ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the format and content of news releases for print media. Communication historians report that the world's first news release was a graduation announcement issued in 1758 by King's College. The chapter provides several examples of news releases, hypothetical information developed to provide models of the various aspects of releases. The news release may be one of the few truly egalitarian elements left in modern society. Whether written by a highly paid public relations practitioner, a college graduate just getting started or a volunteer at a nonprofit organization, each news release has the same chance of being used by an editor or news director. Whether from news blogs or either print or online newspapers, most news releases follow a format similar to the basic news article: the well-known inverted pyramid style. Details such as times, dates, addresses and fees are best left to follow-up paragraphs.
