, walk away for a while, then come back and review them later to choose which
one you like best.
Above all, remember that the headline is the single most important component of your
news release. Doing it right is well worth the effort.

46

9. Diffrent Strokes:
Matching the Message to the Medium
A release that is well suited for one medium may not be attractive to another.
Newspaper, radio and TV each have different needs, and its hard to address them all in
one release.
So I recommend that, whenever possible, you customize the release to suit they medium
youre pitching.
At first this may seem like overkill. But take my word for it, the little bit of additional
time you spend matching the message to the medium will be time well spent.

Targeting
The first question you should ask yourself is Whos going to be reading this release, and
what do they need to know from me?
TV news wants visuals of people doing something. The rule in TV is people, color,
motion.
TV/radio talk or magazine shows look for engaging guests to interview or topics to
discuss at some length.
Newspapers and magazines look for depth. They want to do stories that offer context and
perspective.
Ive heard the three media compared to the following:
Newspaper: a dining experience offering food for thought.
Radio and TV talk/magazine shows: cocktail party conversation.
TV News: fast food.
At the risk of sounding like Im biting the hand that fed me for most of my adult life, Ive
heard TV news described as McDonalds for the mind. I hope that doesnt offend my TV
news colleagues.
I also hope it doesnt offend my friends at McDonalds.

47

In any case, theres plenty of copy about medium matching in the critiques. I wont
spend any more time on it here.

When One Size Must Fit All

I realize its not always possible to customize your release. You should still do okay if
you focus on the other elements Ive described and do a good job with them.
Format: make it easy to read and easy to figure out why youve got something
newsworthy.
Great Headline: I cant repeat often enough how important this is.
Hot Buttons: make sure your release connects to one of the universal themes, story lines,
hooks, angles or tie-ins I previously described.
If those elements are in your news release, it will be hard for anyone in any medium to
ignore.

48

10. Talking The Talk:

Learning the Lingo of the Newsroom
When you're trying to persuade a reporter to do a story about you or your business, you're
much more likely to succeed if you know how to "talk the talk"
No reporter will expect you to act like an insider, but you'll get a lot more respect -and
attention - if you can speak the language of the newsroom, and use newsroom parlance
appropriately in your release.
Its not like learning Mandarin. In fact, all you need to do is sprinkle your pitch with a
couple of catchwords and phrases. For instance:
News hook Connecting a story to something thats already in the news makes it more
interesting. For instance: a hot topic right now is airline security. A story about a
company thats developing a retinal scan or a handprint identification device would
automatically appeal to MDMs.
Local Angle Also mentioned in the hot buttons section of this ebook. Events
happening on a national or even international stage still can have local impact. Most
obvious example: when the U.S recently began bombing Afghanistan, many local reserve
units were called up. That offered a variety of possibilities, including:
Human Interest Stories We all saw video of the destruction at the World Trade Center,
the Pentagon, and Somerset, Pennsylvania. Stories that followed about the
impact on families who lost loved ones in the attacks were human interest stories.
Such stories appeal to everyone because - among other reasons - we all ask ourselves,
"What if it were me?"
Follow-ups If youre disappointed because a reporter talked to your competitor about
something, but not to you, you can probably get your turn by offering a follow up. You
can offer additional information or insights that werent included in the story with your
competitor.
Future File Generic name for any system that collects news releases, notes, or any
information related to future events.
Evergreen A story that isnt necessarily tied to a news hook. Evergreens are stories the
media pull "out of the can" to use on slow news days when theres not much going on
and they have a lot of time to fill.
Kicker This one relates TV only. The "kicker" is a short, generally amusing story just
before the end of a newscast. Its supposed to leave you smiling even if youve just

49

watched nearly thirty minutes of mayhem.

If you want to portray yourself as knowledgeable and savvy, just tell an assignment editor
youve got something you think will make a good kicker. Theyll pay attention, since
good local kickers arent always easy to find. Plus, if youve got interesting video, theyll
"tease" the kicker all the way through the newscast - which means you get even
more exposure.
Sprinkling your pitch to the media with these words and phrases while avoiding others
will greatly improve your chances of getting free publicity. For more on words and
actions to avoid, see the next chapter.

50

11. Bad Language and Bonehead Mistakes

Anyone in the news business will tell you that good news releases are rare. Bad ones are
common.
You have to do a lot of things right for your news release to work. But do only one or
two things wrong, and your release sails into the trash.
In this chapter, Ill list some of the factors that hurt your chances. Take pains to avoid
them.

Style and Content Mistakes

Advertising Speak This means sending a release that reads more like an advertising
flyer than an announcement. If you cant figure out why an audience would need to
know or like to know about the subject of your release, dont bother sending it. It will be
a waste of your time, and the journalists time. Not only that, you damage your
credibility as a news source. Also see Hype and Superlatives below.
Bad information Incorrect phone numbers, misspelled names.
Burying the lead This is a journalism term. You bury the lead when you put the most
interesting or important piece of information somewhere OTHER than the top of the
copy. Its a violation of the inverted pyramid style.
See the Rail Travel Center critique in Instant Press Releases for an example of
burying the lead.
Dont send books and products to people who may not want them. I get tons of them
since I host a radio talk show, and you know what happens to most of them? They wind
up in one of my wifes garage sales, or at Half-Price Books. I dont feel good about that,
but its the truth.
For instance, one PR firm recently sent me a hardcover book on breastfeeding. I do a
show on financial/legal matters of interest to seniors. Except for limited potential as a
gift, the book was totally inappropriate for my audience.
Cover letter Generally a waste of time. Say what you have to say in the release.
Exception: I think its good to add a short handwritten note to a release IF you know the
name of the person youre sending it to, or youve already established a relationship with

51

them. Keep it brief, use paper thats smaller than the release itself, and make sure you
include the persons name at the top.
Example: Hi Michelle. I thought this was something your viewers/listeners/readers
would find interesting.
It sets a nice tone, and even adds a little mystery. Michelle will probably read it just to
see if youre right and her viewers/listeners/readers really WOULD be interested.
Fancy packaging is also generally a waste of money, and sometimes it even annoys the
recipient. No ones going to be impressed if a news release arrives wrapped up in a
cardboard mailing tube with a red bow wrapped around it. Spare yourself the expense.
Glitter, confetti, and gimmicky gifts tend to be counter-productive, especially if they
accidentally wind up on the floor and someone has to clean them up.
Be careful sending inexpensive gifts at the same time you send a news release. Some
media outlets, especially newspapers, consider them an attempt to influence the decisionmaking process.
Hype Dont try to impress a decision-maker with words like incredible,
unbelievable, remarkable, spectacular, or stunning. Words like those have no
place in a release. They damage your credibility as a news source.
In general, adjectives should be used sparingly. Definitely avoid any that sound salesy.
Insufficient information For example, giving a phone number that only works
weekdays during business hours when youre trying to get coverage of something that
happens on a weekend.
Superlatives Unless you have unbiased research and reliable statistics to back up your
claims, stay away from words like latest, greatest, most, etc.
TMI As you probably know, this stands for too much information. It comes from the
senders inability to suppress the feeling that a lot is better than a little.
Dont try to cram every detail a release. Generally, all a release is supposed to do is
attract enough attention that the media will want to find out the rest of the story (to
borrow a line from Paul Harvey).
Two closing notes
As best you can, address the release to a person. This is tough to pull off, of course, if
youre faxing to 2500 media outlets, because it will be impossible to keep your contact
list up to date. Names change fast and often in many places. But if youre limiting your
target to, say, local newspapers, radio stations and TV stations, get as specific as possible.
Addressing a release to Dear Media Professional wont kill your chances the media

52

professional will still scan the release for anything newsworthy. But you can score
some big points and really set yourself apart by subtly letting the recipient know you
took the time to find out their name.

Overcooked Words
Overcooked words are clichs or overused words that turn up repeatedly in news
releases. Theyre frequently employed in an attempt to make a person, event, or situation
seem more important. Reporters, editors, assignment editors, and producers see them so
often that theyve lost the impact the writer is aiming for. In fact, they come off as
hype, and can damage the senders credibility.
Here are a few examples.
Cutting edge
Grassroots movement
Groundbreaking
Breakthrough Also avoid this words military cousin, Major Breakthrough
State-of-the-art
Unique
Vital
Avoid these words in your copy and youll raise your level of credibility with news
decision-makers.
Follow all the suggestions above and youll increase your chances of success
substantially.

53

12. Timing and Delivery Systems

In my seminars and workshops, one of the most frequent questions asked is When
should I send my news release so that it will have the most impact?
Also, How should I send it? Fax, email or snail mail?
I wish there were a hard, fast rule. But theres not.
The most appropriate answer is: it depends.

For Events
If you are writing about an event that will occur on a specific date, its a good idea to
include that date in the headline. That way the reader doesnt have to search for it.
In my experience, Ive noticed that most people send releases 2-3 weeks before an event.
Some of my friends in the business disagree with me on this, but I think thats about
right.
Decision makers handle a lot of paper, and sometimes your release accidentally gets
shuffled to a part of the desk where it doesnt get noticed for a while.
Also, (and the truth hurts here), some people in the business dont open their mail right
away. This is less true of TV assignment editors and newspaper editors, but it certainly
applies to some reporters and producers Ive known.
Give decision makers 2-3 weeks notice and theyll put your release in something called
the future file. They probably wont take a GOOD look at it until the day before, but
having it there well ahead of time may help you in one important way. If say, the file for
the 27the of the month is pretty thick, and there are a lot of good story possibilities in it,
the assignment desk may ask for additional staff that day. With more staff, your chances
of getting coverage for yourself increase.
Ill be honest, its a long shot, but why not take it?
Based on what Ive seen in my years in the business, faxing a news release the day before
you want coverage seems to get the best results. Thats when decision makers start really
getting focused on specifics.

54

What About Pre-Event Publicity?

Of course, sometimes you want publicity well in advance of an event to help build ticket
sales.
This is where youve got to remember once again: news operations are in the n-e-w-s
business.
Youve got to have a theme, story, hook, angle or tie-in to get them to put you on the air
or in print.
So if you want pre-event publicity, you generally have to do something newsworthy prior
the event.
In other words, an event before the event.
Thats a separate subject, and I cover it in Going Public. I mention it here only to
emphasize how the system works and to save you the time and aggravation of sending a
release well in advance of an event, then being disappointed when no one publicizes it.

Fax, Email, or Snail Mail?

If possible, call the media outlet before you send the release and ask what theyd prefer.
Then do it their way.
If you cant call each outlet individually, here are some general rules to remember.
Overall, fax seems to be most effective. It tends to get attention right away, even if its
just going to be filed for review later.
As I mentioned above, snail mail can get lost, delayed, sent to the wrong department, or
even washed away in local flooding. It definitely wouldnt be my first choice for a news
release.
On the other hand, snail mail is probably the best vehicle for a pitch letter because its
personal. See Joan Stewarts Special Report #7-How To Write The Perfect Pitch Letter
That Convinces An Editor To Bite for pitch letters and Special Report #8-Media Kits
On A Shoestring: How To Create Them Without Spending A Bundle for more on media
kits.
55

Both Special Reports can be found at

http://www.get-free-publicity.com/specialreports.htm

E-Mail
People who SEND a lot of news releases love email because you can distribute to
thousands of contacts at once at a total cost in the neighborhood of $0.00.
People who GET news releases are less enthusiastic because they cost in the
neighborhood of $0.00 and as a result, dozens sometimes hundreds arrive everyday.
Most media people I know actually have two email addresses: one thats published in
directories, on the companys website, etc., and one that isnt.
The one thats published is referred to by some of my media friends as a crap-catcher.
It tends to load up with, uh, junk mail and mass-distributed news releases. At best, the
headline of the email gets a quick glance, and then it gets deleted if it doesnt look
promising.
There are ways, though, to make your email stand out in what Joan Stewart refers to as
the email jungle, and I highly recommend her Special Report #26: How to Make
Your Story Pitch Stand Out in the E-mail Jungle which covers that subject thoroughly.
But if you still want to go the email route, keep the following in mind.
* Dont use News Release as the only words in the subject line. Use a short
headline that describes the content of the release instead.
* Dont send the release as an attachment. Put it in the body of the message.
* Avoid using zipped files that have to be downloaded and unzipped.
* For heavens sake, if youre using your own computer to send to a media list, use
the blind carbon copy, or BCC function of your email program.
Media people HATE getting releases that show the address of everyone else
getting the release.

56

13. Miscellany
Everything youve read so far will help you get more publicity, and get better quality
publicity, through news releases.
Here are a number of other tips and traps that didnt fit cozily into any of the categories
Ive already covered.
NEVER ask for "publicity." Always suggest "coverage." News people want to give
their audience information. Theyre not in the business of helping anyone promote a
product or service, and theyre extremely sensitive to being considered flacks.
Remembering this is critical.
Be careful sending your release to more than one department at the same media
outlet. This applies mainly to newspaper, where one item could possibly wind up in
several different sections of the paper at the same time. Editors tend to get downright
(and rightfully) furious when this happens. If youre sending the same release to several
people, let them know so they can check with each other.
Its okay to mention product/service details in your release, especially releases that go
to newspapers. When I say details, I mean details like prices, availability dates or
location addresses. I dont mean technical specifications, unless thats what your
audience is looking for.
So dont spend a lot of time trying to make your release read like youll be submitting it
for a Pulitzer. Just stick to the good journalistic principles of who, what, where, when,
why, and how; connect the release to a hot button; and make sure your contact
information is correct and complete.
If possible, try to visit a media outlet where theyll let you look over some of the
releases they get. Some people will be happy to help, others will tell you they just
havent got time.
Use statistics when youve got them and they help build your case for coverage. Joan
Stewart suggests the following, and I cant think of a better example:
If you are announcing your moving companys new tips booklet called 51 Ways to
Make Moving Day a Breeze, you would offer the following statistics. The U.S.
Census Bureau estimates one in nine households will change addresses this year.
Be careful about attaching additional items to your release. They should genuinely help
the MDM decide if your subject is newsworthy. These might include:
*a tip list. See Joan Stewarts Special Report #16: how to Write a Tip Sheet That
57

Catches the Medias Attention for in-depth information how to use this
technique. http://www.get-free-publicity.com/specialreports.htm
* Charts and graphs, used sparingly for illustration purposes. Be careful to avoid
TMI.
* Good quality photos and slides (can be especially helpful to print media). But
never send one-of-a-kind photos that may be lost, and never expect the photos
or slides you send to be returned.

Summary
Opinions about how to write and format a good release vary somewhat, but once again,
here are some things everyone agrees on.
Its got to be
1) attention-grabbing, and
2) its got to be relevant to the audience.
Remember that reporters, producers and editors are always asking "WITM and WSIC"
WITM: Whats it to me?
WSIC: Why should I care?
Those are the questions their readers, listeners and viewers are askingconsciously or
unconsciously. Theyre the same questions you should be asking yourself as you write
your release.

Patience and Persistence Pay

Understand clearly that theres no magic formula and no guarantee of immediate success.
A news release that produces spectacular results one day might get zero results another.
Sometimes it has nothing to do with the quality of the release and everything to do with

58

the crush of other news that might be monopolizing the attention of an editor, reporter, or
producer.
So dont be discouraged if your release doesnt achieve the results you want right away
especially if you havent already established yourself as a resource with your target
media yet.
Keep sending releases that follow the principles and employ the techniques in this ebook.
Your efforts WILL pay off. Youll impress the press, and as a result, youll get a flood
of free publicity, increased recognition, and higher profits you never dreamed possible.

59

60