Press Release: Definition, Structure, and Example

A press release is an official written statement that an organisation sends to the media to share newsworthy information, written in news style so journalists can quote or publish it easily. A good press release answers journalists' questions before they ask: what happened, who is involved, when, where, why, and how.

Even with more communication channels than ever, the press release remains a basic PR tool. It is an official reference for journalists, a record of the organisation's position, and often the first source of quotes when an issue starts to be covered.

A short history of the press release

The modern press release is often linked to Ivy Lee, one of the pioneers of public relations. After a Pennsylvania Railroad train crash in Atlantic City in the United States on 28 October 1906, Lee persuaded the company to give journalists a written statement directly instead of withholding information. The New York Times printed the statement without changes on 30 October 1906, and it is often called the first press release.

The principle behind it still holds: an organisation is better off sharing its own account openly and quickly than leaving the information space to others.

What a press release is for

Sharing official information about programmes, policies, products, partnerships, or achievements.
Giving journalists material that is accurate and complete, including quotes and data.
Clarifying an issue already in the news, alongside mechanisms such as the right of reply and right of correction.
Building a record of official statements that can be referred to later.

Types of press release

Type	When to use it	Example
Hard news	There is important, time-sensitive new information	Programme launch, partnership signing, tariff change
Event	Inviting media to, or reporting on, an activity	Facility opening, conference, official visit
Clarification or response	Answering an issue or inaccurate coverage	Explanation of a service complaint, response to an allegation
Data or research	Sharing findings with news value	Survey results, performance report, trend analysis
Personnel	Appointments or leadership changes	New director or head of agency

Press release structure

Press releases usually follow the inverted pyramid: the most important information first, details later. Journalists often read only the headline and first paragraph before deciding whether to follow up.

Letterhead and label. Logo, organisation name, the "Press Release" label, and "For immediate release" or an embargo date and time.
Headline. Short, active, and carrying the core news. Ideally under 12 words.
Subheadline (optional). One sentence adding context or a key number.
Dateline. City and date, for example "Jakarta, 29 October 2026".
Lead. The first paragraph, answering as many of the 5W+1H as possible in one or two sentences.
Body. Details, background, supporting data, and impact on the public.
Quote. A statement from a leader or spokesperson that adds perspective rather than repeating facts.
Boilerplate. A standard "About [organisation]" paragraph at the end.
Media contact. Name, title, phone number, and an email address that is actually monitored.

Short press release example

The following is an illustrative example from a fictional organisation.

PRESS RELEASE | For immediate release

Arunika City Transport Agency Opens Three New Bus Routes to Industrial Estate

Arunika, 29 October 2026. The Arunika City Transport Agency will begin operating three new bus routes linking the city centre with the East Industrial Estate on Monday, 3 November 2026. The routes are expected to serve around 6,000 workers a day and cut average travel time from 75 to 45 minutes.

All three routes run from 05.00 to 22.00, with buses every 15 minutes at peak times. The fare is Rp4,000 and can be paid by electronic card.

"Workers have had to change transport two or three times. With direct routes, we want the trip to work to be faster and cheaper," said the Head of the Arunika City Transport Agency.

About the Arunika City Transport Agency: the agency responsible for public transport and traffic in Arunika City.

Media contact: Public Relations, the agency's official phone and email.

Tips for a press release that gets published

Make sure there is news value. Ask what is new, who is affected, and why the public needs to know now.
Write like a journalist. Short sentences, active verbs, no internal jargon or unexplained abbreviations.
Include verifiable numbers. Concrete data is easier to quote than general claims such as "very successful".
Write meaningful quotes. A quote should carry a reason, a position, or an expectation, not a thank you.
Answer the frame already developing. If an issue is already in the news, read its framing first. A release that answers the public's question is more likely to be quoted.
Attach supporting material. Good resolution photos, infographics, or full documents via a link.
Send it to the right journalists. Match your list to each journalist's desk and region.

Common mistakes

The headline names the event or ceremony instead of the news.
The first paragraph is spent on greetings or long background.
Too many quotes from too many officials.
The media contact cannot be reached when journalists need confirmation.
The release goes out late, after others have already framed the issue.

Measuring press release results

After sending a press release, evaluate it. Useful questions: how many outlets published it, which ones, whether key messages and quotes appeared in articles, what the sentiment of later coverage was, and whether your share of coverage against others changed. See how to calculate share of voice and PR campaign evaluation.

Qola helps PR teams track press release pickup across national and regional online news, see the sentiment and issues around it, and summarise the results in a report for leadership. See Qola features.

Cover photo: Joanna Kosinska via Unsplash. The photo is an illustration, not documentation of a Qola customer.

FAQ about press releases

What is a press release?

A press release is an official written statement from an organisation to the media containing newsworthy information, written in news style so journalists can quote or publish it easily.

What is a press release called in Indonesian?

In Bahasa Indonesia it is called siaran pers. Other terms include rilis pers and rilis media.

How long should a press release be?

Usually one to two pages, or roughly 300 to 600 words. Extra information is better placed in attachments or links.

What is an embargo in a press release?

An embargo is a request not to publish the information before a certain date and time. It relies on agreement with the media, so it is best used only when truly needed.

How do I know if my press release was published?

By monitoring mentions of the organisation, programme, or key quotes in the news after the release goes out. A media monitoring tool can collect that coverage automatically and show its sentiment.