# Press release: definition, structure and example

How a press release is structured, from headline to boilerplate, with an annotated example, embargoes, distribution and how to measure the coverage it earns.

**A press release is a written announcement an organisation sends to journalists to share news. It follows a fixed structure so reporters can grasp the key facts at once and use them in their own coverage.**

The press release is one of the oldest tools in media relations, and teams still send them every day. It does not replace a conversation with a journalist, but it records what is official: figures, quotes, dates and who to call. Newsrooms receive a lot of them. Whether yours gets read usually comes down to the headline and the first two sentences.

## How a press release is structured

The structure follows news-writing conventions that journalists expect. [Rutgers' press release guide](https://opoc.rutgers.edu/resources/press-release-basics.html) and [PRSA's guidance](https://jobs.prsa.org/career-resources/finding-talent-10/how-to-write-a-press-release-that-actually-gets-published-377) list largely the same parts.

1. **Headline.** Short and specific, with the actual news in it.
2. **Subhead.** Optional. Adds a second important detail.
3. **Dateline.** Where and when the release is issued, for example "LEIPZIG, Germany, Nov. 7, 2026". English-language releases often follow AP style here.
4. **Lead.** The first paragraph answers who, what, when, where, why and how. A reader who stops here still has the story.
5. **Body.** Written as an inverted pyramid: the most important facts first, supporting detail after. Editors cut from the bottom, so the core survives.
6. **Quote.** A named person's view on the news. It should add something the text has not already said.
7. **Boilerplate.** A short, standard paragraph about the organisation that stays the same in every release.
8. **Media contact.** Name, phone number and email of someone who will actually answer.

## An annotated example

The example below is invented. The company does not exist.

> **Exampleton Bikes launches cargo bike with swappable battery**
>
> _First deliveries to municipal home care services in January 2027_
>
> EXAMPLETON, Nov. 7, 2026. Exampleton Bikes Ltd has introduced a cargo bike whose battery can be swapped by hand in under a minute. The model is aimed at home care services and delivery firms that run their bikes in shifts. The first customers are three municipal home care services in Exampleton, which will receive their bikes in January 2027.
>
> Until now, operators had to take bikes off the road for several hours to recharge. [...]
>
> "A bike that is charging is a round of visits that does not happen," said Jane Example, managing director of Exampleton Bikes.
>
> **About Exampleton Bikes:** Exampleton Bikes Ltd designs cargo bikes for commercial customers. [...]
>
> **Media contact:** John Sample, press@exampleton-bikes.example, phone [...]

Why this works: the headline names the company, the product and the news. The subhead adds a concrete date. The lead covers who (Exampleton Bikes), what (a cargo bike with a swappable battery), where (Exampleton), when (launched now, delivered in January) and for whom. The quote explains why the news matters instead of repeating the lead.

## Embargoes

An embargo asks journalists not to publish before a set date and time, usually marked at the top as "EMBARGOED UNTIL" followed by the date and time. It gives reporters time to prepare a story on a study, results or a speech. An embargo rests on trust between sender and newsroom, so use one only when there is a real reason and make it impossible to miss.

## Distribution

Most teams combine three channels:

- **Your own media list.** Journalists who actually cover your topic. A short, relevant list usually does better than a long one.
- **Newswires.** They spread a release widely but do not replace relationships with reporters.
- **Your newsroom.** The release stays on your website with images and contacts. That is owned media, and journalists can find it later.

## Measuring the result

Sending a release is not a result. The result is the coverage it produces, which is [earned media](/en/glossary/earned-media). [Media monitoring](/en/glossary/media-monitoring) finds the articles that pick up the release. Then look at reach, sentiment and message pull-through: does the article carry your key message, or just your company name? AMEC's Barcelona Principles 4.0 recommend judging results against objectives set in advance, not by clipping counts or advertising value equivalents, which the principles call invalid.

## Common mistakes

- No news. A new logo or an anniversary without a hook rarely interests an editor.
- The news is buried in the third paragraph instead of the lead.
- Marketing language such as "innovative" or "unique" in place of facts a reporter can check.
- A quote that says nothing.
- A media contact who cannot be reached.
- Blasting the release to outlets that never cover the subject.

## How aclipp helps

aclipp [media monitoring](/en/media-monitoring), with global online monitoring across more than 150 million sources, shows which outlets picked your release up and when. [Reporting](/en/reporting) then summarises reach, sentiment and messages of the coverage, so you can see what the release achieved.