What Journalists Look for in a Press Release (Expert Backed Checklist)

Press releases continue to influence media coverage, shape public perception, and strengthen organic brand visibility across competitive industries. Even as social platforms and owned content evolve, journalists still depend on structured, news-driven releases to verify facts and identify credible stories. 

The challenge is the growing pressure inside newsrooms. Teams are smaller, deadlines are tighter, and the volume of inbound pitches is higher than ever. According to the 2024 Cision State of the Media Report, 68 percent of journalists say they have less time to research stories than they did in previous years, which directly affects how quickly they screen press releases. overflowing with hundreds of pitches daily, journalists make near-instant decisions, often rejecting or ignoring releases that fail to deliver clarity, relevance, or immediate value.

This creates a tough truth for brands. A press release is competing not only with the news cycle but also with dozens of companies attempting to secure the same attention within the same timeframe. The releases that succeed are the ones that follow the patterns journalists prefer, stay aligned with newsroom expectations, and present information in a way that highlights immediate relevance and credibility.

Why Most Press Releases Get Ignored

Before understanding what journalists want, you need a clear understanding of why many releases never get picked up. The majority of press releases fail for reasons that are entirely predictable.

Most newsroom professionals cite the same problems:

• Press releases that focus on marketing language rather than news
• Announcements with no real angle
• Weak headlines
• Missing context
• Poor formatting
• Lack of trustworthy data
• Irrelevant distribution
• Unnecessary fluff

A press release is fundamentally a news document, not a sales pitch or a marketing article. Journalists expect it to provide clear, factual building blocks they can turn into a story that serves their audience. When a release sounds promotional, most reporters immediately dismiss it because it feels biased rather than newsworthy. 

When it is unclear or lacks essential details, they will not take the extra time to investigate further. Modern newsrooms operate under heavy time pressure, and the pace is accelerating. Research from Pew shows that more than half of newsroom employees say their workloads have increased while staff sizes have decreased, tightening the window journalists have to evaluate incoming information. 

Journalists Want a Strong, Newsworthy Angle

The angle is the first thing journalists look for. It determines whether the story is worth their time and whether it connects to something larger than your brand. If the announcement does not answer why this matters right now, it will not make it past the first scan.

Journalists look for announcements tied to:

• Industry movement
• Public interest
• Market gaps
• Policy changes
• Seasonal relevance
• Consumer behavior
• New data

For example, announcing a new product rarely gets attention unless the product solves a timely challenge or represents a measurable shift in the category. A new partnership sounds impressive internally, but journalists want to know what the partnership changes externally. The angle must highlight impact, urgency, or relevance. Without these, your press release will blend into the background.

Journalists Expect Headlines That Signal Clear News

Your headline determines whether anyone reads the next line. Journalists skim extremely quickly. If the headline does not deliver a clear promise, your press release loses its chance.

Strong headlines are:

• Short and easy to understand
• Free from hype
• Focused on the actual announcement
• Specific about the news
• Clear enough that a journalist understands the entire story direction

Journalists often receive headlines written from an internal marketing perspective. Those headlines focus on showcasing the company rather than the story. A journalist wants to understand what happened, why it matters, and who is impacted. When the headline signals a genuine story, you earn a chance for deeper consideration.

The First Paragraph Must Deliver the Essential Facts

If the headline earns attention, the first paragraph must reinforce it quickly. This paragraph should answer the core questions journalists use when evaluating relevance. These include who is making the announcement, what the news is, where it applies, when it takes effect, and why the information matters.

Journalists will not dig around a long press release to find these details. They expect them upfront. If the first paragraph buries the information behind corporate language, the release loses credibility. The most effective first paragraphs read like a clear news summary that any editor could adapt into a short article with minimal revision.

Journalists Look for Verifiable Data and Reliable Proof

Credibility is central in newsroom decision-making. If your announcement makes claims without evidence, journalists have to verify those claims themselves. Most do not have the time. Credible data increases trust and makes it easier for journalists to include your story.

Sources journalists trust include:

• Industry reports
• Internal company data verified through methodology
• Government or public data
• Academic findings
• Survey results
• Research studies
• Market trend analysis

Avoid broad claims such as major growth or significant expansion because they do not give journalists anything concrete to work with. Reporters look for numbers, timelines, comparisons, and verifiable data that strengthen the credibility of a story. For example, stating that your customer base increased 40 percent in twelve months gives them a measurable point they can confidently reference. 

Data-backed claims are far more likely to be picked up, especially as accuracy expectations rise across the industry. A study by the Reuters Institute found that trust in news is heavily influenced by the presence of verifiable facts, which makes clarity and evidence essential in every release. When your press release delivers proof, you present yourself as a reliable source that journalists can depend on for future coverage.

Quotes Should Add Depth Instead of Repeating the Story

Poorly written quotes are one of the biggest frustrations for journalists. Many quotes included in press releases simply repeat the same information already mentioned in the body. Journalists want quotes that offer insight, additional context, or perspective. Strong quotes sound like something someone actually said. They add a viewpoint, show strategic reasoning, or establish credibility.

The best quotes:

• Offer forward-thinking observations
• Explain why the announcement matters to stakeholders
• Highlight impact on customers or communities
• Connect the news to broader trends

The goal is to help journalists incorporate a real voice into the article. When quotes add value, journalists are far more likely to cover the news.

Human Impact Helps Journalists Shape Stronger Stories

Journalists know that audiences respond to human-centered stories. A press release that includes customer outcomes, user experiences, community support, or personal narratives gives journalists more material to work with. It helps them write compelling stories that go beyond the facts of the announcement.

For example, a new healthcare platform is more compelling when paired with a story about families who can now access services faster or more affordably. Human centered context helps journalists envision how to adapt the release into a feature, not just a brief.

Journalists Want a Clean, Skimmable Layout

Newsrooms move quickly, so formatting matters. A press release that feels cluttered or confusing slows journalists down, which reduces coverage chances. Your layout should help them process details with minimal effort.

A professional structure includes:

• Headline
• Subheadline
• Location and date
• Lead paragraph with essential facts
• Body paragraphs that expand on information
• Data highlights
• Quote section
• Company history
• Media contact details

Short paragraphs and clean spacing help ensure readability. Journalists appreciate copy that feels balanced, organized, and easy to extract information from.

Zero Promotional Language

Journalists immediately reject press releases filled with excessive adjectives, self-praise, or exaggerated claims. Anything that sounds promotional feels untrustworthy. Journalists expect a neutral tone that resembles a news report rather than a sales pitch.

Avoid empty phrases like world-class, top tier, or best in the industry. Replace them with facts and measurable accomplishments. A journalist might rewrite certain parts, but they still rely heavily on the language you provide. Clear, direct, factual writing positions your announcement as credible and useful.

Journalists Appreciate Access to Digital Assets

Press releases that come with supporting materials are more appealing because they reduce additional work for journalists. Assets that help tell the story include:

• High resolution images
• Executive headshots
• Product photos
• Fact sheets
• Short videos
• Charts
• Downloadable research
• Relevant documents

Many newsrooms ask for visuals to increase engagement. By providing assets, you make your story easier to publish. Journalists appreciate press releases that help them work faster and build richer articles.

Journalists Need Fast, Direct Contact Information

One of the most common complaints from journalists is that many press releases list generic email addresses, outdated phone numbers, or unresponsive media contacts. Journalists work on deadlines, so they need access to someone who can answer questions immediately.

Your press release should include:

• A direct phone number
• A direct email address
• A media contact who understands the announcement
• A person who is available to respond 

When journalists know who to contact, the likelihood of coverage increases because they can clarify details with minimal effort.

Relevance to the Journalist’s Beat is Essential

You can produce a well-written press release, but if it reaches journalists who do not cover your topic, it will be dismissed immediately. Relevance is one of the first screening steps reporters use when deciding which pitches to open. A technology journalist will not cover a new restaurant, and a sports reporter will not write about an enterprise acquisition. This is why targeted distribution matters.

Studies support this behavior. According to a Muck Rack State of Journalism Report, over seventy percent of journalists say the majority of pitches they receive are irrelevant to their beat, which is one of the main reasons pitches are ignored.

Optimized press release services solve this gap by categorizing your announcement by industry, audience, and subject matter. They match your release with journalists who consistently publish related stories, improving the likelihood that your news gets noticed and earns coverage.

Conclusion

Newsrooms operate with limited time, limited staff, and high content demands. A Reuters Institute study showed that many journalists now produce double the stories they did a decade ago. This pressure shapes how journalists evaluate press releases. They want stories that require minimal rewrites, provide dependable data, and align with reader expectations.

When your release aligns with newsroom standards, you reduce friction and make it easy for journalists to convert your content into publishable stories. That is why the principles in this checklist matter. They are not preferences. They are survival needs in modern journalism.

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