Press Release to traditional media

Basic principles:

          When preparing a press release the most critical things to remember is (1) make it interesting, and (2) make it easy for the editor/reporter.

          Surprisingly, your most important audience is NOT the general public.  Your most important audience is the editor or reporter who will decide if the general public ever see your story.  They are VERY busy and do not have time to consider your story much less do more research.

Your best potential publisher is the weekly paper.  Many of those only have 2-3 people running the whole thing, or TV where their primary interest concerns potential interesting video. Daily papers are facing the same situation so treat them the same way. Don’t forget the specialty papers: entertainment, events, neighborhoods.

Consider radio – those stations you want to be associated with. Yes, their market might be in the hundreds but that’s hundreds of local people. Since you did the work to prepare the release it only takes seconds to send it.

          As always, work with the one second (or less) rule.  You have one second or less to interest that reporter enough to start reading.  Then you have, maybe, 5 seconds to grab their attention to consider your story.

Keep it short.  Keep it engaging.

          Obviously, your headline is essential.  Your church name, event name, address, date, time, etc. are not important at this moment.  They are absolutely essential soon, but the first 3-5 words must be noticed to grab attention and your church name does not do that.

          Make the name attention grabbing.  The 5th annual Martha Steward fund raiser for people recently released from jail shrimp boil --- contains a lot of information – which will NOT be read!  You’ve lost them by the word ‘annual’.  Begin with what’s interesting:  Supporting people released from prison! (if important, slip all the rest in the article.)

          Face it, events in a church will not make a reporter’s Pulitzer dreams come true! 😊  In today’s environment the reporter is over worked, under paid, and stressed out.  The more stress you put on them, the less likely your story gets told.  This is especially true in small communities with small newspapers.  In one of the towns near me, two people basically run three newspapers.  They don’t have time to do much background work.

          So ….. write the release like a short article you might read in their newspaper.  400 words is usually a reasonable target.  Include some quotes – yes I know using those quotes without verifying them is not a good idea for media people, but, they have 15 minutes to put the entire story together and not much time for research.  At times my news release has been cut and pasted so it was the entire story.

          Focus on NEWS.  What don’t the people in the community already know?  The fact you are having a worship service is not news.   The fact that worship service is for people who are sad during Christmas season is different and may be news.  The headline is that people are sad.  The service comes in later as a response.

          Always list two people they can contact, with cell phone numbers for any time.  The reporter could be working on the story at 8pm.  If we tell them to leave a message on the church machine, our story likely goes in the trash can.

          Don’t forget to include essential information:  event name, date, time, location (physical address), website, phone number (that can be the church), cost.  Most likely the reporter will not include all of this but let them choose.  If you can offer childcare, that is always a good thing but mention it is done with safety protocols in place.

          Media is very visual now.  Even the Wall Street Journal uses photos!  Whenever possible, include a couple photos with information about where and when it was taken. 

          Videos can also be good.  Short!  (1-2 minutes or less.)  These can help explain the event more clearly to the reporter and may even be put on an electronic edition.  Even small newspapers are going in that direction.  The video should not quote the text, but it is likely to cover the same topics.

          Before sending - triple check that you did include the necessary information:  event name/description,  (Yes, I know I said that before but twice I sent one out without the time or date!)

SAMPLE For immediate release

Christmas is not a joyful time for everyone.  The shouts of “Merry Christmas” can sound shallow, and even painful when a person has lost a loved one, heard a bad diagnosis, become unemployed, become divorced or any other painful life event.  Trying to remember the importance and impact of Jesus’ birth can be hard, very hard.  That is not God’s intent.

 So, we take time to acknowledge God’s involvement in our lives during these hard times.  In a simple service we acknowledge the pain and remember the hope.

Rev. XXXXX commented that “This service reminds us of the pain some of our neighbors are suffering.  It is a way we can reach out and support those people.”

 Mrs. xxxx remembers the year after her husband died.  She said that a service which acknowledged her pain would have been a blessing.

 St. Somewhere offers this service to the community on December xx, the time of the year which has the least amount of sunlight.  But it’s also the day when the amount of sunlight begins to gradually increase again.  This symbolism adds power to the service.

 During the service communion will be offered to all who wish to receive.

 The Blue Christmas service will be XXXXXX, December XX, at ???? PM at St. Somewhere Episcopal Church, xxx Somewhere Street, in OurTown, AA.

St. Somewhere’s Christmas Eve service is at  xxxxx

For further information contacts:

    Xxxx  xxxx at xxx-xxx-xxxx

    Rev. xxxxx at xxx-xxx-xxxx