Which format do I need?
Press release vs news article
They look almost identical on the page. One is advocacy and one is journalism, and confusing them is how a release gets deleted.
Intermediate Assumes you can already draft and revise a piece.
A press release imitates a news article on purpose — inverted pyramid, third person, a dateline, quotes. That imitation is a courtesy: you are handing a journalist something already shaped like the thing they have to produce. But a release is written by an interested party to get coverage, and an article is written by a journalist to inform readers. Write a release that forgets it is advocacy and it reads as a press release trying to pass as news, which is the fastest route to the bin.
Side by side
| Press release | News article | |
|---|---|---|
| In one line | An organisation telling journalists that something has happened. | A journalist telling readers what happened, having checked. |
| Typical length | 300–600 words. One page. | 200–1,200 words, set by the desk |
| Who reads it | A journalist deciding in about eight seconds whether this is a story | The publication's audience |
| Voice | Third person, neutral surface, positive intent. Opinion confined to quotes. | Third person, genuinely neutral. Attribution for every contested claim. |
| Shape | Headline, dateline, lead answering who/what/when/where/why, detail, quote, boilerplate, contact. | Lead, then descending importance, so a sub-editor can cut from the bottom without losing the story. |
| Use it when | A launch, a funding round, an appointment, a result, a response to events. | You are the journalist, and something is newsworthy to your readers. |
Press release
An organisation telling journalists that something has happened.
Typical length: 300–600 words. One page.
Who reads it: A journalist deciding in about eight seconds whether this is a story
Voice: Third person, neutral surface, positive intent. Opinion confined to quotes.
Shape: Headline, dateline, lead answering who/what/when/where/why, detail, quote, boilerplate, contact.
Use it when: A launch, a funding round, an appointment, a result, a response to events.
News article
A journalist telling readers what happened, having checked.
Typical length: 200–1,200 words, set by the desk
Who reads it: The publication's audience
Voice: Third person, genuinely neutral. Attribution for every contested claim.
Shape: Lead, then descending importance, so a sub-editor can cut from the bottom without losing the story.
Use it when: You are the journalist, and something is newsworthy to your readers.
Decide quickly
Which one do you actually need?
- You represent the organisation in the story → press release.
- You are reporting on an organisation → news article.
- The piece includes a boilerplate paragraph and a press contact → press release.
- The piece quotes people who disagree → news article.
- Success means a journalist writes something → press release.
- Success means readers are informed → news article.
Common confusions
The questions that come up every time.
Why does a press release need quotes if they are obviously arranged?
Because the quote is the only place where opinion is allowed, and journalists lift quotes verbatim. That makes the quote the most valuable sentence in the release. Write it as something a person would actually say. "We are excited to announce" is not; it appears in tens of thousands of releases and will be cut.
Can a press release be published as-is?
Trade press and small outlets sometimes run releases nearly untouched, which is an argument for writing yours cleanly. But do not aim for it. Aim to make the journalist's job easy — clear facts, a real contact who answers, and something genuinely new.
What actually makes something newsworthy?
Newness, consequence, proximity to the audience, conflict, or human interest. "We rebranded" has none of these. "We rebranded after losing a trademark case" has two. If you cannot name which one you have, the release is not ready.
Related guides
How to write a press release
Announce something to the media in a clear, newsworthy format journalists can actually use.
Open the guide →GUIDEBeginnerExample of a press release
A complete press release with a breakdown of the inverted-pyramid structure.
Open the guide →GUIDEIntermediateHow to write an article
Write a news or feature article with a lede, a structure, and reporting that holds up.
Open the guide →GUIDEAdvancedHow to pitch an editor
Approach editors well, pitch the right idea, and follow up without burning bridges.
Open the guide →