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Press releases: Who, what, when, where, why, how much and who to call.
The first thing to remember about a press release is that it probably will be rewritten. That’s partly a matter of course, partly a matter of style and partly a matter of available space.
Who: What organization is making the announcement or sponsoring the event? You needn’t say it’s open to the public; if it weren’t, the paper wouldn’t print it.
What: What is the event, its name plus a brief description: a dinner, a play, an auction? Don’t get gushy here. A dinner and silent auction isn’t an evening of intoxicating fantasy just because you say so.
When: The time, day and date where it will happen.
Time: 10 a.m. or 8 p.m. goes first. Use lowercase p.m. or a.m. and follow both letters with periods.
Day: The day of the week. Don’t abbreviate it.
Date: The month and date. Abbreviate months except for March, April, May, June and July.
NOTE: Make sure you use the right page of the calendar. It is easy to look at a November calendar for a December date.
Where: The location of the event, including a street address and a city. Numbered street addresses are written as First through Ninth, then 10th on.
Why: What’s the reason for the occasion? And if you say your event has three goals, don’t list four of them.
How much: If admission will be charged, how much is it? If prices range for tickets according to seating or for age groups, list them. Where can you buy them? Again, give addresses.
Who to Contact: Who (or what) should the public contact for more information.
Who again: Who can an editor or reporter call for clarification or more information?
Remember, numbers are snakes. Spellcheck won’t catch a transposed number. Check ALL times, dates, phone numbers, ticket prices.
Photos: Have you attached a photo?
Indentify: Please tell us who is in the photo from left to right.
Anything else: Was the photo taken at some special event or place?
Return: If you want the photo back, please give us a number where we can reach you and plan to come get it.
Thank you for submitting your information to us.
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