Feb 1, 2007
Our guide for publicity writers
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Writing news releases
News of community organizations and businesses is a major part of our papers, and we welcome news releases about the activities of clubs, associations, committees, students, agencies, professionals, stores, offices, and industries. To make the job easier for both you and us, we offer these suggestions on preparing stories for the paper.
Write your release as if it were a news story — which it is! If you do a good job, the release will get processed more quickly and stands a better chance of appearing in the next issue of the paper than a release on which we must do a lot of work. It will also be less subject to production errors.
In writing a release,
put the most important news up top. For example, if you are describing a garden club meeting at which someone spoke, put something about what the speaker said in the first sentence. (“A state entomologist told the Ridgefield Garden Club last week that an unusually large number of ants has been stealing nectar from the peonies this year….”) Don’t begin with the fact that the club had a meeting or who the hostesses were.
Similarly,
if the story is about the election of officers, tell who got picked president or chairman. (“Arthur Magdolinia of Cowslip Court, a member for 15 years, was elected president of the Georgetown Lions Club Tuesday, March 15.”) And include some biographical information about the leader.
Avoid dull beginnings. (“On Tuesday, May 4, at 9:15 a.m., the Darien Portuguese Water Dog Society met at the home of Mrs. Mabel Aquamutt.”) Your story should try to catch the interest of readers, not sound like the minutes of the last meeting (you know how boring those can be!).
Don’t address readers. In other words, don’t write “you can get more information by calling…” Make everything third person. “More information may be obtained from Joe Smith at 438-6544.”
Please be careful about the spelling of names in a release. Double-check them. If you are mentioning people who live in town, include their address (“Fred Finklekitty of Limelawn Lane”).
If you are doing publicity for a coming event, such as a church fair, a concert, or a play, remember that several weeks of short stories in advance are apt to reach a greater audience than one long story the week before the event. Generally, five weeks ahead is a good time to start submitting stories publicizing a public event. However, we ask that each story be submitted at least one week in advance of each publication date. Because of space limitations, we cannot guarantee advance stories will always get in the paper each week. Usually, though, if you submit a story well in advance, it will be in the coming week’s paper.
Lead off with a different aspect of the event each week; include photos if you wish (see section on pictures). Keep the story short and sweet — they are more apt to get in the paper and to attract readers than long-winded pieces. We cannot guarantee that all advance publicity will get in the paper on schedule; publication depends on availability of space. Remember: The shorter the story, the better chance it has of appearing!
If you are publicizing a coming event of general community interest, don’t forget to
include a listing for the community calendar. If you feel the event is of regional interest — a play, antiques show, fair, exhibit, concert, etc. — send a separate notice for a listing in the calendars of the
Arts & Leisure section. All listings should include a phone number the public can call for more information. To discuss coverage in the Arts & Leisure section, contact Sally Sanders at 203-438-6544 (arts@acorn-online.com). Listings and stories for Arts & Leisure must arrive at the Ridgefield office at least two weeks ahead of the publication date. Note: major features are often scheduled months in advance.
Check for completeness! You’d be surprised how many people forget to put a time, date or place of a coming event in their release. Remember the five Ws: Who, what, where, when, and why.
If you write on a computer, please submit stories on disk or by e-mail (see below); call if you need help. This is
much preferable to submitting printed releases because it allows for faster processing and reduces typographical errors.
What is ‘local’ news
Each of our newspapers covers one town, and each is
looking for news of the people and events of its own community. Except in the fields of the arts, education and nonprofit public service, we publish little news of anything outside our own towns and less outside our region, which is Fairfield and Westchester Counties.
We often get
lengthy releases from out-of-town organizations and businesses that we cannot fit. In some cases, particularly for regional nonprofit civic and charitable groups, we try to edit down releases into a small news item that we will attempt to fit into one, several or all of our newspapers on a space-available basis. It would help us a great deal if we received releases that are already as concise as possible — such as two or three sentences long.
We may use longer releases for out-of-town groups if you
localize them, such as include names of people in our towns involved in the activity.
Always include a publishable phone number in a release so readers can call someone for more information. Include your own
daytime number, too.
Regional releases in the
arts and entertainment, should be sent to Sally Sanders, Box 1019, Ridgefield, CT, 06877 (arts@acorn-online.com).
Each year
we also publish special supplements to all of our papers, dealing with such subjects as weddings, entertainment in the area, education, health and fitness, and the holidays. For these sections, we will consider more regional, general interest stories. Staff members or regular contributors write most, but other submissions are always considered, and many are used. Contact supplements editor Jackie Perry (Box 1019, Ridgefield, CT 06877, 203-894-3380) for more information. We publish
The Home Monthly, a magazine with news and features related to the home. Contact Jackie Perry, 203-894-3380 (home@acorn-online.com) for details.
Business news
Our papers want news of local (
in-town) businesses. Promotions, new appointments, new products, building or product-line improvements, expansions, location moves, and many other subjects make newsworthy items about a local business or local business people. If your business is out of town, your news item should have a local connection. For instance, the person being promoted lives in town. Please follow the suggestions in this guide and submit your business news items to your paper’s editor.
About photos
A good photograph can help draw attention to a story or an event, and we welcome submissions of photos. However, because we have limited space, we will be fussy about selecting ones for publication. Here are some rules and suggestions:
Photos must be clear, crisp, and properly exposed (not too dark or too light). The newspaper printing process tends to make photos less clear to start with, and a picture that’s already blurry becomes blurrier.
Prints may be color or black-and-white. Color prints are easier. With color prints, make sure faces are not red or deep pink (that turns black in printing). We can also take negatives and color slides in emergencies, but much prefer prints.
E-mailing photos is fine. Please use JPG format and make the files high resolution (at least 150 dpi).
There is no problem with the size of photos. Within reason, we can adjust the final size and cropping that will appear in the paper.
If you want a photo returned by mail, you must enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope. Submitted photos are kept on file about six months, but it is recommended that you pick up your picture within a few weeks of its use. If your photo is a particularly cherished one, you may be able to make an appointment to have us process it while you wait.
If you are doing a publicity picture, try to think of something pictorially interesting. Be creative. Don’t take a picture of the pancake breakfast planning committee standing against the wall or sitting around a table; have members doing something, such as flipping pancakes, making decorations, or hanging lights. Often, using an unusual angle can liven up an otherwise ordinary photo. If you need suggestions, call the news staff.
Avoid pictures of people passing checks or signing documents, especially proclamations. Avoid shots of people holding up signs, posters, banners, or trophies. Avoid pictures with loads of people in them — have no more than five people in a photo.
When photographing something,
get in as close as possible. If you’re doing a picture of a little girl and her dog that just won a pet contest, don’t stand 10 or 15 feet away. Shoot from four or five feet at the most so we can see the girl and her pet.
When a new club president is elected, take his or her portrait. But shoot it close up. All we need is the head and shoulders; if you’re too far away, the person’s face will get blurry as we enlarge the picture to fit our papers’ news columns.
Some events, such as church fairs, are yearly. Plan ahead; take lots of pictures at this year’s fair so you or your successors will have publicity shots for next year’s advance stories.
Find a member who likes photography and encourage him or her to do your publicity photos.
We’re happy to offer advice about pictures — feel free to call an editor. We sometimes will take photos, but because most of our staff are reporters whose main job is writing news, we often rely on submissions from sponsoring organizations.
Other information
Deadlines: In general, news should reach us a week before publication. Exceptions exist.
Office hours: Generally, we’re open 9 to 5 weekdays. Hours vary a bit at offices; call to check.
Office addresses: The Ridgefield Press and Lewisboro Ledger are headquartered at 16 Bailey Avenue (behind town hall), Ridgefield. The Wilton Bulletin, The Redding Pilot and Weston Forum are at 644 Danbury Road, Wilton. New Canaan Advertiser is at 42 Vitti Street, New Canaan. The Darien Times is at 14 Corbin Drive in Darien. Greenwich Post is at 22 West Putnam Avenue, Greenwich.
Mailing addresses, phones, & e-mail:
Ridgefield Press, Box 1019, Ridgefield, 06877 (203-438-6544) newsroom@acorn-online.com
Wilton Bulletin, Box 367, Wilton, 06897 (203-762-3866) newsroom@wiltonbulletin.com
Redding Pilot, Box 389, Georgetown, 06829 (203-544-9519) pilot@thereddingpilot.com
Weston Forum, Box 1185, Weston, 06883 (203-761-0530) editor@thewestonforum.com
Lewisboro Ledger, Box 188, Cross River, NY 10518 (914-763-8821) ledger@acorn-online.com
New Canaan Advertiser, Box 605, New Canaan, 06840 (203-966-9541) editor@ncadvertiser.com
Darien Times, 4 Corbin Drive, Darien, 06820 (203-656-4230) editor@darientimes.com
Greenwich Post, 22 West Putnam Avenue, 06830 (203-861-9191) editor@greenwich-post.com
Fax: We no longer accept faxed submissions.
E-mail: This is
the preferred way to submit news and letters. E-mail news releases appropriate address above. Please send plain text, rich text (RTF), or Microsoft Word attached files, or just write your news release as an e-mail message.
World Wide Web: You can find information about our newspapers — and send us releases — on our web site: www.acorn-online.com.
Help: For help with any aspect of any of our newspapers, please call 203-438-6544. Weekdays between 8:30 and 5:30, humans will be able to assist you. Other times, a voicemail system should pick up. We will get back to you as soon as possible. Much online help is also on our web site (
above).
10 tips for news writing
Be concise. Try not to use any more words than absolutely necessary.
Be accurate. Double-check such facts as dates, times, places, and the spelling of people’s names.
Be complete. Provide who, what, where, when, how, and why wherever possible or appropriate.
Get to the point. Avoid flowery sentences, especially beginnings. Give the facts, beginning with the most important information (not the date!).
Avoid opinions. Don’t write that something will be “fun” or “wonderful,” unless you quote someone saying it.
Don’t address the readers. (“You can buy many fine treats at St. Dandelion’s Church Fair.”)
Be on time. Turn in releases ahead of deadlines. If you don’t know deadlines, give us a call!
Provide a publishable source of more information, if you are publicizing an event or a service. Give the name, address and phone number of someone the public can call.
Double-space printed copy turned in on paper.
Give your name and phone number so the editor can contact you if there’s a question.
SAMPLE PRESS RELEASE
Written by: Kathy Finklekitty
16 Mushroom Road, Crowtown, CT 06652
Daytime phone: 428-5944
Date submitted: Sept. 1, 2002
Use: As soon as possible
Fresh plants, old books, and new activities are in store for visitors to the Harvest Fair, sponsored by St. Swithan’s Church, on Saturday, Nov.5.
The fair, the third annual fund-raiser for the church’s Mission Society, will be from 10 to 4 on the grounds of Pastafazool Park, Cuttlefish Road (Route 112), Crowtown. Admission is free.
Houseplants of many kinds, including cacti and African violets, will be sold, along with fruits and vegetables from the fall harvest: pumpkins, gourds, squashes, six varieties of apples, Indian corn, and pears.
A new feature of the fair will be rides for children, including a merry-go-round and a mini-Ferris wheel. Booths will sell used books, white elephants, kitchenwares, a variety of crafts, and children’s toys. The Mission Society members will also have a bake sale, featuring cakes, cookies, and seasonal pies.
The society will raffle a quilt on which members have been working for a year. Tickets costing $1 will be sold at the fair, and are available from members now.
Money raised from the fair will help support a village school, operated by Jesuit brothers in poverty-stricken Contanuega, Panama.
For more information on the fair or raffle or to donate books or used household items in good condition, call Betty Boop, chairman, at 428-7654.
–Rev. 5.6.05
Last updated June 26, 2007
© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers
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