Press releases

A press release, also called a media release, is a short written description of a product, event or incident that contains the main details. A business sends it to newspapers, online news sites, radio stations and television stations to tell them about a new product or campaign. It is often written more like a news article than an advertisement, so a journalist can turn it into a story. For example, a family bakery launching a gluten-free loaf might send a press release to the local paper describing the two years of recipe testing behind it.

Benefits

A press release can create mass media attention and reach large audiences, far more people than the business could contact itself. A story printed in a newspaper can seem more credible than a standard advertisement, because a newspaper is a reputable source and readers expect its articles to be checked. If the story is used, the business gains cost-effective or free publicity — it pays nothing for the space the article fills. A published release may also be spotted by a larger news organisation that follows up the story, raising the business's profile further. A local newspaper suits a small business because it targets customers in a specific local area.

Limitations

There is no guarantee that a press release will be published or read. Editors receive many releases every day, so a story must stand out; if it is not unique or interesting to readers, it may not be printed. Once a story is taken up, a journalist may misinterpret it or deliberately change it to make it more interesting, which can alter the facts the business wanted to share. Some news agencies ask for exclusivity, meaning the business cannot offer the same story elsewhere. Timing matters too: a release has a limited window before it stops being newsworthy or a competitor gets there first. Finally, fewer people read newspapers today, so the reach of a press release in print is falling.