Comments on: Press releases: If you use them, say so and LINK BACK! http://www.contentious.com/2008/11/25/press-releases-if-you-use-them-say-so-and-link-back/ Amy Gahran's news and musings on how we communicate in the online age. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:36:42 +0000 hourly 1 By: Amy Gahran http://www.contentious.com/2008/11/25/press-releases-if-you-use-them-say-so-and-link-back/comment-page-1/#comment-1230919 Amy Gahran Thu, 17 Jun 2010 21:09:53 +0000 http://www.contentious.com/?p=2134#comment-1230919 Well, if "You get a press release. It has facts and data. It’s not posted anywhere… it came in email. The source cannot be contacted. You have no way of knowing if what they say is wholly accurate." ...Why the hell would you ever post such scurrilous information? If the info cannot pass even the most basic levels of sourcing or verification, you're not doing anyone (including yourself) a favor by repeating it. That's just stupid. Well, if “You get a press release. It has facts and data. It’s not posted anywhere… it came in email. The source cannot be contacted. You have no way of knowing if what they say is wholly accurate.”

…Why the hell would you ever post such scurrilous information? If the info cannot pass even the most basic levels of sourcing or verification, you’re not doing anyone (including yourself) a favor by repeating it. That’s just stupid.

]]> By: Jonah http://www.contentious.com/2008/11/25/press-releases-if-you-use-them-say-so-and-link-back/comment-page-1/#comment-1230917 Jonah Thu, 17 Jun 2010 01:16:58 +0000 http://www.contentious.com/?p=2134#comment-1230917 OK...You get a press release. It has facts and data. It's not posted anywhere... it came in email. The source cannot be contacted. You have no way of knowing if what they say is wholly accurate. So you are saying you would prefer a site or publication to write: According to a press release from.....__________ or The facts are these ______________based on a press release we recieved. Here is that release "--------- Even for the simplest, most basic of items...a new store is opening, a meeting is planned, an event is in the offing... JUST so we can rearrange sentence structure regardless of the truth that the facts remain the same? Ridiculous. OK…You get a press release. It has facts and data. It’s not posted anywhere… it came in email. The source cannot be contacted. You have no way of knowing if what they say is wholly accurate. So you are saying you would prefer a site or publication to write:

According to a press release from…..__________

or

The facts are these ______________based on a press release we recieved. Here is that release “———

Even for the simplest, most basic of items…a new store is opening, a meeting is planned, an event is in the offing…

JUST so we can rearrange sentence structure regardless of the truth that the facts remain the same? Ridiculous.

]]> By:   Tracking a Rumor: Indian Government, Twitter, and Common Sense — contentious.com http://www.contentious.com/2008/11/25/press-releases-if-you-use-them-say-so-and-link-back/comment-page-1/#comment-1224548   Tracking a Rumor: Indian Government, Twitter, and Common Sense — contentious.com Thu, 27 Nov 2008 16:55:55 +0000 http://www.contentious.com/?p=2134#comment-1224548 [...] information, say so clearly! Just a like when professional journalists rely on source documents or press releases, transparency counts! It doesn’t take much time to include a link in your tweet, or say you [...] [...] information, say so clearly! Just a like when professional journalists rely on source documents or press releases, transparency counts! It doesn’t take much time to include a link in your tweet, or say you [...]

]]> By: Susan Getgood http://www.contentious.com/2008/11/25/press-releases-if-you-use-them-say-so-and-link-back/comment-page-1/#comment-1224517 Susan Getgood Wed, 26 Nov 2008 22:32:07 +0000 http://www.contentious.com/?p=2134#comment-1224517 While I am still not sure I'd like every story to link to every press release that might have been used in its creation and doubt that the media want the public to know just how much they DO use press releases, a positive side effect of linkage might be that the overall quality of press releases improves. And I am all for that :-) I think it boils down to how much you use. Take the gist as info for the story, perhaps not. Lift a whole quote verbatim or use a table or graphic supplied as part of the package. Yeah, attribution would be well supplemented by the link. While I am still not sure I’d like every story to link to every press release that might have been used in its creation and doubt that the media want the public to know just how much they DO use press releases, a positive side effect of linkage might be that the overall quality of press releases improves.

And I am all for that :-)

I think it boils down to how much you use. Take the gist as info for the story, perhaps not. Lift a whole quote verbatim or use a table or graphic supplied as part of the package. Yeah, attribution would be well supplemented by the link.

]]> By: Doyle Albee http://www.contentious.com/2008/11/25/press-releases-if-you-use-them-say-so-and-link-back/comment-page-1/#comment-1224505 Doyle Albee Wed, 26 Nov 2008 04:58:58 +0000 http://www.contentious.com/?p=2134#comment-1224505 Amy: I think there are a couple of reasons for this. First, I have found that many reporters don't really like to "admit" they used a press/news release, even if it's just used as some sort of fact sheet, or jumping-off point for a story. When I first got in to PR, it was not completely uncommon to see a news release reprinted, often without much editing (smaller papers, typically). Second, the idea of linking at all is fairly new, and I think many newspapers simply aren't there yet. All that said, I agree with your points. If Microsoft, for example, issues a release on whatever software system will be replacing the plague known as Vista, that's news. News outlets big and small will cover that, and many will use the news release as at least a partial source. Many readers outside of the PR field will not know how to find that source material, so a link would be helpful. Personally, I think this is a great idea. Great post! Doyle Albee www.metzgerblog.com Amy:

I think there are a couple of reasons for this. First, I have found that many reporters don’t really like to “admit” they used a press/news release, even if it’s just used as some sort of fact sheet, or jumping-off point for a story. When I first got in to PR, it was not completely uncommon to see a news release reprinted, often without much editing (smaller papers, typically). Second, the idea of linking at all is fairly new, and I think many newspapers simply aren’t there yet.

All that said, I agree with your points. If Microsoft, for example, issues a release on whatever software system will be replacing the plague known as Vista, that’s news. News outlets big and small will cover that, and many will use the news release as at least a partial source. Many readers outside of the PR field will not know how to find that source material, so a link would be helpful. Personally, I think this is a great idea.

Great post!

Doyle Albee
http://www.metzgerblog.com

]]> By: Amy Gahran http://www.contentious.com/2008/11/25/press-releases-if-you-use-them-say-so-and-link-back/comment-page-1/#comment-1224497 Amy Gahran Tue, 25 Nov 2008 19:50:35 +0000 http://www.contentious.com/?p=2134#comment-1224497 Thanks, Greg. Just curious -- you said one reason why you post press releases is that you want "the media" to follow up with you. But if a news org was to link back to your release, would you also welcome inquiries from people other than reporters? If so, might it make sense to include contact information on the release or other context/guidance for non-journalists who wish to make inquiries? - Amy Gahran Thanks, Greg.

Just curious — you said one reason why you post press releases is that you want “the media” to follow up with you.

But if a news org was to link back to your release, would you also welcome inquiries from people other than reporters?

If so, might it make sense to include contact information on the release or other context/guidance for non-journalists who wish to make inquiries?

- Amy Gahran

]]> By: Earle Holland http://www.contentious.com/2008/11/25/press-releases-if-you-use-them-say-so-and-link-back/comment-page-1/#comment-1224496 Earle Holland Tue, 25 Nov 2008 19:20:36 +0000 http://www.contentious.com/?p=2134#comment-1224496 Amy is right in that it's often difficult for reporters to gauge the quality of the news releases they receive. After years of arguing with peers and reporters alike and stating that our only agenda is to inform folks about the results of publicly funded research, I decided to make our "rules of engagement" available for all to see, so that people can gauge our credibility based on how and why we do the job our way. Those interested can see them at http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/rescommprinciples.pdf. Earle Amy is right in that it’s often difficult for reporters to gauge the quality of the news releases they receive. After years of arguing with peers and reporters alike and stating that our only agenda is to inform folks about the results of publicly funded research, I decided to make our “rules of engagement” available for all to see, so that people can gauge our credibility based on how and why we do the job our way.

Those interested can see them at http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/rescommprinciples.pdf.

Earle

]]> By: Greg Lynott http://www.contentious.com/2008/11/25/press-releases-if-you-use-them-say-so-and-link-back/comment-page-1/#comment-1224493 Greg Lynott Tue, 25 Nov 2008 18:20:18 +0000 http://www.contentious.com/?p=2134#comment-1224493 I agree with your position completely. I must say that one of the reasons we send press releases is to entice the media to follow up with us and our clients for further information. We know the people within our client companies who are the subject matter experts and we encourage conversation with them. Everyone's time is very valuable and we work to lower barriers for all involved. I agree with your position completely. I must say that one of the reasons we send press releases is to entice the media to follow up with us and our clients for further information. We know the people within our client companies who are the subject matter experts and we encourage conversation with them. Everyone’s time is very valuable and we work to lower barriers for all involved.

]]> By: Press releases: If you use them, say so and LINK BACK! | Flack Me http://www.contentious.com/2008/11/25/press-releases-if-you-use-them-say-so-and-link-back/comment-page-1/#comment-1224492 Press releases: If you use them, say so and LINK BACK! | Flack Me Tue, 25 Nov 2008 18:18:30 +0000 http://www.contentious.com/?p=2134#comment-1224492 [...] But also, a recent flap in Columbia Journalism Review has got me thinking about transparency. This flap concerns the role of press releases in science journalism. Freelance journalist Christine Russell kicked it off with her Nov. 14 CJR article, Science Reporting by Press Release. You can read more here. [...] [...] But also, a recent flap in Columbia Journalism Review has got me thinking about transparency. This flap concerns the role of press releases in science journalism. Freelance journalist Christine Russell kicked it off with her Nov. 14 CJR article, Science Reporting by Press Release. You can read more here. [...]

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