Matt – Thanks for reading – glad you’re a subscriber! I somewhat saw the chat last night – I was working on some freelance stuff. The press release is more effective – if you know how to use it correctly. Many outlets aren’t on the technology train just yet, so evaluation and research are key.

L

Great discussion here – I’ve totally been slacking and have yet to comment on a post here – but have been a subscriber for a while now. Cheers!

It may not be a “press” release any more, but it’s still a strong and valid part of a PR campaign. While bloggers are excellent for sharing news online as part of a strategy, very few have the ears of CNN, Reuters, etc. A strong PR can get you that.

Based on the calls and questions I get from press (even dailies and trade mags) it’s apparent half the reporters haven’t read the document they’ve been sent, even though they begin the conversation with “I saw your press release …”

I do realize they don’t actually claim to have read it so that may be the beginning of my problem.

It has gotten to the point where I’m frequently tempted to use a catchy 2 line bit and just list bullet points beneath in the hopes they might actually move their eyeballs across the screen a bit before asking the 5 questions that are answered in the document.

To be fair, the other half of the calls are for quick calls to get unique quotes and they’ve apparently actually read (and maybe even highlighted) the document so they know wtf they’re talking about.

All of that being said, heck no, the release will live on, particularly with our current level of technology where nothing online disappears.

The formal press release, when properly distributed creates a historical waypoint for anyone who comes after. It plants your company’s (or client’s) flag in the sand, declaring “I was here, I did this, Here’s how and when I did it.” For better or for worse. We all want to leave a trail of our time here (or our time in business), the formal release, when well crafted and suitably distributed is still likely the best way to accomplish this.

When I think of change, I think of the Winston Churchill quote: “There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction”

Let’s starting thinking about ways we can improve and stop declaring things dead.

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/08/01/10-words-i-would-love-to-see-banned-from-press-releases/

I think of all the comments I read, Heather Whaling’s said it best for me: “Just because something evolves doesn’t mean we should write it’s obituary.”

I’m still writing plenty of media materials, but now they’re full of hyperlinks directing the reader to a Web site, a blog, a Twitter stream, a Facebook fan page, etc., etc., whatever else may apply.

With social media, there are more ways to connect with reporters. And I think that’s a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you can catch them on Twitter in case they missed your release in their e-mail inboxes. On the other hand, most reporters are probably not too thrilled at the prospect of being hounded by PR flacks through every possible social networking channel.

@libbykrah

The diffusion of press releases started via snail mail and now is considered dead by many (not me!) In rural America, many media outlets are just now accepting the traditional press release via email! So we can see there is a huge gap between the way a NYTimes reporter may want to receive news and the way Main Street Daily wants (or can) receive the news.

So we need to continually evaluate the technological capacities of rural markets, how we can best serve them, and educate them on new, more efficient ways of receiving press. What are your thoughts?