Welcome to the inaugural installment of the Dave Moore Media Blog. I’m aiming to make this blog a freewheeling discussion of what to do and what to don’t, when it comes to conveying information to the public. And so, because we all love lists and we all love Thor, we’re kicking it off accordingly, Asgardian-style. Apologies to Chris Hemsworth.
1) Knowest What Thou Wants to Accomplish with Thine Release
No one has time to read the full story of your cause in a news release. If someone has bothered to click on or pick up your news release, it must be written directly to their interests, with a clear intention by its writers. Do you seek to educate the public about a pertinent issue? Are you trying to influence a small group of power players, who are looking for insights, reasoning and feedback? Is there a news development that your organization wants to latch onto, to advance its cause? Altogether, this is considered the “why” of the news release. It’s why anybody would pick up your release, ever.
2) Know Thine Audience
Generally speaking, news releases need to be written so that a member of the general public can understand them. It’s not a vehicle to impress someone or to show off. That said, if you need to educate the public about your cause, remember that the public will want a news hook or relevant information in that release. Other releases are often directed at individuals at the center of decision-making – they know much of the backstory of the problem(s) you’re addressing. But they need to know your organization’s position and solutions to the problem. The release is your opportunity to plant your flag on an issue. It can lend a clear voice of reason in a noisy room.
3) Keepest Yon Release to One Page
There are exceptions to every rule (the Second Coming is one), but remember this non-Shakespearean phrase: Ain’t No One Got Time for a Two-Page (or more) News Release. When was the last time you read a two-page anything? If it can’t be said in one page, write two news releases. One-page releases instill discipline in writing. They respect your reader’s time and attention. They reinforce the notion of urgency.
4) Thou Shalt Keep Thine Release Professional
Your news release always needs to have the following elements:
a) A contact name, phone number and email address;
b) A release date;
c) A boilerplate description of your organization, its cause and website address;
d) A consistent font and follow a grammatical style guide (such as the AP Stylebook);
e) All original content from your organization, with no photos or intellectual property “borrowed” from any other organization, without their permission;
f) Quotes from your organization’s leader, phrased in a human way (journalists dislike quoting robots); and,
g) Spellcheck/grammar check is your friend.
5) Thou Shalt Avoid Leaning Heavily on Artificial Intelligence Whenever Possible
Yes, we’re in the age of AI – but that doesn’t mean you can dump a bunch of text into an AI chat box and expect ChatGPT, Copilot or some other artificial intelligence to get everything right. AI is OK when attempting to overcome writer’s block, but left untended, AI can create real problems. For example, I plugged some facts into AI recently and told it to write a press release. It worked OK … up until it made up a name of a public official, and started quoting him. So, beware, friends.
6) Allow Thine News Release to Improve with Age Like a Fine Mead
I guess this might be considered redundant with the tip on spellchecking and checking for grammar, but it can’t hurt to encourage people to write a press release, and let it sit a day, so you can look at it again with fresh eyes. And maybe find someone with even fresher eyes. It’s possible you’ve got some repetition or unnecessary information in your release.
7) Remember Thine Press Release is but a Drop in the Grand Bucket
While the power of a single press release can be hard to underestimate, it’s important to remember your release is just one element in your campaign. So, while every comma, capitalization and conjunction is important, don’t forget that the news release is one effort in a continuum of work. All the work must be cohesive, to build toward a larger end.
8) Keepest Your Claims Modest and Your Objectives Bold
Anything that appears in a news release should be given the same consideration as if it were printed on the front page of the New York Times. Hence, avoid hyperbole, name-calling, untrue, and shaky claims. All facts and claims must be provable. It’s OK to spout a platitude or two, though. In any case, your reputation is at stake.
9) Keep Thine Target in Mind
This falls into the category of knowing your audience, but hones into the idea further. If there is one particular person you want to impact with your release, keep them in the forefront during the research/writing process. This will help speed the press-release production process.
10) Makest Thine Release Tell a Story
As a subject matter expert in your field or industry, you are well-equipped to do this. All good news releases need to have a compelling story, bit of news, or a relevant bit of information. This seems obvious, but unfortunately, it’s not a generally accepted practice.
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