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4. Journalism and public relations

Journalism schools traditionally require a course in news writing for students interested in public relations, and many public relations professionals also like to hire people with some news experience. It has been agreed that the skill most required of public relations people is good writing. These writing skills should include news writing, and one should be familiar with the way news operations work.

5. Types of releases

Types of releases generally fall into three categories:

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  Announcements of coming events or personnel matters (hiring, promoting, retiring, and the like)
  
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  Information about a cause (e.g. when an organisation gets involved in events that raise money for vulnerable children)
  
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  Information that is meant to build someone’s or some organisation’s image
  

6. Writing news releases that get attention

“If you don’t understand good journalistic style and format (who, what, when, where, and why) for writing a press release, you harm your company.” G.A. Marken
Remember, even the smallest newspaper and radio or TV station gets dozens of news releases daily. You must break through the clutter to make sure you get listened to or looked at by the journalists and editors on the news desks.
Here are some guidelines to help you getting your message to your intended audiences (Missouri, 2003: 462, 463).
Know what news is and how to write it: Take a course in news writing to help you understand the principles of news. Follow the straight, no-nonsense inverted pyramid writing format that puts the most important information first. The writer is therefore required to rank the importance of information.

Know the structure and operations of newsrooms: News rooms have deadlines!

Know the people in the news media and the jobs they hold: Send a release to the editor of the section you wish your release to appear.
Know the style of writing that fits the medium: Stop sending the same news release to the radio or TV station that you send to the newspaper. News people are too busy to translate your newspaper release into broadcast copy.

7. Building trust with media people

The most basic requirement of any successful relationship is a reasonable degree of trust between the reporter and the newsmaker or source. “Here’s the thing, if you can prove yourself a reliable resource for a journalist you will be looked upon as a friend, until then, you’re just a pest to an overworked, often underpaid reporter…”
Get the journalist to know, like and trust you:

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  Build a list of journalists that you think might care about your story.
  
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  Read everything they write (use a Google News search by their name and subscribe to the email alert or RSS feed).
  
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  Find their blog and subscribe to, comment on and write relevant trackbacks to it.
  
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  Set up a routine of sending relevant content to them that is related to articles they write.
  
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  Do not push for any stories (unless they are truly news) until you have done this for weeks.
  

8. The practical example

Below is an example of the writing attempted by one of the participants of the training programme ‘Training young Namibians on the energy sector’. This example uses, or at least it tries to follow the guidelines recommended for the straight, simple journalistic writing format known as the inverted pyramid:

…News Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung 95 John Meinert Street, Windhoek [e-mail] Tel: +264 61 … For further information contact: Natalie Renkhoff (For immediate release) WINDHOEK, OCT. 7, 2013 – Windhoek will be energized by a ground breaking Energy-Festival on October 24, 2013 at Zoo Park. This Energy-Festival marks the dawning of a new era in the fight against climate change in Namibia. Spearheaded by young Namibians trained in the energy sector, the festival will start at 11h00 and the public is heartily welcome to participate in the planned festivities. The festival forms part of the programme titled ‘Training young Namibians on the energy sector – sustainable options to meet Namibia’s rising energy demand’. “The training is meant to find options to meet Namibia’s rising energy demand and to understand the linkage between energy production and climate change. The programme will enable young Namibians to participate in the process of influencing Namibia’s energy sector and to create awareness with regards to climate change,” said Natalie Renkhoff, coordinator of the project. The programme as well as the festival are hosted by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in partnership with Earthlife Namibia, Goethe-Centre, NaDS, LaRRI and the participating students. There will be an information desk on energy issues, an energy quiz with prizes to be won and information on the programme which is to become an annual event. There will be an award giving ceremony in the evening for the trainees…

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  Provide the address and phone number of the organisation sending it out and the name of the sending person.
  

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  Start your news release with a headline
  

The purpose of this is to grab or attract the attention of journalists. It may describe your newsworthy event you intend to communicate, for example: Energy-Festival in Zoo Park.

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  Write the body copy
  

What exactly do you want journalists to use in their write-up of your big event or announcement? Say it here, this is the place for it and start with the date and city in which the press release originates: Windhoek, Oct. 7, 2013.

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  Construct the lead or the first sentence
  

This must say clearly and concisely what is happening at your organisation or company. For example, following from the headline created above which is Energy-Festival in Zoo Park your first sentence might read something like this: Windhoek will be energized by a ground breaking Energy-Festival on October 24, 2013 at Zoo Park.

The writing of this lead remains a traditional approach even though the writer tried to be a little creative with that Windhoek will be energized. Also keep in mind that the lead or the first paragraph (two to three sentences) should sum up the press release and the additional content must elaborate it.

Remember this is news, so deal with facts: This Energy-Festival marks the dawning of a new era in the fight against climate change in Namibia. Spearheaded by young Namibians trained in the energy sector, the festival will start at 11h00 and the public is heartily welcome to participate in the planned festivities.

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  Make sure to communicate the 5 Ws as clearly and concisely as possible.
  

These are the 5 Ws and the H: who, what, when, where, why and how!

Let us now consider the checklist in context with the points below to see how this can be done:

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  Who is this about? Young Namibians in the energy sector (training).
  
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  What is the actual news? Announcing the upcoming energy-festival.
  
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  When does this event happen? 24^th October.
  
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  Where does this event take place? In Zoo Park, Windhoek.
  
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  Why is this news? It’s the training of youth about an issue of such importance as that of energy. Its impact is huge, everyone gets affected one way or another, and it is a start to seeking a solution to this global problem.
  
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  How is this happening? The main event is the festival in the park, but which is precedent by a very important training workshop.
  

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  Use authority to show both the credibility and seriousness of the event or announcement
  In this release the direct quote does it: “The programme will enable young Namibians to participate in the process of influencing Namibia’s energy sector and to create awareness with regards to climate change,” says Natalie Renkhoff, coordinator of the programme.