What Journalists Really Look for in Press Releases
Takeaways and behind‑the‑scenes insights from conversations with working and veteran voices in the media
This is the first part of our series Inside the Newsroom: What Journalists Really Look for in Press Releases, based on interviews with journalists — including veteran reporters and editors — about how they evaluate press releases. Over several weeks, EIN Presswire will publish takeaways and behind‑the‑scenes insights from those conversations.
In today’s information age, news is everywhere, from social media to websites, giving journalists countless story ideas and sources to draw from. They can quickly find breaking developments, trends, or quotes to include in their stories.
Still, one tool that has stood the test of time and that many news organizations continue to rely on is the press release.
These news releases often arrive as email pitches sent directly to editors, reporters and producers, or through specialized tools such as press release distribution platforms used by businesses, PR and marketing agencies, entrepreneurs and other organizations. Common tools include EIN Presswire, Cision, GlobeNewswire, and more.
But in what has become a crowded digital media funnel, editors, reporters and other newsroom associates can receive dozens, sometimes hundreds, of press releases daily in their inboxes.
Because of strict deadlines and a constant flow of news, many journalists skim releases to quickly assess what is timely, relevant and credible before deciding whether to read further, follow up, or move on.
For PR professionals, businesses, and brands, that reality raises an important question: What actually makes a press release stand out to the individuals in the media who decide what gets covered or cited?
Earned media and AI visibility
A press release serves many purposes. It formally announces news and gives journalists, AI systems and stakeholders something concrete to reference.
Which brings us to the elephant in the room: When a press release is sent, another major goal is earned media.
That earned coverage can take many forms — a reporter incorporating information from the release into a larger story, requesting an interview, or quoting a source. It might also include a podcast appearance, a broadcast segment, or print placement in a newspaper or magazine.
Still, the good news is that even if a press release does not generate earned media, using PR distribution services can provide other lasting benefits.
For one, news releases are often published online on multiple news platforms through distribution services that have wide-ranging media networks, such as EIN Presswire, Cision and others. These published clips significantly help increase visibility for a company, organization, or a brand.
And now, as AI-powered search tools become increasingly common, news releases can be picked up by systems such as Google’s AI Overviews and referenced in AI-generated summaries or answers, including those produced by ChatGPT.
What editors and reporters look for in a news release
Meanwhile, a quick Google search on how to grab the media’s attention results in plenty of general advice. But perspectives tend to be more useful when they come directly from people who have worked in newsrooms and made those decisions firsthand.
So to find out, we asked veteran editors and reporters who have covered different beats for various media outlets to share the specific elements they look for when reviewing press releases and deciding what to cover or reference.
Their perspectives, many of whom shared that press releases remain sources they rely on, help bridge the gap between the media and communicators.
Several themes emerged in their responses: begin with a strong lead (opening sentences), keep the story relevant, include compelling quotes or data, and do research on journalists and outlets that pitches or releases are sent to. They also flagged common missteps that can cause otherwise newsworthy announcements to be overlooked.
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