What good minutes record, and what they leave out
Minutes are not a transcript. They are the official record of what a meeting decided, and they need to stand up long after everyone has forgotten the discussion.
2 min read
Writing a press release journalists will actually read
Editors decide in a few seconds whether a release is worth their time. Here is how to structure yours so the story survives that first glance.
A press release has one job: to give a journalist everything they need to understand the story, judge whether it matters to their readers, and write about it accurately. Most releases fail not because the news is weak, but because the news is buried.
Lead with the news, not the organisation
The first sentence should say what happened, who it affects and why it matters now. "Our organisation is proud to announce" tells the reader nothing. "A new skills programme will train 200 young people in Soweto from March" tells them the story.
Write the headline last. Once the first paragraph is right, the headline is usually a shorter version of it.
Answer the questions in order of importance
Journalists read from the top and stop when they have enough. Put the essentials first (what, who, when, where) and the background further down. If the final three paragraphs were cut, the release should still make sense.
Write quotes that sound like a person
A quote should add opinion, feeling or vision that the facts cannot. "We are delighted with this partnership" adds nothing. A spokesperson explaining what the partnership will change for the people it serves gives a journalist something worth using.
Make it easy to follow up
- A named contact person with a direct email address and phone number.
- A short "About" paragraph describing the organisation in two or three sentences.
- Links to images, reports or further detail, rather than heavy attachments.
- A clear date, and an embargo time if the news must not be published before it.
Keep it to one page where you can
Most strong releases fit on a single page. If yours runs longer, the extra material probably belongs in a background document or a fact sheet that you link to.
A well-written release saves journalists time, and they remember the organisations that make their work easier.
