How to Craft Newswire-Worthy Press Releases That Earn Media Coverage in 2026

You wrote a press release announcing your big news. You distributed it on a newswire. You refreshed your email waiting for journalist inquiries. Nothing. Maybe one automated pickup from a blog aggregator. Your $500 distribution fee bought you zero actual coverage.

The problem isn't that journalists don't care about news. They're drowning in press releases—hundreds per day. Most get deleted in seconds because they're poorly written, not actually newsworthy, or formatted in ways that make journalists work to find the story.

Press releases that earn coverage follow a specific structure journalists expect. They lead with the news, not the buildup. They answer every question in the first paragraph. They include quotable quotes, not corporate-speak. And they're written in AP style because that's how journalists write, so it's easy for them to adapt and use.

This guide shows you how to write press releases that get picked up. You'll learn the inverted pyramid structure, headline and subhead rules that capture attention, quote attribution best practices, proper embargo usage, multimedia embedding strategies, and real examples of releases that landed coverage in major publications.

The Inverted Pyramid Structure

Press releases aren't blog posts or marketing emails. They follow the inverted pyramid: most important information first, supporting details next, background information last. This structure exists because journalists and readers might stop reading after the first paragraph—so that paragraph needs to tell the complete story.

The Lead Paragraph: All Five W's

Your first paragraph must answer: Who? What? When? Where? Why? (and sometimes How?). All of it. In 2-3 sentences, 50-75 words.

Bad lead: "TechCo is excited to announce an important update to its product lineup that will help customers achieve better results."

This tells us nothing specific. What update? Which product? What results? When?

Good lead: "TechCo, a Boston-based AI analytics company, today launched its Enterprise Platform 3.0, which processes data 10x faster than previous versions. The update, available immediately to all 2,000+ enterprise customers, includes real-time collaboration tools that early testers say reduced report creation time from hours to minutes."

This answers: Who (TechCo, AI analytics company), What (launched Platform 3.0 with specific improvements), When (today), Where (implied: available to customers), Why (faster processing, time savings), How (real-time collaboration tools).

A journalist could write a story from that paragraph alone. That's the test: if someone only reads your lead, do they understand the complete news?

Second Paragraph: Expand the Most Newsworthy Angle

Take the most interesting part of your lead and expand it with specifics. This is where you add context about why this matters beyond just your company.

Example: "The launch comes as enterprises struggle to make data-driven decisions quickly enough to stay competitive. According to a recent Gartner study, 67% of businesses cite 'analytics bottlenecks' as a barrier to growth. TechCo's new real-time features directly address this challenge, allowing multiple team members to work simultaneously on complex analyses."

Notice: you've connected your specific news to a broader industry trend (citing Gartner), shown the market need, and explained how your news addresses it. This helps journalists understand the bigger story.

Third Paragraph: The Executive Quote

This is where you include a quote from your CEO, founder, or relevant executive. The quote should add perspective, vision, or emotion—not repeat facts from the lead.

Bad quote: "We're excited to launch Platform 3.0, which has many new features that our customers will love."

This is generic, adds zero information, and sounds like every other press release. Journalists won't use it.

Good quote: "'We've watched our customers waste weeks building reports that executives look at once and discard,' said Maria Chen, CEO of TechCo. 'They need answers in hours, not weeks. Platform 3.0 finally makes that possible without requiring a data science team.'"

This quote adds context (the problem), shows understanding of customer pain, and positions the solution as a specific fix. It's quotable because it has personality and insight.

Middle Paragraphs: Supporting Details

Add details in descending order of importance: how it works, pricing, availability, customer testimonials, competitive context, technical specs, previous milestones.

Each paragraph should be self-contained. Journalists often cut from the bottom up when they adapt press releases into stories. If your critical information is in paragraph 7, it might never make it into the article.

Final Paragraph: Forward-Looking

End with what's next: future plans, availability timeline, how to access/purchase, upcoming related announcements.

Example: "Platform 3.0 is available immediately to all existing customers at no additional cost. New enterprise pricing starts at $5,000 per month. TechCo plans to release additional AI-powered features throughout 2026, including predictive analytics and automated insights."

The Boilerplate

Every press release ends with an "About [Company]" section. This is standard background that stays the same across all your releases. Keep it to 50-100 words: what you do, who you serve, key metrics or achievements, website URL.

Example: "About TechCo: TechCo is an AI-powered analytics platform serving 2,000+ enterprise customers across 45 countries. Founded in 2020, the company processes over 10 billion data points daily, helping businesses transform raw data into actionable insights. TechCo is headquartered in Boston. Learn more at www.techco.com."

Headline and Subhead Rules

Your headline determines whether journalists open your press release. It needs to be specific, newsworthy, and active—in 80-120 characters.

What Makes a Good Press Release Headline

Specific, not vague.

Bad: "TechCo Announces Major Product Update"
Good: "TechCo Launches AI Platform That Processes Data 10x Faster"

The second version tells you exactly what's new and why it matters.

Newsworthy, not promotional.

Bad: "Revolutionary New Platform Transforms Analytics Industry"
Good: "TechCo Raises $50M Series B to Expand AI Analytics Platform"

The first sounds like marketing. The second is objectively newsworthy (funding rounds are news).

Active voice, present tense.

Bad: "A New Partnership Has Been Formed by TechCo and IBM"
Good: "TechCo Partners with IBM to Bring AI Analytics to Enterprise Clients"

Active voice is stronger and more direct. Present tense makes it feel current even if journalists read it days later.

Includes key details.

Who (company name), what (specific action/announcement), and often the most impressive number or detail.

Examples of strong headlines:
- "Acme Corp Acquires StartupXYZ for $120M to Enter Asian Market"
- "Global Study Finds Remote Work Increases Productivity 23%"
- "Tesla Announces 500-Mile Range Battery for 2026 Models"
- "Former Google VP Joins HealthTech Startup as Chief Product Officer"

The Subheadline Adds Context

The subheadline is optional but useful for adding a secondary detail or context that didn't fit in the headline.

Headline: "TechCo Raises $50M Series B Led by Sequoia Capital"
Subhead: "Funding will accelerate product development and international expansion into Europe and Asia"

The subhead tells you what the money will be used for, which might be what makes the story interesting to certain journalists.

What to Avoid in Headlines

Hyperbole and marketing language. Words like "revolutionary," "groundbreaking," "game-changing," "industry-leading" make journalists roll their eyes. Let the facts speak for themselves.

Jargon and buzzwords. "TechCo Leverages Synergistic AI/ML Paradigms for Digital Transformation" means nothing. Use clear language.

Burying the news. "TechCo Announces Important Update" doesn't tell anyone what the update is. Be specific.

Quote Attribution Best Practices

Quotes in press releases serve two purposes: they add human perspective and give journalists something to lift directly into their stories. But most press release quotes are terrible—generic, corporate-speak, and unquotable.

What Makes a Good Quote

Adds insight, not facts. Don't use quotes to state information that could be written as straight news. Use quotes for opinion, perspective, vision, or emotion.

Bad: "'Our new product has three main features: real-time processing, collaboration tools, and advanced security,' said the CEO."

That's not a quote—it's a bullet list in disguise. Write it as: The new product includes real-time processing, collaboration tools, and advanced security.

Good: "'We built this because we were frustrated with the status quo,' said the CEO. 'Data analytics should be fast and accessible, not slow and complicated. This update finally delivers on that promise.'"

This quote has personality, explains the why, and positions the product against the market. It's quotable.

Sounds like a human said it. If your CEO would never say those words out loud, don't put them in quotes. Read the quote aloud. Does it sound natural or like a marketing brochure?

Bad: "'We are pleased to announce this strategic initiative that will provide enhanced value to our stakeholders.'"

No human talks like this.

Good: "'This is the partnership we've been working toward for two years. It changes everything for our customers.'"

Includes attribution in the right place.

AP style: "'Quote text,' said Name Title." or "'Quote text,' Name Title said."

First mention includes full name and title: "said Maria Chen, CEO of TechCo"
Subsequent mentions: "Chen added" or "she said"

Don't use flowery attribution: "exclaimed," "gushed," "proclaimed." Use "said" or occasionally "added." Journalists prefer simple attribution.

How Many Quotes to Include

One quote from your executive (CEO, founder, relevant VP) is required. Two quotes total is ideal: one from your executive, one from a customer or partner for third-party validation.

Example structure:
Paragraph 3: CEO quote about the news and why it matters
Paragraph 5: Customer quote about their experience or results
Paragraph 7 (if needed): Partner or industry expert quote for additional perspective

More than three quotes makes the release feel padded. Journalists will skip them.

Embargo Usage and Timing

An embargo is an agreement that journalists won't publish your news until a specific date and time. Used correctly, embargoes give journalists time to prepare thoughtful coverage. Used incorrectly, they annoy journalists and get your future releases ignored.

When to Use an Embargo

Complex news that requires explanation. Major research findings, complicated partnerships, technical product launches. Give journalists 24-48 hours to understand the story, conduct interviews, and write in-depth pieces.

Coordinating with an event. If you're announcing news at a conference or launch event, embargo the release until your announcement time so journalists can prepare coverage that publishes when you go public.

Giving major outlets early access. If you want coverage in WSJ, TechCrunch, or other major publications, they need time to write and fact-check. A same-day release doesn't give them that time.

When NOT to Use an Embargo

Simple announcements. Product updates, hiring news, minor partnerships don't need embargoes. These can be "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE."

News you've already shared. If your CEO announced it on Twitter or it's on your website, you can't embargo it. The news is already public.

When you want quick pickup. Embargo releases take longer to get coverage because journalists schedule them. Immediate releases can get picked up within hours.

How to Format an Embargo

At the top of the release, before the headline:

EMBARGOED UNTIL THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 2026, 6:00 A.M. EST
Not for publication or broadcast before 6:00 a.m. EST, Jan. 15, 2026

Be specific: day, date, time, and timezone. "Embargoed until next Tuesday" is ambiguous.

Embargo Mistakes to Avoid

Embargoing then breaking your own embargo. If you tweet about it before the embargo lifts, journalists will ignore future embargoes from you.

Too-long embargoes. 24-72 hours is reasonable. Two weeks is too long—journalists will forget about your release or the news will leak.

Not following up. Send a reminder email 24 hours before the embargo lifts: "Reminder: our XYZ announcement embargo lifts tomorrow at 6 AM EST."

Multimedia Embeds and Links

Text-only press releases are fine, but multimedia assets make your news more shareable and more likely to get coverage. Journalists need visuals for their stories—make it easy for them.

What to Include

High-resolution images. Product photos, executive headshots, company logo, infographics. Minimum 2000px wide, 300dpi, in .jpg or .png format.

Video. Product demos, interview clips, b-roll footage. Upload to YouTube or Vimeo and embed the link.

Downloadable assets. Create a press kit with all multimedia in a shared folder (Google Drive, Dropbox). Include a link in the release: "High-resolution images and video available at: [URL]"

Where to Add Multimedia

Most newswire services have specific fields for multimedia uploads. Use them. Also add a line at the end of your written release:

"Media Assets: High-resolution photos, video, and additional materials available at www.company.com/press"

Image Captions and Alt Text

Every image needs a descriptive caption and alt text for accessibility and SEO.

Example:
Image: Photo of the product
Caption: "TechCo's new Enterprise Platform 3.0 dashboard showing real-time collaboration features"
Alt text: "Screenshot of analytics dashboard with multiple users editing simultaneously"

Real Examples: Releases That Landed Major Coverage

Example 1: Notion's $10B Valuation Announcement

Headline: "Notion Raises $275M at $10B Valuation"

Why it worked: Lead paragraph included every key detail—amount raised, valuation, lead investor (Sequoia), use of funds, and growth metrics (4M users to 20M). Second paragraph contextualized it within the remote work boom. CEO quote was specific: "The pandemic created this massive overnight shift to remote work. We've been building for this moment since 2016." Not generic excitement—specific context.

Result: Coverage in TechCrunch, WSJ, Forbes, Bloomberg within 24 hours.

Example 2: Slack Going Public

Headline: "Slack Files to Go Public via Direct Listing"

Why it worked: Led with the news (filing publicly, choosing direct listing instead of traditional IPO). Second paragraph explained what a direct listing is and why it's unusual—helping journalists understand the story. Included hard numbers from the filing (daily active users, revenue, revenue growth rate). CEO quote focused on mission and customer value, not financial metrics.

Result: Coverage in every major business and tech publication. The clear explanation of "direct listing" made it easy for journalists to write accurate stories.

Example 3: Zoom's Security Updates

Headline: "Zoom Announces 90-Day Plan to Address Security and Privacy Concerns"

Why it worked: This was crisis communications. They led with acknowledgment of the problem and immediate action plan. Listed specific commitments with timelines. CEO quote was transparent: "We did not design the product with the foresight that, in a matter of weeks, every person in the world would suddenly be working, studying, and socializing from home." Honest without making excuses.

Result: Coverage shifted from "Zoom is insecure" to "Zoom takes action on security." The transparent, specific response turned negative coverage into neutral or positive.

Distribution and Timing

Newswire Services

Major services include PR Newswire, Business Wire, GlobeNewswire. Pricing ranges from $200-$1,500+ depending on distribution scope.

National distribution gets your release to major news sites and wire services. Regional/local distribution is cheaper and fine for local news. Industry-specific distribution targets journalists covering your sector.

Optimal Send Times

Tuesday-Thursday, 10 AM - 2 PM EST is ideal. Monday mornings are cluttered with weekend backlog. Friday afternoons get lost in the weekend. Early mornings (before 9 AM) work for financial news that you want covered in morning market wrap-ups.

Avoid major holidays, during breaking news events, or when your news would be overshadowed by industry events.

Direct Media Outreach

Don't just send to newswires. Identify 10-20 journalists who cover your industry or beat. Email them directly with a personalized pitch:

"Hi [Name], I saw your recent article on [relevant topic]. I wanted to give you early access to our announcement about [news], which ties into the trends you've been covering around [connection to their beat]. The full release is attached and embargoed until [date]. Happy to connect you with our CEO for additional comment."

This personal touch gets better results than a mass newswire blast.

Common Mistakes That Kill Media Pickup

Writing in first person or using "we." Press releases are third-person documents written as if by a journalist. "TechCo announced" not "We are excited to announce."

Leading with backstory instead of news. Don't start with "Founded in 2015, TechCo has been working hard to solve..." Start with the news. Background goes later.

Making journalists work to find the story. If your headline is vague, your lead is 200 words, and the actual news is in paragraph 6, journalists won't read that far.

Including marketing language. "Best-in-class," "innovative," "cutting-edge," "revolutionary" undermine credibility. Let the facts demonstrate these qualities.

Ignoring AP style. Inconsistent formatting, wrong date formats, improper quote attribution make your release look unprofessional. Journalists notice.

Sending non-newsworthy releases. Not every update deserves a press release. If there's no real news (major milestone, significant funding, noteworthy partnership, important research), don't send it. Flooding journalists with non-news trains them to ignore your future releases.

Key Takeaways

The inverted pyramid structure puts the most important information first. Your lead paragraph should answer all five W's—who, what, when, where, why—so readers get the complete story even if they stop there. Expand details in descending order of importance.

Headlines must be specific, newsworthy, and active. Include the company name, the specific action or announcement, and often a key number or detail. Avoid marketing language and vague statements. Keep it under 120 characters.

Quotes should add insight, not repeat facts. Use quotes for perspective, emotion, vision—things that can only come from a human source. Make them sound natural and authentic, not corporate speak. Use simple attribution: "said" or "added."

Embargoes give journalists time to prepare in-depth coverage of complex news. Use them for major announcements you want covered thoroughly. Don't use them for simple news or when you want immediate pickup. Format embargoes clearly with specific date, time, and timezone.

Multimedia assets make your release more shareable and usable. Include high-res images, video, logos, and infographics. Make them easily downloadable. Add captions and alt text.

The releases that earn coverage lead with real news, provide specific details and numbers, include quotable quotes from named sources, follow AP style formatting, and make journalists' jobs easier by being clear, concise, and credible. Write like a journalist, not a marketer, and you'll get treated like a legitimate news source.