ICN media course 2 - How to write a press release

Image by Christin Hume on Unsplash

Something has happened - or there's an event coming up in your parish, school or community - that you'd like to tell more people about than you reach in your weekly newsletter.

You could put up posters or advertise in local media outlets - but the best way is to issue a press release to your local paper, community website, local radio and tv stations. If it's a bigger story - send it to specialist press (a story about a homeless project would be of interest to housing and social work journals) and national media as well.

A press release is just a straightforward announcement - all the media rely on these for a good deal of their news. Write a good one and you might find it republished word for word. But often reporters will want to research further and write their own story - starting with the information you've alerted them to.

There are no absolutes - but as a general rule, with news stories you should try to answer the questions: WHO? WHAT? WHEN? WHERE? WHY? And HOW in your first paragraph or two.

For example:

Cardinal Vincent Nichols blessed a newly-installed Knife Bin at St Paul the Apostle Church in Wood Green, north London, on Sunday 23 January. This bin, which has been provided by Word4Weapons and funded by Caritas Westminster, is a safe-disposal amnesty bin for knives and other bladed weapons. The bins are placed away from CCTV, with the aim of encouraging people to hand over knives that might otherwise be used in committing crimes, potentially causing serious injury or death.

The next paragraph will carry more details:

The launch of the knife bin at St Paul the Apostle is one of the ways the Catholic Community in Wood Green is marking its 140th anniversary and 50 years of the current church building. Elsewhere, on 9 February, another new knife bin will be launched at St Mary and St Michael Catholic church near Commercial Road - the fifth such bin provided by the partnership of Word4Weapons and Caritas Westminster.

After that - supply one or two quotes:

Parish Priest Fr Perry Sykes said: "Anniversaries are, above all, times of thanksgiving, when we look back and appreciate anew all that contributed to the growth and well-being of the Wood Green Mission. Those who formed that first community would be happy and gratified to see all that has resulted from such small beginnings. The installation and blessing of the knife bin by Cardinal Vincent yesterday is part of our continuing mission here in the community of Wood Green."

Conclude with contact details for one or more people who will be available to answer further questions. (e-mail addresses, or phone numbers) Make sure you have permission to give out these - and check that these people will be available to speak.

You may wish to add a photograph. Ensure you have permission to use the image. Name the photographer or source of the picture and of course supply a caption to go with it.

Do a short headline - and you're ready to go.

It's important to keep press releases as concise as you can. Editors receive hundreds each day - so also try to write a brief headline that will attract their attention. For example: 'Lion discovered in church' - reads better than': 'Archaeologists uncover a distinctive Victorian mural on the wall of a church in Surrey during renovation work'.

DO write the date on your release

DO write your name or the source of the press release

DO put contact details so reporters can get in touch in touch with you or other people if they'd like more information.

DON'T write a two or three tier headline.

TRY NOT TO write headlines in block capitals.

AVOID using the, a or an in a headline if you can.

More next week ...