How Do I Write? What Do I Write? Writing for Public Relations Practitioners Why Write?Public relations practitioners target the news media as an intervening public (to get their message out to the other, larger publics). News ReleasesNews Releases are one of the most important, but often misused, documents in public relations. What is it: An objective, straightforward, unbiased news story that a public relations practitioner writes and distributes to appropriate news media. More on News ReleasesWhy are they often misused? Research shows “gatekeepers” throw 90% of the news releases they receive because: They have no local interest (no appeal to a particular audience) AND/OR They’re too promotional (lacking objectivity) An effective news release: Uses it’s heading and first paragraph to show a gatekeeper that it contains local interest. Sounds as if it were written by an objective reporter, not a public relations practitioner. Most news releases are written in newspaper style. They reach the “gatekeepers” (newspaper editors, magazines, radio stations, TV stations and/or TV networks) in several different ways: Mailed; Faxed; E-mailed; Etc. Media KitsDefinition: Packages at least one news release with other supporting documents. “Supporting Documents” usually include: Fact sheets (a what-who-when-where-why-how breakdown of the news release, usually written bullet-style), and Backgrounders (a supplement to the news release, containing background info on the person, product, company, etc named in the news release) Could include testimonials or biographies Let’s Get StartedA news/press release should contain the following elements: Headline (used to grab the attention of journalists and briefly summarize the news) Dateline (contains the release date and usually the originating city of the press release) Introduction (first paragraph in a press release, that generally gives basic answers to the questions of who, what, when, where and why) What Else? Body (further explanation, statistics, background, or other details relevant to the news) Boilerplate (generally a short “about” section, providing independent background on the issuing company, organization, or individual) Media Contact Information (name, phone number, email address, mailing address, or other contact info for the PR or other media relations contact person) What must my writing process include?When sitting down to write a news release, or whatever marketing document you are preparing, remember the following ten steps. 1. credibility 2. research 3. organization 4. writing 5. revision 6. macroediting (the big picture) 7. microediting (sentence by sentence) 8. approval 9. distribution 10. evaluation A few more tips…In documents that cite individuals as sources, draw upon diverse individuals, not exclusively white males in their 40’s and 50’s (as most do).Balance personal pronouns. For unnamed, generic individuals such as a supervisor or sena ...

1. How Do I Write?
What Do I Write?
Writing for Public Relations Practitioners
Why Write?Public relations practitioners target the news media
as an intervening public (to get their message out to the other,
larger publics).
News ReleasesNews Releases are one of the most important, but
often misused, documents in public relations.
What is it:
An objective, straightforward, unbiased news story that a public
relations practitioner writes and distributes to appropriate news
media.
More on News ReleasesWhy are they often misused?
Research shows “gatekeepers” throw 90% of the news releases
they receive because:
They have no local interest (no appeal to a particular audience)
AND/OR
They’re too promotional (lacking objectivity)

2. An effective news release:
Uses it’s heading and first paragraph to show a gatekeeper that
it contains local interest.
Sounds as if it were written by an objective reporter, not a
public relations practitioner.
Most news releases are written in newspaper style.
They reach the “gatekeepers” (newspaper editors, magazines,
radio stations, TV stations and/or TV networks) in several
different ways:
Mailed;
Faxed;
E-mailed;
Etc.
Media KitsDefinition: Packages at least one news release with
other supporting documents.
“Supporting Documents” usually include:
Fact sheets (a what-who-when-where-why-how breakdown of
the news release, usually written bullet-style), and
Backgrounders (a supplement to the news release, containing
background info on the person, product, company, etc named in
the news release)
Could include testimonials or biographies
Let’s Get StartedA news/press release should contain the
following elements:

3. Headline (used to grab the attention of journalists and briefly
summarize the news)
Dateline (contains the release date and usually the originating
city of the press release)
Introduction (first paragraph in a press release, that generally
gives basic answers to the questions of who, what, when, where
and why)
What Else?
Body (further explanation, statistics, background, or other
details relevant to the news)
Boilerplate (generally a short “about” section, providing
independent background on the issuing company, organization,
or individual)
Media Contact Information (name, phone number, email
address, mailing address, or other contact info for the PR or
other media relations contact person)
What must my writing process include?When sitting down to
write a news release, or whatever marketing document you are
preparing, remember the following ten steps.
1. credibility
2. research
3. organization
4. writing
5. revision
6. macroediting (the big picture)
7. microediting (sentence by sentence)

4. 8. approval
9. distribution
10. evaluation
A few more tips…In documents that cite individuals as sources,
draw upon diverse individuals, not exclusively white males in
their 40’s and 50’s (as most do).Balance personal pronouns.
For unnamed, generic individuals such as a supervisor or
senator, balance the use of he and she. Avoid words that
describe particular relationships: your wife, your husband, your
boyfriend, your girlfriend. Doing this will inadvertently
exclude certain groups of people.
Know the dates of major religious holidays and know when it
is/is not appropriate to release certain stories.Don’t describe
individuals by race, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation,
or mental disability unless the information is relevant to your
document’s purpose.
More Writing Tips Use short sentences (the speaker needs to
breathe!)Limit each sentence to one idea (avoid linking ideas
with and, but, because and although)Use concrete words and
images, not abstractionsChallenge every word in every sentence
(Is each word necessary? Can you replace a long word with a
shorter one?)
Repeat main points (look for opportunities to state the main
point more than once)Avoid closing with “In Conclusion.”

5. Stout out and about
Bus system that is open to students, staff and faculty of schools
within the Menomonie/Dunn County School District, including
UW Stout
Allows transportation to the Twin Cities/surrounding areas from
Friday- Sunday during the academic year from August 1st- June
1st.
2
Program Rules and Accessibility
No Refunds
Only available during August- June
Use mobile app to buy tickets and track your bus. The app will
let users know when a bus get's full and it's estimated of
arrival.
More accessible and more convenient than other bus systems
that only allow students and faculty to travel to the twin-
cities about once a month.
With "Stout Out and About" you get the freedom to plan your
trip.

6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmgaRBH9Cz0
3
Bus Pass cost
Round trip $4.00
Weekend day pass $10.00 (Friday-Sun)
Monthly pass $20.00
Tickets can be purchased on mobile app or Ticket vending
machine located at MSC on campus.
Bus schedule
Friday 10am – 10pm
Saturday 8am – 10pm
Sunday 8am – 7pm
Locations:
Stop A Downtown Saint Paul Holiday Inn
Stop B Downtown Minneapolis Holiday Inn
Stop C Mall of America
Additional stops include large events in Twin Cities
surrounding areas.
4
Events and Attractions
Events

7. Minnesota state fair
Red bull crashed ice
Pond hockey championships
Festivals
Attractions:
Boom island park and falls park
Target field
Minnesota Zoo
Target center
Mall of America
US Bank Stadium
Mystic Lake Casino
5
Hotel Perks
Stay at select hotels for 30% off of single night stay per
weekend when you show your bus pass and student ID
Any room of your choice
Hotel discount available at Holiday Inn at Minneapolis,
Minnesota and St. Paul, Minnesota locations.
Hotel Perks Locations
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Minneapolis-Downtown
225 South Eleventh Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55403,
United States
1 standard room regular price: $126
discount price: $88.20
2 Queen regular price $136
discount price: $40.80

8. Holiday Inn St. Paul Downtown
175 West 7th Street, St. Paul, Minnesota, 55102, United States
1 standard room regular price: $155
Discount price: $108.50
2 Queen regular price: $155
Discount Price: $108.50
Resources
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmgaRBH9Cz0
https://www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpress/hotels/us/en/minneapoli
s/mspdt/hoteldetail?cm_mmc=YextLocal-_-USA-_-MSPDT
https://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/en/st-
paul/mspal/hoteldetail?cm_mmc=YextLocal-_-USA-_-MSPAL
http://www.exploreminnesota.com/where-to-go/minneapolis-st-
paul-area/
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