1. When to send a news release

            A. Criteria of news value

            B. Some ideas for releases

2. Know 10 guidelines to good news writing

3. Acquire basic news writing skills

            A. Leads

            B. Story organization

            C. What to quote

            D. Attribution

            E. Photos and captions

4. Write it with style

            A. Common style errors

                        a. Capitalization

                        b. Abbreviations

c. Punctuation

d. Numerals

5. Last but not least

            A. Format

            B. Headline

            C. Read aloud test

            D. Distribution

            E. Make a Call

            F. Fax, e-mail or snail mail

            D. Proofread, proofread and proofread

6. Template for news releases

7. Bibliography

When to send a news release

Send a “news release” when you have news.

The editor will use your story if it has value. He will place it prominently rather than tuck it away next the want ads. Consider the following when you craft your news story.

Criteria of news value

1.  Audience – send it to the outlet whose audience will have an interest

2.  Impact – will a good number of people be affected by the information?

3.  Proximity – usually it’s bigger news if it’s local

4.  Timeliness – pay attention to publication deadlines

5.  Prominence – The cliché, “Names makes news,” is true most times because          people are interested in private lives of public figures, and unofficial actions of public officials yield insight into character.

6.  Unusualness – First, Lasts, Onlys and the Bizarres make news

7.  Conflict – It’s usually there whether its wars, politics, crime or sports. It may be subtle or complex.

Some ideas on when to send a news release:

1.      Adding new services – Focus on the benefits and why the reader would be interested.

2.      Celebrities or public figures who are doing something with you – Are authors or legislators visiting the library?

3.      Events – Announce speakers, open houses, seminars, etc.

4.      Partnerships – Announce your partnerships with other businesses or oranizations, especially if these are going to be of benefit to your reader

5.      Contest – Announce it before it starts and announce the winners when it ends.

6.      Fundraisers and Donations – It may give someone else the idea to donate or become involved.

7.      Major awards and accomplishments – Focus on why the award shows you can help others.

8.      Free stuff – Everybody loves free stuff, and they will come to you for it—if they know.

9.      Community service – Do you offer free computer training or information seminars. Are your meeting rooms free?

Know 10 guidelines to good news writing

These apply to both print and broadcast writing. 

1. Use short, frequent paragraph breaks. Usually use one-sentence per paragraph. Occasionally two or three will work. It’s easier to read.

2. Use simple words when possible: car rather than vehicle, home rather than residence, fire rather than conflagration, building rather than facility.

3. Avoid unnecessary words and avoid redundancy. Don’t write: A huge throng of people gathered at twelve noon on Easter Sunday to debate the controversial issue. Do write: A crowd gathered at noon on Easter to debate the issue.

4. Use active voice as much as possible. Don’t write: The affair was admitted by the president. Do write: The president admitted the affair.

5. Avoid sexism. Write: anchor for anchorman, homemaker for housewife, supervisor for foreman, firefighter for fireman.

6. Avoid clichés and trite expressions. Also, avoid jargon.

7. Many times you can drop “that” after said or says. Don’t write: She said that she was sorry. Do write: She said she was sorry.

8. Many times you can drop “who is” or “which is” from a clause. Don’t write: The car which was parked in the driveway was damaged. Do write: The car parked in the driveway was damaged.

9. Avoid sentences that use “to be” verbs: (was, were, is, are, am, will be, being) especially in combination with “there” or “it.”Don’t write: There was a bomb explosion in Iraq today. Do write: A bomb exploded in Iraq today.

10. State what happened, not what did not happen. Don’t write: Oklahoma was not able to get a victory Saturday night. Do write: Oklahoma lost its game Saturday night.

Acquire basic news writing skills

Learn to write as a reporter would write on assignment.

Leads – Answer these six questions in your lead. It is a challenge to do it succinctly. Who, What, When, Were, Why and How.

Story Organization – Rank the information in descending order of importance. This is called the inverted pyramid.

The most important facts go here: who, what, when, where, how.

Then come the next most important facts about the event.

Followed by the next most important.

And still some more facts.

These facts could be

Cut if need

Be.

What to Quote – Spice it up with crisp, succinct meaningful quotes. Use direct quotes when:

1.      someone says something unique.

2.      someone says something uniquely.

3.      someone important says something important.

Attribution – Use the word “said” in most instances. Said is unobtrusive; it is objective and not editorial. Use the present tense “says” when it is save to assume what the person once said, he or she would still say. Use “says” in feature stories or personality profiles, for example. Past tense, “said” on most news events.

Photos and Captions –Send a good photo with your story, when you can. If you send an actual photo, make sure it is labeled on the back with the slug line of the caption you have written to accompany your release. This helps the editor place the right picture with the right story. You may send your releases and photos electronically. Most papers accept photos in jpeg format. But, it is best to call ahead for their requirements. Send color photos.

The caption should describe and explain the picture. Remember that many readers look at the pictures and read the captions without ever reading the accompanying story. The captions should contain the key points of the story. Ten tests of a good caption are:

1.      Is it complete?

2.      Does it identify, fully and clearly?

3.      Does it tell when?

4.      Does it tell where?

5.      Does it tell what’s in the picture?

6.      Does it have the names spelled correctly, with the proper name on the right person?

7.      Is it specific?

8.      Is it easy to read?

9.      Have as many adjectives as possible been removed?

10.  Is it succinct?

Write it with style

Learn newspaper style.  If you news release needs too many corrections, it won’t be used.

Together, the Associated Press Stylebook (AP) and the United Press International Stylebook (UPI) are the major source of American newspaper style. Style rules provide guidance in the areas of grammar, punctuation, capitalization, abbreviation, and spelling.  They provide consistency and save time for reporters and editors. Get a Stylebook and develop the habit of referring to it when you’re in doubt.

 Common style errors

Capitalization – In general, avoid unnecessary capitals. Follow the basic rules of capitalization of the English language. Stylebooks separately list many words and phrases, including special cases. General rules are clarified and demonstrated, as well. The Webster’s New World Dictionary is also a good reference. 

Trademarks – If the trademark is not essential to the story, use generic words when possible. For example, use gelatin, not Jell-O and use cola rather than Coke. When a trademark is used, capitalize it. Stylebooks list many trademarks with generic equivalents.

Plurals of Proper Names – Lowercase the common noun elements of names in all plural uses: the Oklahoma Legislature and the Texas Legislature when they are singular in form. The plural would be the Oklahoma and Texas legislatures. Same rule applies when referring to streets.

Popular Names – Some places and events don’t have official proper names but have popular names that are the effective equivalent. Capitalize these popular names as proper names. Example: the South Side (of Chicago), the Badlands (of North Dakota)

Derivatives – Capitalize words that are derived from a proper noun and still depend on it for their meaning: American, Christian, English, and Marxism. If the words are derivatives but no longer depend on the proper noun for their meaning, lowercase then.

Religious Terms – Capitalize the proper names of monotheistic deities: God, Allah, the Father, the Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Lowercase pronouns referring to the deity: he, him, his, thee, thou, etc.  Stylebooks also have rules for writing about the life of Christ, rites, holy days, and religious titles.

Titles – Formal titles used directly before an individual’s name are capitalized: President George Bush. Used after the name, they are lowercase: George Bush, president of the United States.  Lowercase terms that are job descriptions rather formal titles.

Direct Quotation - The first word of a direct quotation should be capitalized following the source only if: it starts a complete sentence; it is separated from the source by a comma; and it appears in direct quotation marks. These examples are all correct.  Bush said, “It was a tiring trip.” Bush said it was a “tiring trip.” Bush said it was a tiring trip.  

Abbreviations – Do not use abbreviations or acronyms which the reader would not quickly recognize.

 State Names – Newspaper style does not follow the U.S. Postal Service two-letter abbreviations. State names are abbreviated only when they follow city names.

All two-word states can be abbreviated usually with the first letter of each word. Only West Virginia is an exception. Examples: New Jersey (N.J.), New Mexico (N.M.), but West Virginia (W.Va.).

Eight state names are never abbreviated by AP and UPI. Examples: Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas and Utah

Generally accepted abbreviations are used for the others. Refer to a stylebook when in doubt. Examples: Alabama (Ala.), Oklahoma (Okla.), Washington (Wash.)

The most common mistakes are: California (Calif., not Cal.), Kansas (Kan., not Kans.), Kentucky (Ky., not Ken.), Nebraska (Neb., not Nebr.), Pennsylvania (Pa., not Penn.) and Wisconsin (Wis., not Wisc.). 

Dates – Months are abbreviated only when followed by the day of the month, ie. Sept. 13. Five months are never abbreviated; March, April, May, June and July. Days of the week are never abbreviate in newspapers.

Times – Lowercase with periods a.m. and p.m. AM refers to the amplitude modulation system of radio transmission. Avoid the redundant 10 a.m. this morning.  

Addresses – Use the abbreviations Ave., Blvd. and St. only with a numbered address. Addresses with the directions northeast, southeast, southwest and northwest are abbreviated with periods. Examples: He lives at 311 Ninth St. He rode down Ninth Street. She lives at 311 S. Ninth St. not on South Night Street. Bob lives at 212 Bluebird Drive S.W. in Oklahoma City.

Courtesy Titles – In general, a person’s name is used in full—including the preferred given name and initial—on first reference: William B. Simon. On subsequent references, men are referred to by last name only. Women can be given courtesy titles—Miss, Mrs. or Ms.—on second and subsequent references.

Other Abbreviations – Abbreviations of one- and two-word terms take periods and abbreviations of more than two terms do not. Example: U.S., U.N., a.m., p.m., FBI, CIA and mph. Exceptions are TV and when the abbreviation without periods spells a word not intended, for example: c.o.d. not cod.

Punctuation – Know basic guidelines for these punctuation marks:

Comma – use one in the following situations:

1.      To separate compound sentences

2.      To set off items in a series (before the last item you leave out the comma and insert “and”)

3. To set off ages, addresses and identification phrases

4. To separate city and state

5. To set off an introductory clause or phrase

6. To set off non-essential or non-restrictive clauses or phrases

Dash – Use the dash to signal an abrupt or dramatic thought inside a sentence.

Hyphen – Use a hyphen in these situations

1. To join compound adjectives

2. Don’t use a hyphen to join an adverb and an adjective

3. To separate vowels or set off prefix

Semicolon – Avoid using the semicolon in broadcast writing. Break into smaller sentences. In print media use a semicolon in the following ways.

1.      To join two independent clauses whose content is related

2.      To set off complex items in a series

Colon – Use a colon in these situations:

1. To set up a series

2. To set up a special or lengthy quote

Apostrophe – Apostrophes are used in a number of situations: possessives, omitted letters and omitted figures.  A common error is to use the apostrophe in the possessive its. It’s is the contraction of it is. Use the apostrophe to form possessives in these situations:

1.      Use the apostrophe to form possession, not to make a word plural.  

Singular: a boy’s room, a newspaper’s editor

Plural: the three boys’ rooms; the two newspapers’ editors

2.      Add an apostrophe and s to plural nouns not ending in s.

the alumni’s contributions

women’s rights

3.      Singular common nouns ending in s require an  apostrophe and s to show possession.

the waitress’s tip, the witness’s testimony

4. For singular proper nouns ending in s, add just the apostrophe

Jesus’ life; Kansas’ schools; Fraas’ students

Question Marks and Exclamation Points – Use question marks at the end of direct questions…don’t use a question mark with indirect questions.

1.      Place the question mark inside quotation marks if the quote is a question. He asked, “How long will it take?”

2.      Place the question mark outside the quotation marks if the whole sentence is the question. “Who wrote, “Gone with the Wind”?

3.      Place a single question mark at the end of the full sentence in a multiple question within the quotation mark. Did you hear him say, “What right have you to ask about that?” 

4.      The question mark supersedes the comma normally used when supplying attribution for a quotation.

5.      An exclamation point replaces the comma in attributing a direct quotation.

Numerals – Whether a numeral is written out or shown in figures usually depends on usage.  

1.      The general rule is: figures are used in address numbers, ages, dates, highway designations, monetary units, percentages, speeds, sports, temperatures and times. They also are used to identify aircraft and weapons by model number and following the abbreviation No., as in No. 1 man.

2.      The exception are: amounts of less than 1 percent are written out unless used in a series. Casual references to temperatures, other than actual thermometer readings, also are written out. Casual numbers are written out when the numbers one through nine are used infrequently in a story. For examples:

Four-tenths percent

.04 percent, .05 percent and .06 percent

The temperature was 8 degrees, a drop of four degrees since noon.

The baker made eight pies.

Prices range from 5 cents to $5.

Last by not least

Before you send that release…double check these points.

Format – If you are sending a hard copy release—not via e-mail—there is a format to follow. Type it as a double-spaced, one-sided document. The shorter the better. Use Arial or Times New Roman fonts. Use white paper only. Use one space after periods, not two.

For all releases—hard copy or electronic—remember to include the following:

1.      Date when information can be published. If it is time sensitive, use “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.”

2.      Date when release was sent to the media

3.      Individual who prepared the news release

4.      More than one way to contact the organization

5.      Title is centered and slightly larger than 12-point-text

6.      Branch or city where the information was prepared and released.

7.      Use the word "more" between two dashes and center it at the bottom of the page to let reporters know that another page follows.

8.      Use the word “end”  or the symbol  ###  between two dashes and center it at the bottom of the page to let editors know that it is the last page.                  

Headline – Summarize your most important point in an easy-to-read, unambiguous headline. Type it in slightly large font and center it. Make sure the headline has a subject and verb. Use present tense. Include a subject and verb. The verb may be implied.

Read aloud test – If your news release does not read smoothly out loud, you probably need to reword, clarify or simplify parts of it.

Distribution– Construct your media list carefully. Don’t send the release to someone who isn’t reaching your audience. But, don’t eliminate those outlets that may be unaware of the connection between your event and their audience. Highlighting that angle may result in new or additional coverage.

Make a call – If you know the correct contact, make a follow-up call. Do you homework ahead of time so you know to whom to talk. Don’t be surprise if the editor doesn’t recall your release—they receive dozens. Be ready to summarize your release in 30 seconds to stimulate interest.

Fax, e-mail, snail mail – Do your homework and know how your media wants to receive the release.

Proofread, proofread and proofread

1.      Use Spellcheck.

2.      Check your heading again

3.      Check your photo caption again.

4.      If you can, set the release aside for awhile and comeback to it with a fresh eye for you final proofing.

5.      Have someone else proofread it if possible.

Template for News Release

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact:
Contact Person
Company Name
Telephone Number
Fax Number
Email Address
Web site address

Headline

City— Opening Paragraph (should contain: who, what, when, where, why):

Remainder of body text - Should include any relevant information to your products or services. Include benefits, why your product or service is unique. Also include quotes from staff members, industry experts or satisfied customers.

If there is more than 1 page use:

-more-

(The top of the next page):

Abbreviated headline (page 2)

Remainder of text.

 

# # #
(indicates Press Release is finished)

Bibliography

Goldstein, Norm, ed. The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel

Manual. Reading, Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley, 1994.

Brooks, Brian S., et al. News Reporting and Writing. New York: St.

Martin’s Press, 1985.

Fraas, Elizabeth D. “Journalistic Style.” EKU. 2005. Eastern Kentucky

University. 26 Jan. 2005 <http://www.communication.eku.edu/Fraas/NEWS/style.htm#punctuation>

© Oklahoma Library Association, 2007

Last modified on March 30, 2007