Press Releases Introduction to Press Release 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which type of press release announces a company's newly hired senior executive?
- Product launch release
- Event announcement release
- Personnel announcement release (Correct answer)
- Crisis communication release
Correct answer: Personnel announcement release
A personnel announcement release is used to inform media about changes in leadership or significant hires.
Question 2: What is the purpose of including a quote from a company executive in a press release?
- To meet minimum word count requirements
- To add a human perspective and increase credibility (Correct answer)
- To replace the need for a dateline
- To provide legal disclaimers
Correct answer: To add a human perspective and increase credibility
Executive quotes add a personal, authoritative voice and give journalists ready-made commentary to use in their stories.
Question 3: What information is typically included in the 'media contact' section of a press release?
- CEO's personal address
- Name, phone number, and email of a PR contact (Correct answer)
- List of all company employees
- Distribution list of media outlets
Correct answer: Name, phone number, and email of a PR contact
The media contact section provides a specific PR representative's name and contact details so journalists can follow up with questions.
Question 4: Which of the following topics is LEAST appropriate for a standard press release?
- Launch of a new product line
- Company receiving an industry award
- Internal employee gossip (Correct answer)
- Partnership with another organization
Correct answer: Internal employee gossip
Internal employee gossip is not newsworthy and does not serve the public interest that press releases are designed to address.
Question 5: The dateline of a press release typically includes which two elements?
- Author's name and title
- City of origin and date of issuance (Correct answer)
- Company logo and tagline
- Distribution list and embargo date
Correct answer: City of origin and date of issuance
A dateline combines the originating city (and sometimes state) with the date the release is issued, providing geographic and temporal context.
Question 6: Why should jargon and industry-specific acronyms be avoided or explained in a press release?
- Because press releases are restricted to 200 words
- Because journalists covering the story may not be specialists in that field (Correct answer)
- Because acronyms are not allowed in AP Style
- Because boilerplates already contain all technical terms
Correct answer: Because journalists covering the story may not be specialists in that field
Journalists who receive the release may cover multiple beats and might not understand technical terminology, so clarity improves pickup rates.
Question 7: A 'media kit' differs from a standalone press release in that it typically also includes:
- Only the boilerplate paragraph
- High-resolution images, fact sheets, and executive bios (Correct answer)
- An embargo date for every document
- A single contact phone number
Correct answer: High-resolution images, fact sheets, and executive bios
A media kit supplements the press release with supporting assets like photos, fact sheets, and bios to give journalists everything needed for a story.
Press Releases Introduction to Press Release 3
Which type of press release announces a company's newly hired senior executive?