A press release (also called a media release or news release) is a written statement issued to journalists and media outlets to announce newsworthy information. It follows a strict journalistic format · inverted pyramid structure with the most important information first · that allows journalists to use it as the basis for a news story with minimal rewriting.
Genuine news has one of four qualities: novelty (it has not happened before), scale (it affects many people), impact (it changes something that matters), or conflict/tension (it resolves or creates a significant challenge). A new product feature, a partnership, and a thought leadership opinion are not inherently newsworthy. A first-in-market product, a funding round of a significant size, or a data-driven insight about a topic journalists are already covering is newsworthy. Ask yourself: would a journalist who does not work for you find this genuinely interesting?
One page (400 to 500 words) is a common standard and a sensible maximum. Journalists receive many releases every week. A release that requires scrolling past the first screen will often not be read. If your announcement requires more than 500 words to explain, the announcement is either not focused enough (break it into separate releases) or requires a different format (a backgrounder or fact sheet) as a supporting document attached to a shorter release.
The inverted pyramid means writing with the most important information first and supporting details last. The lead paragraph should contain all the essential facts · who, what, when, where, why. Each subsequent paragraph adds context and detail. This structure serves two purposes: journalists can cut from the bottom to fit word counts without losing the story, and readers who stop reading after the first paragraph still understand the news. Never build to a conclusion in a press release.
Write it as a real person would actually speak, then attribute it to them. Avoid generic corporate statements ("We are delighted to announce...") · journalists rarely use them and they undermine the release's credibility. A good quote adds perspective or emotion that the factual paragraphs cannot: "We spent 18 months building the technology that makes this possible because we refused to take the shortcut our competitors took." Get the quote approved by the attributed person before distribution.
An embargoed release asks journalists to hold the story until a stated date and time, while giving them the material early so they can research and write it well. Mark it at the top in place of FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, for example "EMBARGOED UNTIL 9:00 a.m. ET, October 14, 2026", with the time zone stated. An embargo works by agreement: it holds because reporters accept the material on those terms. Send embargoed news to journalists you know, and ask before sending when the news is market sensitive. Source: Vincent Kiernan, Embargoed Science (2006).