A press release announces something. A product launch, a funding round, a leadership change, an award. Organizations write them and send them to journalists, hoping for coverage.

The format is rigid by tradition. Headline, dateline, opening paragraph with the who, what, when, and where. Quotes from executives. A boilerplate paragraph about the company. Contact details at the bottom.

What journalists actually want

• A genuine news angle, not a sales pitch
• Facts and figures early
• Quotes that say something specific
• Easy access to images and contacts

Most releases get ignored. The ones that earn coverage usually contain real news, not marketing language dressed up as a story.