Here are some useful tips about writing a media release:

A WIN WIN

  Remember that sometimes, your media release is quoted verbatim.

SITUATION

  Your headline should be strong, explicit, appealing but not too clever.

The media want to sell their

  The main point or angle you want to get across should be in the first paragraph.

product. Like you, they have

  Sentences should be short (in general, less than 20 or 30 words) and paragraphs should

a target audience at whom

be no more than three or four sentences long. 

they aim their stories. If

  Your language should be succinct and free of jargon.

you're trying to reach the

  Don't quote more than two or three people as it loses its impact and becomes confusing. 

same audience, it makes

  Check your grammar and spelling, including people's names, and then get someone with

sense to present them with

the necessary skills to edit it.

an angle that will appeal to

  Make sure the text is legible (11 or 12 point in an easy to read font). It should be typed

their audience. It should be

and ideally one or two A4 pages in length.

a win win situation.

 Selling  the release

There are two ways you can handle your communication with the media, depending on

how much time you have and what will work best for your particular circumstances. 

You can send a generic media release and follow it up with phone calls or e mail to

discuss the project and try to interest them in covering a particular angle. This is

especially effective if you have an existing relationship with journalists and a strong idea of

what interests them. Otherwise, they may think you're wasting their time. 

Alternatively, you may tailor each release for each journalist. This is more time consuming

and you risk giving journalists an angle that doesn't interest them. 

You may have three or four different  angles  or  stories  that you think the media will

be interested in but remember that the media like to be offered  exclusives . 

Knowing which angle to pitch to what media involves a small amount of easy research.

Read the publication, listen to the radio programme, or watch the television programme

and answer these questions:

  Who is the audience?

HOW TO

  Is there a section in the magazine or newspaper or a particular radio or television

STAND OUT

programme to which you will pitch one of your angles?

  Does the journalist or publication like to cover specific topics in a specific style? For

5

Imagine the desk of a

example, many suburban papers like to feature local residents. Is someone in your show

journalist with hundreds of

from their area?

bits of paper sitting on it.

How will your release stand

There is no point trying to sell a youth orientated music gig to an older listening,

out? Is there a novelty item

conservative radio station. Firstly, it's unlikely to cover your gig because its listeners won't

you can send with your press

be interested in it. Secondly, if these listeners aren't interested, why are you bothering

release to get the journalist's

with them?

attention? Whether true or an

Your relationship with individual reporters will determine how you communicate with

urban myth, the story goes

them. In general, it's best to send a media release to the reporter before talking about the

that when the Boom Town

Rats toured the United States

project. Follow up the release with a phone call or e mail. After that, they may wish to set

in the 1970s they sent radio

up an interview. If you're on good terms with a journalist, meeting them to pitch a story

DJs a shoe box with a dead

in an exclusive manner can work in your favour.

rat in it. It got them attention

There are a number of ways to deliver your media release:

but such stunts can backfire

and may alienate the media.

  post   you can use coloured paper and include a novelty item

54

Smart arts

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