How to write a press release that commands
attention
by EDWIN C. GEISHERT, JR.
Grand Lodge Public
Relations Committee Member
One of the most frequent
complaints that the Public Relations Committee gets is that Lodges cannot
get press releases put in the newspaper. Let me tell you how to get your
news printed and alert you to some pitfalls.
First, the press release of old generally will not work. Newspapers are
digital and expect to receive material press ready, in proper form and
proper format. Many of the good old United States postal-delivered press
release goes straight to the shredder. Proper format means email. But not
just any email. In this age of hackers and computer viruses, newspapers have
taken means to guard against unwanted intrusions.
Your news must be in the body of the email and not sent as an attachment.
Many papers have email programs that delete any message with an attachment,
automatically, never seen, never read, never printed.
The following are editorial guidelines provided by a newspaper publisher:
-
DO NOT send any text as an attachment.
-
All of your text must be included in the
body of the email that you send to the paper.
-
The top line is the name of your column
followed by the date you sent it.
=0 A
-
Line 2 is the story title or headline.
-
Line 3 is the byline (the name of the
person who wrote the article).
-
Line 4 is the photo caption if you have a
photograph. (DO NOT send any photos without photo captions)
-
Write your text exactly as you want it to
appear in the paper.
-
Use Courier font.
This is Courier font.
-
DO NOT use color, bold or italic on the
font.
-
Send as Plain Text or Rich Text only.
-
Do not make any comments on the document.
If additional comments are needed, send them as a separate document with the
title:
NOTES TO THE EDITOR.
The subject line of the email was:
"ATTN: Six Lakes Tribune – picture is available." Within an hour of this
email being sent the newspaper editor called for the picture. Pictures when
submitted should be 300 dpi and sent as a jpg. file. Everyone in the picture
must be identified.
It may pay you to write a press release and hand carry it to your local
paper for their approval and comments.