press writing for pr & communications by hoem seiha

PRESS WRITING

PR & COMMUNICATIONS By Hoem Seiha

H/p: 012-699-553

Email: hoemseiha@gmail.com

LECTURE 1

INTRODUCTION TO PRESS WRITING

CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS

PART I

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Corporate communication is a management function that offers

a framework for the effective coordination of all internal and

external communication with the overall purpose of establishing

and maintaining favorable reputations with stakeholder groups

upon which the organization is dependent.

IN THE 1970S

Practitioners had used the term „public relations‟ to describe

communication with stakeholders. This „public relations‟

function, which was tactical in most companies, largely

consisted of communication with the press.

THE GROWING SCOPE

When other stakeholders, internal and external to the

company, started to demand more information from the

company, practitioners subsequently started to look at

communication as being more than just „public relations‟.

This is when the roots of the new Corporate Communication

Function started to take hold.

The Role of Corporate Communications

This new function came to incorporate a whole range of

specialized disciplines, including: • Corporate Design

• Corporate Advertising

• Internal Communication

• Issues and Crisis Management

• Media Relations

• Investor Relations

• Change Communication

• Public Affairs & Public Relations

Integrated Framework of Corporate

Communications

PART II

TYPES OF WRITING

PRESS WRITING FOR CORPORATE

COMMUNICATIONS

MAJOR TYPES OF WRITING

• Academic Writing (factual, very formal)

• Business Writing (formal, creative)

• Press Writing (factual)

• Creative Writing (fictional)

• Creative Nonfiction (creatively factual)

ACADEMIC WRITING

Academic Writing – is the form of writing that is used mainly for academic, scientific, and scholarly purposes. Examples of this writing:

• Academic essay

• Academic assignment report

• Thesis (master degree), dissertation (doctoral degree)

• Academic journal

• Academic research report

BUSINESS WRITING Business Writing – is the form of both factual and creative writing that is used mainly for business purposes. Examples of this writing:

• For Internal/External Communications: official letter and email

• For Internal Communications: activity report, sales, or financial report

• For Grouped Customers: business, product, or project presentation

• For Customers: brochure, factsheet, advertorial, marketing or promotional material

• For Concerned Group: market or industry report, etc.

• For Media: news release, product release, commentary release, announcement

PRESS WRITING (ALSO MEDIA OR

JOURNALISTIC WRITING)

Press Writing – is the form of factual news reporting purposefully for news media such newspaper, magazine, television, radio, and other news channels, etc. Examples:

• News Stories: news article, news feature, feature profile, investigative news report

• Op-Ed: editorial, opinion, column, letter to editor, commentary article

CREATIVE WRITING

Creative Writing – is the form of writing that is used mainly in

creative industry aiming at entertaining the audience such as

movie, television, fictional book, etc. Examples:

• song script

• screenplay for (cinematography)

• playscript (for drama)

• novel and poem in the form of print

CREATIVE NONFICTION WRITING

Creative Nonfiction – is the form of writing similar to creative

writing. However, creative nonfiction is the arts of creatively

writing a book or screenplay factually based on a real

happening, person, or phenomenon. In some of news

feature stories published on a newspaper or magazine can

be written in the form of creative nonfiction.

MAJOR TYPES OF WRITING FOR CORPORATE

COMMUNICATIONS

• Presentations – E.g. business presentation, project presentation, profile presentation, etc.

• Emails – E.g. transactional emails, direct emails, sale emails, press emails, promotional emails, etc.

• Marketing Communications – E.g. advertisement material, promotional material, leaflet, brochure, etc.

• Media Relations – E.g. press release, commentary release, launch release, product release, media advisory, special report, etc.

• Investor/Consumer Relations – E.g. newsletter, periodic report or review, etc.

PART III

CORPORATE PRESS WRITING

THE SCOPE

• Press Release

• Commentary Release

• Launch Release

• Product Release

• Media Advisory

• Personnel Announcement

• Periodic Report/Review

• Speech & Keynote

PRESS RELEASE

Press release (also news release or media

release), usually referred to “general press

release” is the form of news related to an

organization specially sent to either the media

to earn free media coverage or to the public to

earn publicity.

COMMENTARY RELEASE

Commentary release is the specialized article about special

issues such as industry, public affair, or market, to name a

few, relating to the organization itself or area of interest of

the organization. The commentary release is often sent to

the either media or public to show the expertise in

something of the organization.

LAUNCH RELEASE

Launch release is a news release from an

organization sent to either the media to earn

free media coverage about the launch or

opening of the organization, or to the public to

earn publicity of the organization.

PRODUCT RELEASE

A product release is a news release from an

organization sent either to the media to earn

free media or to coverage about your new

product, or to the public for your company‟s

product publicity.

MEDIA ADVISORY

A media advisory is a media pitch about an

event or news story idea of an organization

sent to the media members to invite or

convince them to write a story about your pitch

or idea of the event, etc.

PERSONNEL ANNOUNCEMENT

Personnel Announcement (also called “executive release”) is

a news release introducing a key executive or management,

or informing the leaving of the key executive member of the

organization to the media and public.

SPECIAL REPORT OR REVIEW

A special report or a review is a periodic review, report, or

special periodic publication about your industry, market,

activity progress, or areas of your specialty. This kind of

periodic publications is usually delivered to the media,

consumers, and or members of concerned communities.

SPEECH

A speech is written in the form of formally spoken language,

usually 1 to 3 page(s) in length. A speech is often used by

the important person in an organization, be it the president

or C.E.O, addressing to a targeted group of participants or

members of the press in a conference or a special event

such as launch event, open house event, etc.

LECTURE 2

PREWRITING TASKS & UNDERSTANDING

FORMAT OF GENERAL PRESS RELEASE

PREWRITING: THE PROCESS

1. Defining the Audience

2. Developing an Angle

3. Brainstorming

4. Gathering Information

5. Outlining the Content

6. Basics of General Press Release

PART I

DEFINING THE AUDIENCE

The audience of a press release are usually the

members of press, namely editors, reporters, and

journalists. Sometimes the audience can be

stakeholders, concerned members of societies

and communities, or the general public.

PART II

DEVELOPING AN ANGLE OF PRESS

RELEASE

DEVELOPING AN ANGLE

Similar to a news story published in the newspaper, an angle of

a press release is one of the several areas of interest for

different members of the media or the media organizations

themselves. That said, “different strokes for different folks.”

However, the rule of thumb is that the angle should be of

newsworthiness for the media.

LOOK AT THE MEDIA INTEREST

For example, if you‟re company is going to release a market

report of condominium, the strongest media interest is not

about:

• The fact your company is going to release the report,

• But it is about what market information has been stated

and analyzed in the report.

NEWSWORTHINESS

What makes an announcement newsworthy? For a publisher to

consider your particular story newsworthy it must have a both

strong news angle and generate interest.

A good news release angle should have one or more of the

following characteristics:

NEW DEVELOPMENT

New Development – Brings forward new information to an

existing story or exposes an entirely original news story.

HUMAN INTEREST

Human Interest – Relates the story to social issues or

discusses a person in an emotional way, as to generate

interest or empathy in the reader. 06

LOCAL ANGLE

Local Angle – Describes how the local community or economy

will be affected by the news of your company.

PROMINENCE

Eminence or Prominence – Discusses emerging trends (usually

informing the reader of why the trend is popular and what it

means to them). 06

CONFLICT & DRAMA

Conflict – Explains a controversy often with opposing view

points and positions.

Drama – Describes a conflict likely to invoke an emotional

response or provides an editorial of such events.

DISASTER

Disaster –Describes the impact of negative situations (and

usually either what brought them about, how it‟s affecting the

new subject, or what‟s being done about it). 06

TIMELINESS & PROXIMITY

Timeliness – Rating to something new?

Proximity – Relates a particular story (often warnings or advice)

to a specific region. 06

WIDE APPEAL

Wide Appeal – In many cases local media appeals to an

eighth-grade reading level and topics that appeal to mass

audiences. Does your story have wide appeal or can you

describe why it should?

PART III

BRAINSTORMING

Now that you‟ve got the ideas of story, the next step is to

think briefly about what information should be included

in the your story. Remember the “5 Ws” and the “H” for

brainstorming techniques.

5 Ws: What, where, when, why, and who

The H: How

EXAMPLE: EVENT

PART IV

GATHERING INFORMATION

You‟ve come up with the all the ideas of what to write

in your email marketing message, and the next step

you have to take is to gather all the information you

have listed in the brainstorming process. Think of

resource persons who share the responsibility of

providing you the information regarding the what

you‟re going to write. Sometimes, you have to sit your

marketing counterparts, upline managers, CEO down

for the information.

INFORMATION GATHERING APPROACHES

Gathering Information can be done by:

Desk Research

Use computer and internet (for electronic materials)

Find print materials (brochure, flyer, etc.)

In-Person Interview

Meet marketing counterparts, upline managers and CEO

for the interview

Clients (for newsletter only)

INTERVIEWING TIPS: QUESTION LIST

An effective interview should be planned in advance. A

list of questions should be established. Here are the

Choose what to write about

Generate a list of questions (what, where, when,

who, why, how)

Determine who should be interviewed

Make appointment with the resource

INTERVIEWING TIPS: INTERVIEWING PROCESS

A good interview is better done with a good communication and closeness between the interviewer and interviewee. Here are some tips:

Warm up – start the conversation by a warm-up.

Let him know why you need the information.

Ask him according to question list, but be flexible with the unexpectedly told pieces of information

Think of pop-up questions and follow up

End the interview with a full of information

PART V

WRITING A

GENERAL PRESS RELEASE

A GENERAL PRESS RELEASE

Written in a news style, a general press release is a piece of information about something of or relating to an organization.

A press release is used to pitch the media so that reporters or editors might be interested and cover on that in their publications.

Examples of press release is a release telling about “grand opening, joint venture agreement, new data release, etc.”

THE BASIC ELEMENTS

Company name (and logo)

Headline (sometimes also

subhead)

Issue date

Place-line (sometimes)

Lead (the first few

sentences)

Body paragraphs (details of

the story)

Conclusion (not mandatory)

Ending of press

Editorial notice (editor’s

Media Inquiry Contact

A news release has the following elements:

HEADLINE

Headline – It‟s the main subject line (the title of the news release). Either it‟s electronically used or printed on the paper, headline nature is still the same. Write it concisely but meaningfully. A good headline of a news release should convince news writers or editors to get it published. It should:

Capture the news writers/editors’ attentions

Summarize the overall content of the release

SLUG LINE (O R SUB-HEADLINE)

A slug line (or sub-headline) – It‟s a short, unique

summary of the press release.

Give further information so that it makes more

sense in just a few words of title

Summarize the overall content of the release

A GOOD HEADLINE

A headline with a good quality has to: Be short

Be straightforward, not misleading

Avoid promotional hype

Use simple words.

Comply to recommended style guides.

Avoid writing in BLOCK.

Be capitalized or lowercased.

HEADLINE – LENGTH

Too long

• More than a Hundred Buyers Queue to Buy iPhone 4S in Front of iOne at Canadia Tower from Morning until Evening

Acceptable

• Over a Hundred Buyers Queue to Buy iPhone 4S at iOne at Canada Tower All Day

HEADLINE – STYLE

Non-Standard

• Apartment and Office Realty Revenues Are Expected to Rise Up in the Upcoming Years.

Standard

• Apartment, Office Realty Revenues Expected to Increase in Next Coming Years

LEAD Just like that of a news story, lead of a press release is the few

lines, written after the headline. Since lead is the first one or

few line(s) of the release, it should be short, summarizing the

overall content of the release. An effective lead should:

Capture the news writers or editors’ attentions

Reveal the overall meaning of the release content.

Provide a brief of the “5 Ws” and the “H”.

Not run more than 5 lines (best, 50-80 words)

Not exceed 2 sentences

INEFFECTIVE LEAD Ineffective: Too long, poorly structured, delayed lead

In time of ASEAN Integration over the next few years, free

market is open to this community and foreign investors have

already looked to invest in the country. Cambodia will no

doubt improve many economic sectors. For instance,

Cambodia‟s apartment and office realty revenues are

predicted to grow by the next years, said industry leaders at

the economic review session yesterday.

EFFECTIVE LEAD

Effective: Concise, immediate lead, well-structured

Apartment and office realty revenues are predicted to

grow by the next coming years, as driven by ASEAN

Integration, when foreign investors have already looked

to invest in the country, industry leaders said at the

economic review session yesterday.

BODY OF PRESS RELEASE The body of a news release provide details of the headline of

the release, narrowing down the points in an inverted

pyramid style. An effective body should:

Provide details of the main topic (lead)

Answer to the “5Ws” and the “H”

Include the intended messages

Include background information

Include supporting elements such as human quotes from

involved individuals, figures, statistics, factual information

CONCLUSION (NOT MANDATORY)

Even if the conclusion is not always necessary for a news

release, sometimes writers use it to leave a special

message for the readers so that the readers are drawn by

it at last. An effective conclusion should:

Briefly restate the lead (in a far different way)

Leave a message for the readers to consider

Urge for an action

Not run more than 5 lines (best, 50-80 words)

THE BASIC STRUCTURES

Just like a news story, a structure of a press release is

based on the style a writer applies. Though there a few

more other structural styles, press release styles are

divided into three common ways:

Inverted Pyramid Style (most common)

Hourglass Style

Chronological Style

INVERTED PYRAMID STYLE

Most commonly, news or press release writers use inverted

pyramid style for their story reporting. It can easily and quickly

deliver the message to the readers, since the modern day

people do not have much time to read the rest of the story if

the news is not very interesting for them. Inverted pyramid

style starts with:

Lead – a summary of the topic (with five Ws, the H)

Supporting details – important supporting information

Less important details – less important information

STRUCTURE SAMPLE

HOURGLASS STYLE

The hourglass form summarizes the news,

then shifts to a narrative. This structure

The Top – it delivers the most important news.

The Turn – it acts as a transition between the Top

and the Narrative.

The Narrative – it tells the story from start to end. 70

THE TOP

Here it delivers the news in a summary lead, followed by

three or four paragraphs that answer the reader‟s most

pressing questions.

In the top it gives the basic news, enough to satisfy a time-

pressed reader.

It reports the story in its most concise form. If all that is

read is the top, the reader is still informed.

Because it‟s limited to four to six paragraphs, the top of the

story should contain only the most significant information.

THE TURN

Here you signal the reader that a narrative, usually

chronological, is beginning. Usually, the turn is a

transitional phrase that contains attribution for the

narrative that follows: according to police, eyewitnesses

described the event this way, the shooting unfolded this

way, law enforcement sources and neighbors agree.

THE NARRATIVE

The narrative structure of the news story press release has three elements:

The beginning

The middle

The end

The bottom structure of the hourglass reporting style allows the writer to tell a chronological narrative complete with detail, dialogue, and background information.

HOURGLASS DIAGRAM

The Top, summarizing the news

The Turn (transition), shifting to a narrative

The Narrative, telling the story

CHRONOLOGICAL STYLE

Like spatial and logical orders, chronological style is rarely used for journalistic writing since the most important point will stand at the end of the article, where most of the readers fail to get the message after a few seconds of reading the “boring” opening. It tells a story narratively and chronologically. It begins with:

Foreshadowing (nut graph)

Chronological Storytelling

Climax at End 76

CHRONOLOGICAL STYLE DIAGRAM

Foreshadowing

Chronological Storytelling

Climax

LECTURE 3

WRITING A

“LAUNCH” PRESS RELEASE

THE LEARNING POINTS • Understanding a “Launch” Press Release

• Structure of a “Launch” Press Release

• Writing a Title and Headline for “Launch” Press Release

• Writing a Direct Lead for a “Launch” Release

• Writing Body Paragraphs

• Giving Supporting Information: Facts, Evidences, Statistics,

Observations, and Human Quotes, Explanations, Examples

• Ending and Conclusion

• Do‟s and Don‟ts

WHAT IS A LAUNCH RELEASE?

Launch Press Release (also launch release) – is a

news release from an organization sent to either the

media to earn free media coverage about the launch

or opening of the organization, or to the public to

earn publicity of the organization.

WHAT CAN BE A LAUNCH?

Launch releases have to carry an extra air or urgency or

timeliness to generate buzz around:

• The launch or opening of a company

• A launch of a project

• The launch of a website

• An initiative of some kind

THE STRUCTURE

Just like kind of news story, the

structure of the launch release

can be applied in almost any

style of reporting. The structure

of a launch release contains

key elements:

Company’s name and logo

Standard, placeline, and

Headline

Body with detailed

supporting paragraphs

Conclusion

End of press

Editorial note

End of press

Media Inquiries

STANDARD TITLE

A standard title – allows readers to know that it‟s a press

release. There are two types of standard title often used by the

PR professionals:

Press Release – if the writer uses this press title, he means

the press should be run or broadcast either after the event

or launch of product, project or company is held

immediately after the press is received.

For Immediate Release – this indicates that the press

should be run on newspapers or broadcast on TV

immediately after the press is received.

HEADLINE

A headline summarizes the launch release.

Example: Grand Opening Ceremony of Park Café Psar Kandal Outlet to Be

Held on 26 March, 2013

XXX Firm to Launch US$2 Million CSR Project This Year

XXX Development Firm Announces the Start of Its Condominium

Construction

THE LEAD

The lead is the first one or few sentences, often with two to five

lines, summarizing the news of the launch release. Example:

Park Café announces its official opening of its new outlet

located in Psar Kandal area, following the launch of its new

branch last month, as Grand Opening Ceremony of the new

branch takes place on 26 March, 2013 at 9:30am till 11am

at Park Café (Psar Kandal Outlet).

THE BODY

The Body (តួរ ឿង) – Usually the body of the any type of a

news story or press release often contains a few of or

several paragraphs that gives details to and support the

lead of the “launch” press release.

A paragraph (កថាខណ្ឌ ) – is a sentence or a group (more than

one) of sentences together talking about a specific topic

or point.

A GOOD PARAGRAPH

A paragraph is a block of sentences grouped together to state an idea or thing. An effective paragraph has the following characteristics:

Concise but meaningful (not exceed 100 words)

Word-economy (make every word counts)

Should contain only main idea or point (and followed by supporting elements).

Appropriate word choices

Should contain no cliché, jargon, or idiom

SUPPORTING PARAGRAPHS

Just like any other news story published on a newspaper or

magazine, the supporting details of the launch release gives

details to and supports the lead of the “launch” press release.

Supporting Paragraph (កថាខណ្ឌ ជំនួយ) – is a sentence or several

sentences grouped together talking about a specific topic,

giving details and supporting the preceding statement, idea, or

paragraph.

SUPPORTING ELEMENTS

A supporting element is a sentence or few sentences

that support a certain statement in a paragraph of

the body. Supporting elements can be the followings:

Details

Background information

Figures or statistics

Human or print quotes

Rumors (rare case) 89

EXAMPLE 1: PARAGRAPH

Every year Beeline gives away school materials to

students throughout Cambodia. Last year the

company distributed more than 1,000 school bags,

4,300 books, 4,200 pencils and pens, and over

1,000 t-shirt printed with the slogan “Study for a

Bright Future” to 1,000 top students from 23 schools

in 20 provinces.

Main point

Supporting elements: figures 90

EXAMPLE 2: PARAGRAPH

The company is ready to distribute more than 59,000 books and 59,000 pencils and pens that were printed with the slogan “Study for a Bright Future”.

Ham Phearum said that this year the company gives away those materials to all young children, unlike the previous year that the company rewarded the materials to only top students.

Idea or Point A

Idea or Point B

Human indirect quote

6 The two paragraphs have different points.

GROUP PRACTICE Your facilitator will:

• Divide the class into three groups

• Provide each group members a “launch” press release about the Grand

Opening of Park Café‟s new outlet located at Psar Kandal area.

Instruction:

Work with your group and discuss about the press release by:

• Read all the paragraphs and identify the details, background information,

figures, statistics, human quotes, print quotes, or rumors.

• Give your reasons to support your answers and ideas.

DO’S AND DON’TS

The main audience of your “launch” press release is a group of

media members such as editors, reporters and journalists.

There are some do‟s and don‟ts to avoid making your press

release looks like a “hype” or “promotion”.

DO’S

• Think like a News Reporter – Develop your angle of the

press based on a mass appeal

• Look Outside the Org– Also link some pieces of the story

outside BUT related to your organization or company

• Give Expertise Commentary Views – Journalists are hunger

for news about macro environment.

DON’TS

• Avoid Self-Centricity – Journalists aren‟t interested in micro

environment (like your com or org), unless your company or

organization is so prominent that it makes them think your

information is newsworthy.

• Avoid Promotional Claims – When your press release

contains too many promotional hypes, the journalists think

it‟s not newsworthy and then will through it away.

LECTURE 4

WRITING A

“PRODUCT” PRESS RELEASE

THE LEARNING POINTS

• Understanding a “Product” Press Release

• Elements of a “Product” Press Release

• Writing a Tittle and Headline for a “Product” Press

Release

• Writing an Anecdotal Lead for a “Product” Release

• Supporting by Product Details

• Avoiding Promotional Puffs

WHAT IS A PRODUCT RELEASE?

“Product” Press Release (also product release) – is a

news release from an organization sent either to the

media to earn free media coverage about the product

or services of your organization, or to the public to earn

publicity of the product or services.

HEADLINE

A headline summarizes the product or service

that you‟re going to launch. Example: Toshiba Deliver Solid State Drive to Create Fully Flexible

Enterprise Storage Solutions

Park Café Launches New Menu for the Year 2015 to Offer

Customers More Options

THE ANECDOTAL LEAD The lead is the first one or few sentences, often with two to five lines, or sometimes

paragraphs, summarizing the news of the launch of your company‟s products. Example:

When Theoneste* first came to the Wema Centre in 2006, his hair was unkempt, his grimy clothes hung loosely off his body. At the age of 16, he was one of many “chokora” or “scavengers” haunting the streets of Mombasa, Kenya’s second largest city. Digging through the trash for food or plastic bottles to sell, each day was a constant hustle to survive. Still, Theoneste preferred life on the streets to the years of abuse he suffered under the roof of his parent’s house.

Now, three years later, Theoneste is a different person. With the help of the Wema Centre, a CAP grantee that rescues and rehabilitates street children, Theoneste has become a healthy, responsible young man. From basic services and support—shelter, food and health care, counseling and recreation—Wema’s Dropin Center provided Theoneste with the care he needed to gain confidence and change his life. With the encouragement of Wema’s social workers, he enrolled in the organization’s vocational training courses and learned how to cook, sew and use a computer. Since completing his training in 2008, Theoneste has been working as an assistant cook at Wema’s Ganjoni Dropin Center.

PRACTICE: ANECDOTAL LEAD

Instruction Work individually. With your own additional and fictional creativity, write an anecdotal lead for ONE of the products or services indicated below:

1. A Mobile-Banking Service

2. A Community-Based Swine Value Chain Program

3. A Food Supplement Product

4. A Psychological Consultancy Service

Read the materials provided by your facilitator for more information about the products and services of your choice.

PRODUCT DETAILS

In a “product” press release, you have to provide the details of the product, service, or project that going to write about in the press. The important details can be:

Background – when, where, or why it‟s launched

Specifications – state only the most important details such as:

Size (if it‟s a project, it‟s budget or funding size)

Length (if it a project, it‟s about period of start and finish, etc.)

price, etc. that most appeals to the journalists

Other characteristics

Benefit – how it‟s useful for the users

Case Stories (success stories from the users) – if any, one or two case story (or stories) can be very useful to give the real evidence, proving how good experiences the users get from using your products or services.

AVOIDING “HYPE”

To munch promotional puff or “hype” in your product release

will make the journalists think it‟s promotional and kick it

away. Avoid using words that promote your product directly.

Example:

Directly promotional: This battery has a longer lifetime

than any other products available on the market.

Indirectly promotional: A case from one of the product

users, who forgot to turn off the car headlight all night,

shows the battery still had enough power to ignite the car

in the following morning.

LECTURE 5

WRITING A

“PERSONNEL” PRESS RELEASE

THE LEARNING POINTS

In this subject, you‟ll learn: Elements of “Personnel” Release

Organizational Structure of “Personnel” Press

Release

Writing a Tittle and Headline for “Personnel” Press

Release

Writing a Lead for a “Personal” Release

Giving Details: What to/not to cover

WHAT IS A “PERSONNEL” RELEASE?

“Personnel” Press Release – is a press release

announcing the new coming of your organizational

key personnel to the members of the media and/or

the concerned stakeholders, or the public. The new

coming of an important personnel especially such

as the management levels such as C.E.O,

department director, country director, etc.

THE ELEMENTS With the same structure of any other press release format, the key elements may contain:

Headline – telling who join the company

Lead – telling briefly your company has:

• new member, who, and responsibility

• starting from when

Body paragraphs – telling the details:

• His/her background and experiences

• Commitment and important viewpoints

• Commentary views from the board, CEO, or representative

Conclusion – summarizing or leaving the last comments to the audience

THE LEAD

Lead – a lead for a personnel release summarizes the

information about the joining of the new member of the

company. Example:

XXX firm today announces the appointment of Eric Smith

as Chief Communications Officer, who will help better

and strengthen the firm’s communications with varous

stakeholders.

INDIVIDUAL WORK

Instruction:

• Your facilitator will give you a sheet of press release

that was put in disorders from the original version.

• You are required to rearrange those scattered

paragraphs so that the press look more logical in term

of order.

LECTURE 6

WRITING AN

“EVENT” PRESS RELEASE

THE LEARNING POINTS

In this subject, you‟ll learn:

Understanding “Event” Press Release

Types of Events

Organizational Structure of “Event” Press Release

Writing a Tittle and Headline for an “Event” Press

Release

Writing a Direct Lead for “Event” Press Release

Giving Event Details: Answering What, Where, When,

Why, Who, and How

Do‟s and Don‟ts

WHAT IS AN “EVENT” PRESS RELEASE?

“Event” Press Release – is a press release announcing the an event of your organization. Examples:

Grand Opening Event

Special Workshop

Conference

Business Networking Event

Membership Meeting

Product Show

Trade Exhibition

THE HEADLINE AND LEAD

With the same structure of any other press release format, the key elements may contain:

Headline – telling what event your organization is going to held

Lead – summarizing (in two to five lines) the event by describing:

• What the event is and all about

• When it is held

• Where it is held

• Why it is held

BODY AND CONCLUSION

Body paragraphs – Telling the all necessary the details of the event by

briefing stating:

• Event background

• Who will preside the event, or speak in the event

• Who will join the event

• A commentary quote from the leader

• Expected outcomes of the event

• Why this event is necessary

• Who organizes, host or sponsor

Conclusion – summarizing or leaving the last comments to the

audience

THE LEAD

Lead – a lead for an event release summarizes the

information about the event your organization is going

to hold. Example:

Theareerocean.com, 5 November, 2012 – Ebiz

Tuesday, a monthly business gathering event

organized by Theareerocean.com, is slated for 6

November, 2012 at 5:30pm at Park Café, Calmette

Outlet.

THE BODY

The body of the event press release contains the

detailed information about the event, giving details

to support the lead paragraph.

Your facilitator will give a handout of the sample

press release about the event.

LECTURE 7

WRITING A

“COMMENTARY” PRESS RELEASE

THE LEARNING POINTS

In this subject, you‟ll learn: • Introduction to Commentary Release

• Form of a Commentary Article

• Benefits of Commentary Release

• Organizational Structure of Commentary Release

• Writing a Tittle and Headline for a Commentary Release

• Writing a Direct, Indirect, and Striking Lead for a Commentary

Article

• Writing Supporting Detail: Facts, Evidences, Statistics,

Observations, and Human Quotes, Explanations, Examples

• Do‟s and Don‟ts

WHAT IS A COMMENTARY RELEASE?

Commentary releases are often less urgent than more general news releases. The characteristics of the release:

They may revolve around a report issued by the company, by offering statistics and results,

Or they may involve news from a third party organization with quotes or other supporting information from the issuing company or individual.

These releases are used to demonstrate someone‟s expertise in a certain subject matter, to hopefully make them a go-to source for information in the future for members of the media.

COMMENTARY STRUCTURE

Just the same as a news story, the commentary

release has a lead, several body paragraphs, and

sometimes a conclusion. 06

THE HEADLINE

A headline of a commentary release has the same

characteristics as that of news stories published in the

newspapers or magazines. Example:

ការសិក្សារបស់ក្កុ្សមហ ៊ុនផាក្សកាហ្ហេបន្ហា ញថាទីផារហ្ោជនីយដ្ឋា នមានក្សហំ្ ើ នខ្ពស់ក្សន៊ុងចំហ្ោមអ្នក្សហ្្េើការក្សន៊ុងការយិាល័យហ្ៅទីក្កុ្សងភនហំ្ពញ ។

THE LEAD

Just like any news story published in the newspaper,

the lead of the commentary is exactly the same as of

that of the general news story. Example:

Phnom Penh, 25 December, 2014 – The study by Century

21 Cambodia has shown that condominium market has

grown steadily since the last 6 years, and it continues to

grow significantly by the next few years, even if the current

supply seems to outstrip the demand.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF LEADS

There are many different types of leads writers often use in their news articles. The most common types of lead are: ∗ Declaration

∗ Description

∗ Anecdote

∗ Striking statement

∗ Prominent quote

∗ Question Types of Leads

THE DIRECT LEAD

A direct lead is the most simple form of lead often

used by the journalists. Example:

តម្រូវការនៃការហូបចុកនៅតារអាហារដ្ឋា ៃកនុងចំនោរអ្នកមាៃ រុខ ងារកនុងការយិាល័យ(អ្នកន្វើការកនុងការយិាល័យ) មាៃកំន ើ ៃគួរឲ្យកត់សមាា ល់នាប ុនាា ៃឆ្ន ំចុងនម្កាយនៃេះ។

DECLARATIVE LEAD

Most often the writers use a declarative lead (sometimes

called summary or direct lead) for their news stories. This

kind of lead is mostly used for a hard news story.

Declarative leads are direct and straightforward by:

∗ providing direct angle of whole article, or

∗ Providing suggested ideas or facts about article, or

∗ Discussing directly what the article will cover about

EXAMPLE

An Example of a Declarative Lead

Beeline plans to give away school materials to 1‐6 grade

students throughout Cambodia for school‐year 2011‐ 2012, as to encourage students at primary schools to

study hard and encourage parents to send their children

to schools.

THE DESCRIPTIVE LEAD

In a description lead, a writer describes something like

an object or event in one or more than one sentences. It

is mostly used in a feature story. A descriptive lead can

be about:

∗ An object,

∗ An Event,

∗ A person, or

∗ Something

EXAMPLE

An Example of a Descriptive Lead

Restaurateurs and business enthusiasts gathered to listen, learn and share restaurant‐centric development strategies at Park Café, Vtrust Outlet, yesterday evening from 5:30 until 8:30. Five feature speakers from Park Café restaurant chain and some other successful eating establishments shared their knowledge of restaurant business operations with the participants. And that was the third monthly Briefing Session themed on Restaurant Operation Management.

THE ANECDOTAL LEAD

An anecdotal lead tells you a very inspiring, short story of

something happening in reality. It should give a hint or be

related to the whole story. It‟s different from a narrative

in that narrative is usually longer, often described in a

series of events.

EXAMPLE

Example of an anecdotal lead

Once challenged by a lack of knowledge of restaurant

operations management, Chan Monika, one of the

participants at the event known as Briefing Session on

Restaurant Operations Management, have now learnt how

to manage operations in her restaurant well. “The session

has provided me with practical knowledge applicable for

my restaurant operations,” she said.

STRIKING STATEMENT

Short, snappy statement intended to

surprise the reader. Example:

Even if people benefit from the use of

Facebook, some people are now losing their

time without realizing it.

The president pronounced dead.

PROMINENT QUOTE LEAD

Not so often, some writers use this quote to lead the

story by getting the main character of the story into the

opening immediately. Example:

“Thanks to the global financial crisis, the prices of

property are now at the stable pace,” said Cheng

Kheng, managing director at PLC Property Cambodia, at

the news conference on real estate industry last week.

QUESTION LEAD

Ask an interesting question to lead the whole story.

Example:

Some people say uncontrolled use of Facebook can result

in negative effects, but how can it really affects users?

DELAYED LEAD

Delayed leads start with a little something to catch the

reader's attention, and therefore they delay the real stuff

of leads ‐‐ the 5W's, the message and the angle.

The arrival of 3D movie technology has made many of Cambodian

moviegoers eager to sit and enjoy experiencing Hollywood movies in

three‐dimension views. Legend Cinema, the first comer to offer 3D movie

experiences, satisfies the thirsty moviegoers who only previously have

heard the availability of 3D movies in other countries than Cambodia.

THE BODY

The body of the commentary release is just like any news

story. It should contain:

Provide details of the main topic (lead)

Answer to the “5Ws” and the “H”

Include the intended messages

Include background information

Include supporting elements such as human quotes

from involved individuals, figures, statistics, factual

information

SUPPORTING ELEMENTS

Please refer to lessons in the session 2 (“Launch” Press

Release) for more information about the supporting

elements. 06

SAMPLE OF COMMENTARY RELEASE

Please study the following press release about the

condominium market to study about the how this press

release is written and how supporting details are used

to support the headline and lead of the press.

LECTURE 8

WRITING A SPEECH

Speech – A speech is a piece of written statements in

the form of formal spoken language. It is either,

used as a media kit for the media to use in the form

of quotes or references in their news story,

or address to the public

There are several purposes of a speech. Below are

some of the purposes of which a typical speech is

written.

WHAT IS A SPEECH?

TYPES OF SPEECHES Opening Speech – a speech to open an event

Closing Speech – a speech to close an event

Welcome Remarks (មតិស្វា គមន៍) – usually for an event such as soft opening, national

workshop, etc., this type of speech is used to address to a group of audience in order to

welcome them, without stressing much on expertise comments or statements.

Endorsement Speech – a speech to show an approval, recognition, an appreciation to

someone, a project, or a result of something.

Keynote Speech (also keynote address) – (សុនទរកថា) – This type of speech is used to wrap

up the event or agenda of the event, workshop, or conference, etc., by outlining the key

issues or points in order to motivate or influence the audience. It‟s usually done by the

most important person in the event.

PURPOSES OF SPEECHES

A speech might be used to:

• Inform (informative speech)

• Persuade (Persuasive speech)

• Demonstrate (Demonstrative speech)

• Entertain (Entertaining speech)

THE ENDORSEMENT SPEECH

An endorsement speech has:

Standard title (sometimes with speaker’s name)

Dateline and placeline

Thank-you note for MC or facilitator

Addressing the audience

Opening, body, and conclusion

THE OPENING

Opening (ចំណាបផ់ផដើម) – it‟s often the a general

viewpoint or comment on something relating to

some/something to be endorsed, followed by some

supporting statements.

THE BODY

In the body, you‟ll: Address an issue (ផ ើកបញ្ហា ) – it leads to the

main idea or topic. Jump up rightly to the issue (ផោទបញ្ហា ) – gives a

clue of what to be endorsed Show how to solve the issue (ផ ោះបញ្ហា )

THE CONCLUSION

Announce the endorsement (ប្បកាសទទួ ស្វា ់គបំ្ទ។ ។) Example: Here at Casa Meridian, this condo project is proudly the partner of Century 21 for the sales of its condo units, and Century 21 Cambodia would like to officially endorse Casa Meridian as the official partner for all sales of condo projects under the Meridian Group.

CLOSING

Ending the speech by “thank-you note”

Example

Last of all, I would like to thank you for your support today morning at our special event, especially members of the media.

Best Regards,

Kuy Vat

LECTURE 9

WRITING A

CORPORATE INVITATIONS

MEDIA ADVISORIES

A corporate invitation – sometimes called business

invitation – is an invitation made by a corporate entity to

its staff, clients, potential clients, or general guests to an

event like:

• Dinner party

• Meeting

• Company anniversary

• End-year party, etc.

CORPORATE INVITATION

Corporate invitation should have the followings:

• Invitation statement

• Name (if you target a person; can be no name)

• Event name

• Date & time

• Venue

• Host (company name)

• RSVP information

THE BASICS

A public invitation is an invitation made by a corporate entity for a targeted group of people to an event, a bid or an action on something. A public invitation should: • Tittle (event, bid, etc.)

• Background information

• Invitation statement

• Date, time and venue

• Who (presides or hosts)

• Agenda

• RSVP information

Public Invitation

Similar to a public invitation, media

invitation is intended for journalists.

Media Advisory

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME!

By Hoem Seiha

H/p: 012-699-553

Email: hoemseiha@gmail.com

press writing for pr & communications by hoem seiha

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