Matakuliah
Tahun
: G0374/Business Writing
: September 2006
Press Release
Pertemuan 16
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• Writing a Press Release
• The Layout
• The Content
• Considering News
• The Format
• The Photographs
• The Captions
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Layout
• Dari scanning wilmhurst, pg. 311.
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Writing a Press Release
1.
State where the information comes from.
2.
State where it is to go – so always try to personalize the
release.
3.
Give a clear release date.
4.
Give a clear headline showing what the release is about.
5.
Provide a telephone number for day and night contact, and
always give names and addresses for further information.
6.
Remember within the boy of the release to include the five
Ws and How.
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News
• Impact
• Oddity
• Conflict
• Known principal
• Proximity
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The Contents
• It is written clearly and concisely.
• It must get to the facts early and answer
the six key questions.
• It is objective.
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A Worthless Drivel News Release
• Releases are poorly written.
• Releases are rarely localized.
• Releases are not newsworthy
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Format
• Spacing
• Paper
• Identification
• Release date
• Margins
• Length
• Paragraphs
• Slug lines
• Headlines
• Proofreading
• Timing
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Photographs
• Unless otherwise specified by the publication,
sent only 8in x 10in black and white glossy
prints.
• Always attach a caption, either with rubber
cement or with staples.
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Style
• It must be flexible and evolve as language
changes.
• It must not relate to sexism in writing.
• Capitalization.
• Abbreviations.
• Numbers.
• Punctuation.
• Spelling.
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Guidelines for the Elimination of Sexual Bias in
the Media
• Terms referring to a specific gender should be avoided when an alternative
terms will do. E.g. business executive businessman.
• Where neither a gender-free term nor any term accurately designating
gender is yet in common use, continue to employ the old terminology. E.g.
Yeoman First Class Betty Jones or Mary Smith, a telephone company
lineman.
• Nor occupational designation should include a description of the person’s
gender unless it is pertinent to the story. E.g. don’t use woman lawyer or
male nurse.
• Avoid terms like man-made for synthetic, man on the street for ordinary
citizen, manpower for workforce, man and wife for husband and wife, and
co-ed for student.
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Captions
1. Captions content and style
2. Copyright Issues
3. Captions for Charts
4. Captions for the Press
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Suggested Layout
This press release from
Singapore Airlines shows
the recommended layout for
you to use when
Composing a press release
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1. Captions content and style
• It should be brief, not exceeding 15 to 20 words and reveal the content of
the photo.
• Put a heading, typing double spaced.
• Give the name of the issuing organization, company or consultancy with
date, contact name, address and telephone/fax number. Refer to the source
organization, service or product.
• If the photo shows a person or group of people, put job titles and names
from left to right. When a well-known personality is featured, write the
caption round the VIP, not someone else, even if you feel you ought to
mention the chairman first!
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2. Copyright Issues
• News editor and picture desk will assume it will be
free of copyright restrictions.
• Photographs should be rubber-stamped on the back
with statement of the copyright position; ideally,
similar wording should appear on the caption itself.
• Never issue a photograph or illustration unless you
are sure who own the copyright.
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3. Captions for Charts
• The chart caption should describe the essential
finding or purpose.
• It leads the reader to the relevant part of the text.
• With graphs and tables ensure that legens and
headings are clear and unambiguous.
• Make sure that graph axes are explained and show the
appropriate units.
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4. Captions for the Press
• Always use a stiff-backed envelope when sending out a
photographs or illustrations.
• Do not write on the back of prints as Biro or pencil marks can
show through and make the picture useless for reproduction.
• Captions should be attached with strips of Sellotape.
• Never glue or paste them to the backs of photographs; just
stick them on lightly so they protrude from the bottom of the
print and can be read in conjunction with the picture.
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