Journalists ultimately want one thing: a real story that matters to their audience. Press releases that deliver clear news value — not hype — are the ones that get opened, read, and picked up. And according to media research, more than 70% of journalists prefer concise, factual, and relevant press releases over any other type of PR material (Cision State of the Media Report).
So what exactly makes a press release “newsworthy”? Here’s what the data — and journalists themselves — say.
Clarity First: Give Journalists the Story Up Front
The #1 complaint reporters have about press releases is that they bury the news.
As Dan Zarella, journalist and data analyst at HubSpot, puts it:
“Journalists shouldn’t have to dig to find the story. Lead with the news, not the backstory.”
Source: HubSpot Research
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-write-a-press-release
This mirrors traditional news writing: the most important information comes first.
That means your opening should answer who, what, when, where, and why within the first 2–3 sentences.
A Strong, Specific Headline
Cision’s 2024 journalist survey found that headline clarity directly correlates with pickup rate. Journalists skim hundreds of emails daily — vague or marketing-heavy headlines get ignored.
A good headline is:
- clear
- specific
- timely
- rooted in facts
For example:
❌ “XYZ Company Announces Exciting New Development”
✔ “XYZ Launches First AI Tool That Cuts Support Times by 60%”
Source: Cision 2024 State of the Media
https://www.cision.com/resources/guides-and-reports/state-of-the-media-report/
Real Data Over "Marketing Speak"
Journalists consistently rank data as one of the most valuable elements of a press release.
According to The Reuters Institute:
“Evidence-driven claims are more trustworthy and more likely to be published.”
Source: Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism
https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/
Even one statistic can transform a bland announcement into a real story.
Quotes That Add Insight — Not Fluff
Most press releases include quotes, but most quotes get ignored.
A good quote should add human insight, not rephrase the script.
Business Wire’s editorial guidelines note:
“Quotes should provide perspective, emotion, or strategy — not repeat facts already stated.”
Source: Business Wire
https://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/prlearning/
Strong Example:
✔ “This launch reduces client onboarding from 40 minutes to under 10 — a change that will save hospitals thousands of hours a year,” said CEO Lisa Tran.
Weak Example:
❌ “We are thrilled to announce this exciting new product.”
Journalists Want: Relevance, Impact, and Audience Fit
According to MuckRack, time and relevance are top journalist priorities.
One reporter summarized it perfectly:
“If it doesn’t matter to my audience, it doesn’t matter to me.”
Source: MuckRack State of Journalism Report
https://muckrack.com/research/state-of-journalism
When crafting your press release, focus on:
- Who is impacted
- How big the change is
- Why the reader should care
The more direct the impact, the higher the chance of coverage.
Formatting Matters More Than Most Businesses Realize
Journalists overwhelmingly reject releases that:
- are too promotional
- use oversized blocks of text
- lack contact info
- bury key facts
- are over 600 words
A University of Kansas journalism study found that readability and structure dramatically improve pickup rate, especially when following AP-style formatting.
Source: University of Kansas William Allen White J-School
https://journalism.ku.edu/
Ideal structure:
- Headline
- Subheadline
- Dateline
- First paragraph with the core news
- Supporting facts or data
- Insights/quotes
- About the company
- Contact information
Multimedia Increases Engagement by 3x
According to Business Wire’s analysis of 60,000 press releases:
- Releases with images receive 1.8× more views
- Releases with videos receive 3× more engagement
Source: Business Wire Analytics Report
https://www.businesswire.com/blog/
Journalists love assets they can embed immediately — it speeds up their workflow.
Why This Matters: Journalists Are Overwhelmed
Journalists receive hundreds of PR emails per day, but only 7% consider most of them useful (Cision).
That’s why the releases that follow best practices — clarity, relevance, data, good quotes, and clean formatting — stand out instantly.
Bottom Line
A newsworthy press release isn’t about being flashy — it’s about being valuable.
If you want journalists to pay attention:
- give them real news
- give it to them fast
- back it with data
- keep it factual
- make it relevant to their audience
Do that, and your chances of media pickup skyrocket.
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