News stories and press releases
Clear, well structured, targeted and engaging human interest news stories and press releases will help you to engage with a wider audience locally and nationally.
Reporting on your ESF activity and showcasing achievements will also raise the profile of your project and wider organisation and have a positive impact amongst project participants, staff and wider partners.
The guidance, templates, quotes from journalists and examples of activity provided in this section are relevant for people both new to and experienced in communications work.
- What makes a good news story?
- Using a ‘potential news story’ form
- Writing a press release – overview
- Writing a press release – structure in detail
- Example of a press release and associated press article
- Photography
- Related topics
What makes a good news story?
People working in the media are looking for strong and engaging news stories that are relevant to and will interest their audience. From an ESF perspective, they are most likely to be interested in the following story angles:
- Human Interest: a story that shows how an individual’s life or a community has been changed for the better through ESF funded activity.
- Topical issues: stories that deal with a current employment, skills, education or inclusion theme. For example, redundancy and the lack of jobs for graduates or young people. The news agenda changes all the time – look out for anything that keeps cropping up in the media.
- Novelty, innovation and the unexpected: Has somebody done something completely new, surprising? Or is a project undertaking a completely new approach to training? Unusual or interactive events, especially if the journalist can join in, are good too.
- Project launches or significant investment in an existing programme: Focus on what it means to the community. How will lives be changed?
- Strong pictures: Sometimes a great picture alone will guarantee you a place in the paper – journalists are always looking for striking, engaging images to draw the reader in. TV reporters look for stories that can provide good footage.
- Celebrity: Whether it’s a visit from an MP or TV soap star, VIPs can give a story an edge.
- Follow-ups: Re-visit former stories. For example, if the original story was about a person launching their own business, contact them to see how the business has expanded and if they have taken on more staff.
- Surveys: Journalists like survey results that are of interest to their audience. Linking these to a relevant, strong human interest story of an individual provides a stronger story.
Top tip from the newsroom
"When looking for press stories (particularly for the nationals) I generally try to find something unusual, whether it be the type of job a person has started or something inspiring like overcoming a disability." Rod Malcolm – freelance journalist
Using a "potential news story" form
When preparing a storyline for use with the media, you may wish to use a Potential news story form. This is particularly useful where you wish to share the story with communication colleagues in your organisation, the provider (if you are a sub-contractor), or your CFO/ ESF funder. They should then be able to provide you with help and advice on how best to progress your story with the media – which could include producing and issuing a press release.
- Potential news story form (20KB) RTF
Writing a press release – overview
A press release is a news story that is sent to the media with a view to getting it published or inviting press interest to your project or organisation. To get it printed, the aim is to get it noticed.
A press release should contain the following information:
- Who is the story about? (person/project)
- What will happen/did happen?
- Where, When, Why and How will/did it happen?
- What difference will it (the ESF funding) make/has it made to the individual, group, community (i.e. added value).
Top tips – drafting a press release
- Avoid jargon – use words that ordinary people use, not management-speak. Make sure you don’t sound like an advertisement – it should read like a report in a newspaper.
- Ensure you get consent – before using a person’s story or photo image in your press release it is vital that you get their full consent and that they fully understand what giving their consent actually means. There is more information in the Consent Form section of this toolkit
- Use good, interesting, 'human', quotes
- Keep to the right length – most local newspaper stories are 300–350 words long. Most newsrooms are short-staffed, so if your press release is well written and of this length, it may be printed exactly as you have written it.
- Include a clear reference to European Social Fund (in full) within the release – either as a related fact or within a quote – ensure that support from the ESF and EU is mentioned prominently.
- Provide all the necessary contact details – including a mobile number – so that the journalist can obtain more information if needed. They may be on a tight deadline so it is important that the named contact (and anyone who features in the story) can respond quickly to media enquiries.
- Remember newspaper editors will always cut from the bottom – when pushed for space, so get all the main information up front.
- Target different media or sectors with different versions built around a core structure For example:
- very short and sharp for broadcast
- longer for local newspapers
- more technical for trade magazines.
- Consider using different versions for specific local areas, within a wider geographical area – use a core story but make it more local for example by inserting a related sub-story about local people or local statistics. This may enable a journalist to feature the story in a number of local publications across a wider area.
Top tips – submitting the release to the journalist
- Send the story in the body of the email – not as an attachment – it’s more likely to be read this way.
- Never send a story then phone to check it has been received – journalists are sent hundreds of press releases and this can get very annoying, especially at busy times. Instead, you could call them beforehand to make sure they are looking out for your story.
- Take your local reporter for a coffee – tell them all about what you do and find out how they prefer to be contacted (email, phone, what time of day). This helps build a relationship – they are more likely to take notice of your press releases if they remember you. You may even find they start ringing you up when they are short of news or need a case study for their story.
Top tip from the newsroom
"What’s really helpful to us and gives press releases more likelihood of becoming stories are accurate concise and clear press releases.
Spellings must all be correct, facts checked and a reliable interesting case study included with whom people can identify. We’re less bothered about the partners, investors, name of programme etc, we’re more bothered about stories of people with whom our readers can relate to." Mike Greenwell, Education Correspondent for the Nottingham Post
Writing a press release – structure in detail
When drafting a press release follow a clear structure that journalists will be familiar with and can use or adapt with minimum effort. Include supporting information as 'Notes to Editors'.
The guidance below provides a typical press release structure. You should check if your organisation or CFO/funder has a preferred template they would like you to use.
Press release structure
- First – write the words "Press Release" clearly at the top.
- Headline – write the headline of your story in a way that acts as a hook to grab attention and convey the main point.
- Introductory paragraph – convey the story as briefly and attention-grabbing as you can, in no more than 25 words – as a minimum try and capture at high level the who, what, why when and where. Don’t try to cram everything into the introductory paragraph. To keep the journalists interest beyond this paragraph – avoid commas (which slow the story down) and keep things tight and to the point – limiting any corporate information at this stage.
- Second paragraph – explain more about the story – the who, what, why, when and where in more detail.
- Third paragraph – expand further, giving details of the project and acknowledging the support from the European Social Fund.
- Fourth paragraph – now’s the time to get some good, human interest quotes in. For example, a few lines explaining the difference it has made to the individual’s life or how the project is benefiting the community.
- Subsequent paragraphs – start wrapping the story up now.
- For further information – include a named person’s contact details here, as well as the name of the organisation.
Notes to editors
- Background information – include a section at the end of your press release with any background or extra information you think will help the journalist to write their story. You may want to start with a summary of your project and how it helps the target group you are assisting.
- ESF information – include a paragraph explaining what the European Social Fund actually is. You can use key messages and key facts from the ESF website or use the following text:
‘The European Social Fund (ESF) was set up to improve employment opportunities in the European Union and so help raise standards of living. It aims to help people fulfil their potential by giving them better skills and better job prospects.
The 2007-2013 England ESF programme is investing £5 billion over seven years of which £2.5 billion is from the ESF and £2.5 billion is national funding.
The programme is helping people who are unemployed or at a disadvantage in the labour market to find work and develop their skills. By focusing on people who need support the most, it is helping to tackle poverty and promote social mobility. ESF also trains people in work so that they have the skills that businesses need to compete in a global economy.
For more information about the 2007-2013 England ESF programme go to www.dwp.gov.uk/esf’
- Photographs – wherever possible insert one or more photographs – see details below
Example of a press release and associated press article
Here is an example of a press release about Mel Williams who has developed skills and confidence after going on an ESF funded project. Mel’s story was featured in various media including a local paper and FE Community website.
- Mel Williams Press release (75KB)
- Mel’s story in the Telford Journal (23KB)
- Mel’s story on the FE Community website
Photography
A photograph to accompany your press release, news story or case study is usually essential – a head shot of a person who features prominently in the story may suffice, but more detailed, professional looking pictures that capture an important aspect of the story generally increase the likelihood of the story being featured.
Journalists like good quality photographs in both landscape and portrait formats.
Good quality photos also add real value to any articles or case studies that you include on websites or in newsletters or booklets.
Remember – before using a person’s photo image in any ESF-related publicity you must get their full consent and ensure that they fully understand what giving their consent actually means. This includes a participant, ESF partner, employee, colleague or member of the public.
Newspaper and other professional photographers
- Photo opportunities at events – newspapers will sometimes send their photographers out to cover events, but only if there is a good photo opportunity. Many newsrooms now employ fewer photographers so resources are stretched. Cheque or certificate presentations, exhibition stands or people standing around in suits rarely tempt photographers out.
- People doing practical things – if your story involves a group of people taking some practical steps to improve the environment, such as clearing a beach of rubbish, then the photographer will want to take a picture of that – not people sitting round in a training room a week later.
- Give the photo editor as much notice of an event as possible – call a week before if possible with places, times and contact details so you can bag a spot in their diary.
- Book your own photographer if you can – even if a newspaper has agreed to send a photographer out, plan for the worst. If a big story breaks on the day, the newspaper may have to divert their photographer there instead.
- Use a local press agency or a former newspaper photographer – they will know what makes a good newspaper photo better than a portrait photographer.
- Call the picture desk of your local newspaper – to see who they would recommend, if you don’t know any photographers in your area.
- Consider how the photographer can add real value – most photographers charge between £100 and £150 for one or two hours work. You can ask for photos across a number of formats or compositions for different purposes – including media releases, publications and websites/social media.
Top tips – taking your own photos
If taking your own photographs, the following advice is based on best practice for submitting photos to journalists:
- Try to get your subjects doing something, not just standing there.
- Avoid clichés like handshakes, giant cheque presentations or champagne glass-clinking.
- Aim for a few people in the shot – three is a good number.
- Get some landscape and portrait shots – having a variety will help especially when fitting photographs onto a web page or inserting them into a press release.
- Try to take the photos outside, unless the interior is essential to the story.
- Think about props – for example, if it’s a story about a job-seeker who has got a job within the sports industry, use sports equipment.
- Where possible include plenty of colour
- Use a digital camera and take a variety of shots so you’ve got plenty to choose from.
Top tips - submitting photographs to journalists
- When you send your photo to the journalist with your press release, make sure it is less than 1mb in size and that you don’t send too big a file attachment – which could delay its receipt at their office or make it less accessible.
- Ensure that each photo is fully captioned, from left to right, with correct spelling of names and job titles.
- Get written permission. Under the Data Protection Act, to use the photo in the public domain you need to obtain written permission (including a signature) from all those being photographed. This includes obtaining permission from the parents of any children involved before the photo is submitted and used.
Top tip from the newsroom
"It doesn't really matter who takes the photos as long as they're good quality.". Zena Hawley, Education Reporter for Derby Telegraph