Press Releases and Media Relations

A well-written media release, also called a press release, can be one of the most effective tools in your toolbox when it comes to generating awareness of your programs and educational tools. Each time you draft a media release, you should keep in mind that the goal of the activity is to accomplish two things: tell a compelling story that highlights your program, research, or educational content; and make it as easy as possible for an editor to plug-and-play your content into their media.

This guide provides practical tips for writing media releases with increased editorial value, which will improve your chances of a successful media placement.

Core Policy and Procedure Highlights

For events, share releases with media outlets at least 14 days before the start of the event.
All media releases must include the official Illinois Extension boilerplate, which is shared within this document.
Units are encouraged to share media releases directly with their local media outlets. If you believe that your media release would be of statewide interest, contact the state communications team for assistance with broader distribution.
All media releases should be shared on the unit homepage.

Topics Addressed in This Guide

Topics That Make Good Releases
Extension’s Core Policies on Media Releases
Characteristics of Releases, Blogs, and Columns
Distribution of Media Releases
How to Talk about Extension
Core Elements of Every Release
Headlines
Opening Paragraph
Body of Story
Photos and Images
Common Style Issues
Digital Formatting for Website
Sample News Release

This page previews a portion of the full best practice guide for media releases. Download the full Illinois Extension Media Relations Best Practices Guide to explore this topic, including helpful examples and illustrations.

Good Candidates for Media Releases

Summary of research findings
Resource compilations
How-to articles
Event marketing
Seasonal topics pointing to Extension’s expertise
Awards, milestones, staff announcements

Media Releases vs. Blogs and Columns

Media releases:

Write in third person.
Use a journalistic tone: professional, impartial, objective.
Attribute statements to a source as either direct quotes or attributed paraphrase.
Use inverted pyramid style with the most important information at the beginning of the story.

Personal columns and blogs:

Write in first or third person.
Use a style that best suits your personality and audience. Your chosen style could range from conversational to formal, or from academic to accessible. Your personality should shine through, so adopt a style that suits you.
Comments are assumed to be those of the blog’s author without attribution, thus do not require quotation marks.
Use a creative content structure, such as beginning with anecdotes or questions, to build interest throughout the story, and keep readers engaged until the end.

Essential Elements of Every Release

Headline
Release date
City in all caps, state abbreviated (CITY, Ill. – )
Opening paragraph and body of story
Contact information for the source and the writer
For meetings, the release must include the official statement about accommodations and access. We recommend including that toward the end of the release.
- If you will need an accommodation in order to participate, please email the contact person for the event. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs.
Extension boilerplate language, listed below
- ABOUT EXTENSION: Illinois Extension leads public outreach for University of Illinois by translating research into action plans that allow Illinois families, businesses, and community leaders to solve problems, make informed decisions, and adapt to changes and opportunities.

Communications and Information Technology