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Advocacy card - Writing and using a press release
NOTE: In some countries a ‘press release’ is a paid advertisement. This Advocacy in Action Card refers to press releases that are not paid for and that are sent to journalists on newspapers, magazines, radio and TV, to assist them in producing stories.
A press release (or news release) is the standard method of distributing a story to the media (it is also possible to telephone a journalist to suggest a story, if you are sure that it is an interesting story and that it cannot easily be distorted).
Using the mass media is also an information, education and communication (IEC) method. It only becomes an advocacy method when:
- The general public has been identified as an ‘indirect target’ who will go on to influence a direct target – for example, voters who will influence a minister
- Influential people are the targets of the article or broadcast item – for example ministers reading a newspaper.
The aim of a press release is usually to do one or more of the following:
- Outline an organisation’s response to an event/action
- Draw attention to an issue
- Provide background information on an issue/event or action
- Give advance notice of an event
- Announce new campaigns and provide progress reports
- Provide a report of a meeting
- Report decisions taken by organisations/groups
- Circulate speeches in advance.
Media organisations receive hundreds of press releases each day, most of which are never used. In order to get the attention of the media, a press release needs to be well written and interesting.
Advantages
- It is a very public form of advocacy which can increase pressure on decision-makers to take action.
- You can offer your selection of facts and opinions.
- You can decide when to give the information.
- A press release is more permanent than an interview – you have a permanent record of what you said.
- You have time to think before giving your message to a journalist.
- It makes the job of the journalist easier, therefore your views are more likely to be covered by the media.
Disadvantages
- Journalists receive too many press releases, so yours will be thrown away if it is not interesting or if a big news story ‘breaks’.
- Journalists can still distort your story, even if it is clear in a press release.
- A good press release requires a good level of literacy, and some understanding of how journalists work.
- It is difficult to involve many people in writing a press release.
Skills-building activity
Objective: By the end of the session participants will be able to explain the purpose of a press release and write a simple press release
Preparation time: 2 hours
Resources: ‘How to...’ Handout
Instructions
Timing: 2 hours
1 Introduce the topic and explain the objective of the activity to the participants.
2 On flip-chart paper, draw two columns with the following titles:
- When to involve the media in advocacy work
- When not to involve the media in advocacy work
3 Working as a whole group, ask the participants to identify when an issue is appropriate to be addressed by the media, and when it will not help.
4 Ask participants to explain what a press release is, its purpose, and how it is different from a position paper or briefing note.
5 Divide the participants into groups combining those from different organisations. Ask the groups to choose an issue that would be appropriate to address to the media (possibly an issue they have worked on during the workshop).
6 Ask the small groups to write a headline and opening sentence for a press release.
7 Next, ask them to write the remainder of the press release, taking care to explain in detail the five ‘W’s (Who, What, Where, When and Why).
8 Ask the participants to describe the kind of journalists or media to whom they would send the press release.
9 Ask each group to exchange their press release with another group.
10 Each group should analyse the other group’s release by making sure it is interesting and that it answers all the five ‘W’s. Ask each group to give some constructive feedback to the other group on how the release can be improved.
11 Invite the participants to share any comments or experiences from analysing and using press releases.
12 Bring the groups together again. Discuss with the participants what they have learned from the activity.
Facilitators’ notes
- The main purpose of the groups analysing each other’s press release is to improve analytical skills. The analyser will benefit more than the person who’s press release is being analysed, so do not worry if good advice is not accepted.
- You may want to ask some pairs to do a different activity – preparing some advice (for example, ‘Try to...’ and ‘Try not to...’ tips) for writing and using a press release.
Advice for writing a press release
- Try to be clear about what you are trying to achieve when using the media in your advocacy work.
- Try to research the most relevant journalist(s) and send the release directly to them, using the correct contact details.
- Try to co-ordinate all your media work through one person so that there is one person for journalists to contact.
- Try to provide a 24-hour contact phone number on the press release if possible, so that you are contactable at all hours.
- Try to consult people directly affected by the issue or problem.
- Try not to hand write a press release.
- Try not to include jargon – if in doubt, explain technical words, abbreviations, initials.
- Try not to assume that the journalist knows about your issue – explain the key concepts or attach additional notes.
- Try not to quote someone without their permission.
Advice for working with journalists
- Try to provide the media with information they need in forms that they can use.
- Try to develop good relationships with journalist and be as helpful as possible.
- Try to understand the pressures and limitations under which journalists work – and respect their deadlines.
- Try to work with, rather than against, journalists whenever possible.
- Try not to dictate terms – any good journalist will resent being told what to think or write.
- Try not to be defensive, even if challenged, just state your position clearly.
Example: Writing and using a press release
When to involve the media in advocacy work
- When you are making gains on your issue.
- When there is a burning issue.
- When other methods are not working.
- When looking for allies.
- When you have begun your advocacy work.
When not to involve the media in advocacy work
- When you do not know how the media works.
- When there are disagreements within the organisation on the issue.
- When the timing is not right – for example, due to political circumstances.
- When bigger issues are dominating the media, preventing your issue from getting the attention you think it deserves.
Reference: Adapted from an advocacy skills-building workshop for HIV/AIDS, International HIV/AIDS Alliance, Zimbabwe, July 2001.
How to...write and use a press release
Content of the press release
Write a simple and interesting headline – this helps the journalist understand the story immediately. The first sentence should summarise the most important facts of the story, i.e.:
- Who is involved?
- What is happening?
- Where is it happening?
- When is it happening?
- Why is this happening?
The main part of the press release should then explain these points in further detail. This information helps to persuade the journalist of the facts and importance of the subject, and why it is of interest.
Quotes can often make a press release more interesting and appealing to the journalist, because they may not have access to the relevant people or perhaps because the event has passed. Direct speech quotations from people involved in the issue or activity:
- should express an opinion, fact, or be able to support the view you have expressed in your press release
- allow you to give strong opinions that would look wrong in ordinary text
- give a human dimension to the story
- are better than indirect quotations.
Gain permission from a person affected by the issue, if you are quoting them.
Style
- Short sentences, maximum 20 words.
- Short paragraphs, maximum two to three sentences.
- Copy the format and story structure from a newspaper article.
- Use a good case study or anecdote as evidence to support your point of view.
Presentation
- Use headed paper so that it looks official and professional.
- Make sure that it is well laid out and easy to read.
- Type it, using double spacing, on one side of the paper only.
- Include the date and the name of the organisation.
- Provide a contact name, telephone and fax number, and e-mail address as available.
- Give an embargo time (the day/time when the journalists are allowed to use the information). This should include the day, date and time.
Photographs
- Include photographs of key people, places or action mentioned in the press release if you have them.
NOTE: Once a press release has been written it should be distributed to selected journalists and press associations by fax or e-mail – you can telephone them to ask for these numbers/addresses. Once the journalists receive the press release they will consider whether to include the story in their media work. They may also contact you for further information.
Source: Advocacy in Action
This is an extract from Advocacy in Action: a toolkit to support NGOs and CBOs responding to HIV/AIDS, developed in collaboration with the International Council of AIDS Service Organizations (ICASO) and published by the International HIV/AIDS Alliance in June 2002.
To view the whole report follow this link.
To download this section, complete with graphics, in pdf format (which requires Adobe Acrobat software to read it) follow this link (file size 1.0 Mbytes).