PR Writing - Media Alert

Evaluating Press Releases

In grading a press release I am looking at five separate areas:

In your headline and lead, is the PR message clear and compelling?

client

In your headline and lead, is your news angle sharp and irresistible?

editor

news

Are your 5 W's and key ideas organized effectively?

reader

Do you use a convincing journalistic style?

journalism

Are the basics in place -- grammar, sentence and paragraph mechanics?

automatic drop

Grading written papers is less scientific than teachers like to admit. Here is a guide I use in evaluating your press release. Ultimately, "5", "3" and "1" correspond to "A", "C" and "F", but in the early classes I don't assign letter grades. When letter grades finally are assigned, a release that does not quite measure up to the top level, but is better than the middle level, will earn a "B" -- and similarly for "D".

Element	Best = 5	Adequate = 3	Poor = 1
Head & Lead (message)	The PR message is clear and compelling. It's not simply informative, but charged with interest and a sense of importance that involves the reader. A great lead will make the reader say, "I didn't know that!"	The PR message is identifiable. A reader already interested in the subject will keep reading. The essential 5 W's are there. It's informative rather than compelling. "Good enough for government work."	The PR message is absent. The lead does not convey the 5 W's. There is no reason to expect a reader to keep on reading.
Head & Lead (news angle)	News angle is sharp, irresistible. Clearly a story of real news value, written with editor's needs in mind. He or she might well spike another news story to make room for this one.	Technically, this is a news story, not just PR puffery, but the news angle is merely identifiable, not dominant -- an editor might well say "So what?" The writer has not fully exploited the news potential in the material.	The basic information may be in place but the story has no news value. It's written not for an editor but for a teacher who doesn't have the option enjoyed by the editor -- to simply toss it.
Key Ideas	The story's best 5 W's have been exploited, and the other key ideas have been assigned their place in the marshalling of points to support the message and validate the news angle. Paragraphs methodically develop the argument, in descending order, with effective use of quotes.	The story's 5 W's can be identified. Other key ideas are present but could be arranged more effectively in support of the message. No (inverted) pyramid of argument in the paragraph order. No quotes, or they're bland, or poorly identified, or don't move the story forward.	The writer does not seem to have definitely decided on all 5 W's, or has otherwise left out key information. Poor organization. Repetitiveness. No quotes. Release too short.
Journal- istic style	Release is written in cool, crisp journalistic style. The tone is ostensibly dispassionate and objective, even when enthusiasm is evident. No way it could be confused with advertising copy.	Release attempts journalistic style, but other influences invade, including newsletter chattiness, or promotional puffery, or Comp I narrative. Likely the writer doesn't read newspapers, but is at least making an effort to imitate a formalistic style.	The writer apparently does not understand what journalistic style is.
Basics	Spelling, punctuation & grammar consistently good. Sentences effectively and pleasantly varied, with few subordinate clauses -- rarely more than three typewritten lines. Paragraphs are each based on one dominant idea, and rarely exceed three sentences.	Occasional spelling errors. Unclear on punctuation rules. Minor difficulties with grammar amounting to awkward structure or poor choices, not glaring errors. Sentences too long or too choppy. Paragraph structure does not reflect organized thoughts.	Poor spelling AND poor punctuation AND poor grammar. Run-on sentences, fragmented sentences. Poor understanding of principles of paragraphing.

These guidelines are useful whether I'm grading classroom work, or your finished, typewritten assignments. There are two significant differences, however:

For typewritten assignments, your release format (margins, spacing, placement of key items, etc.) is also very important. Your evaluation based on the above guidelines may be affected by a one letter drop in grade due to careless format.
Spelling, while important, is less critical on a classroom assignment. I am concerned that you learn to write well and that you know how important it is to check your spelling, with computer software, or with the help of a friend-proofreader, before turning in a paper. Spelling mistakes on your typewritten work, however, will always cost you at grading time -- it is impossible to earn an "A" in this course if your final assignments contain misspellings.