Media and The Message

by Nicholas G. Licata, M.A.

Free Advertising? [Back to Columns]

The press release is probably the most misunderstood communication in business. The confusion comes from the fact that many perceive a press release as free advertising. I will be the first one to admit that often times the two come very close. The truth, however, is that conceptually they are worlds apart.

At the heart of the confusion, is a failure to fully grasp the different roles played by advertising and public relations in business. Advertising is part of your marketing strategy. It is designed to move or sell products. Public Relations creates an environment in which your marketing can be successful. Or, as I teach my PR students, "Marketing gets the salesman to your door, Public Relations gets him into your living room."

Many business people think that because they submit a press release to a particular media outlet, it will automatically be published. They even get angry when an editor cuts their two pages down to a small blurb, or their piece doesn't appear at all. A familiar comment is "Well, that paper hates us; they never print our press releases."

I assure you, there are many reasons why a press release doesn't get into print, however, no reputable editor makes that judgment solely based on personal feelings toward a company. By far, the number one reason a release is not printed is that its not newsworthy.

A typical newsroom fax machine can receive dozens of press releases a day. A large daily paper can receive hundreds. What will get your information into the paper is how important the editor feels it is to the readership. Once you understand this, you are on your way to creating successful press releases.

Here are a few rules that will help you and your relationship with the media:

If it isn't news, don't send it! Remember, you are competing with all of those other press releases on an editor's fax machine. If you routinely send press releases that are not newsworthy, your release may be sent right to the circular file.

Understand the medium! Knowing who the consumers of each medium are and what type of information is important to them will help you select the correct outlets for your press release. What is news in one publication may not be news in another.

Know the editors! Don't' rely on the news organization to route your press release to the appropriate editor. Find out who is responsible for stories like yours and send your release directly to that person.

Don't bury your lead! A common mistake warned against in journalism school is putting the most interesting, newsworthy, information too far into your composition. A newsroom can be a very hectic place. If the newsworthiness of your release isn't immediately apparent, it may not even get read.

Edit your own work! There is no substitute for good writing. Poorly written releases may not be understood and are destined to failure.

Learn from experience! Remember, your information appears in the media at the discretion of the editor. Many papers have policies against publishing releases verbatim. Instead of getting angry when your release is changed or completely rewritten, look at what was left in and what was cut out. Then you will have a better idea of what to include next time you start writing.

Follow these rules, and you will have more success getting news about your company and its activities published.