To paraphrase the famous quote by Mark Twain, the reports of the news release’s death are grossly exaggerated.
There have been numerous news articles and blog posts about the state of the news release as a public relations tool, with many claiming that the news release is dead. It started a few years ago when a Coca-Cola executive grabbed industry headlines when he proclaimed that the company was going to kill the press release. Since then, others in the industry have written about how social media makes the news release obsolete.
Funny thing about the Coke proclamation, though, is that it hasn’t happened. Look at the company’s own website today. It continues to maintain a Press Center full of recent news releases.
And while it is true that social media is growing, it has not eliminated the need for news releases. Social media serves as a complement to news releases in the PR toolkit.
Throughout my nearly three decades as a PR practitioner, I have written thousands and thousands of news releases. They continue to be a staple for my clients because they provide journalists with the details they need to cover a story.
If well written, some releases even get picked up verbatim. A news release I wrote for a small start-up company recently reached a national audience of more than 11 million people, and the release was unchanged in numerous placements.
When discussing a possible story with a reporter, the first question I still get is, “Can you send me a news release?”
I submit that the news release is alive and well. It remains a useful PR tool and a valuable part of any public relations campaign.
If you have news you are looking to get covered by the media, contact Cook Communications LLC today. We can help you package the story in a news release or other appropriate vehicle for the news media.