In our Introduction to Public relations class taught by Barbara Nixon we discussed what needs to be in a news release in order for it to be properly formatted.
1. Letterhead with address
2. The words “News Release”
3. The words “For Immediate Release” or “Embargo”
4. Media contact information
5. Headline (and subhead)
6. Dateline
7. Lead
8. Quotations
9. Body
10. Page slugs
11. Additional contact information
12. Boiler plate
13. End sign
News releases are sent out to announce an event or new product. The release can either be posted right away or can have a date
when it needs to be published later on. It is important to have these 13 points within a news release. Having contact information
for the company and the writer is important in case more information is needed. A page slug signals when a news release
continues on to a another page. It can either be seen as either a “-30-” or “xxx” or “###.” This tells the editor that the release is
also on another page. Another point that might be confusing to understand is “boiler plate.” This means that the writing can be
used over again. For example, the company’s history does not change so you can use it again and it does not change in the press
release.
News releases are a great way to spread the word out to the public. You can write one months in advnace or send it in when it is time for it to be printed. The news release you write needs to be interesting and catch the editor’s eye so that it will be printed in the paper. 
