Press service (press release)

A press service that is distributed in the form of press releases or press releases is a one-time or regular information service for the press . It is offered, for example, by PR agencies or by press offices of companies, associations, institutions, organizations, authorities or persons of public life or public interest. A press service is usually free of charge; the texts and photos distributed therein may be used by other media free of charge. Contributions distributed via a press service are integrated into the editorial part of the respective medium, whereby they are mostly editorially revised. The photos often included are marked as press service , PD or with the name of the issuing company or institution.

Demarcation

In contrast, there are also press services that are offered by news and press agencies and are chargeable.

PR tool

Many legal entities (companies, associations, institutions, organizations, authorities, etc.) publish mostly free press services in the sense of their own public relations (PR). These are often issued in the form of irregular press releases. In this case, a press service is a communication tool in the context of press work . Various service providers in the media industry (e.g. PR agencies) have specialized in the mediation and marketing of press services, taking journalistic criteria into account.

The central task of a company's communication policy with regard to consumer-oriented press work is to convey a consistent image of a company and its products or services. For this reason, advisory topics are often described by the press service as products or services that require explanation.

The German Press Council demands "that editorial publications must not be influenced by private or business interests of third parties or by personal economic interests of journalists". Publishers and editors have to make a “clear separation between editorial text and publications for advertising purposes”. Here we are talking about the demarcation from maternal service .

literature

• Siegfried Aberle, Andreas Baume: Public Relations. A guide for small and medium-sized businesses. Munich: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag 2002; ISBN 3423508574
• Roland Drenkelforth: Writing for the newspaper. Local journalism and press work in practice. Zurich: Orell Füssli 2005; ISBN 3280051533
• Norbert Schulz-Bruhdoel, Katja Fürstenau: The PR and press primer. Targeted media work. The practical book for beginners and intermediates. Frankfurt: Frankfurter Allgemeine Buch 2010; ISBN 3899811704
• Dietz Schwiesau, Josef Ohler: The news in the press, radio, television, news agency and internet. A Manual for Education and Practice. Munich: List Journalistische Praxis 2003; ISBN 3471783091
• Jürgen Wilke : From the agency to the editorial office. How news is made, rated and used. Böhlau, Cologne 2000, ISBN 3412096997 .

Individual evidence

1. ^ "Change in Journalism": Study by the Institute for Communication Studies at the University of Münster; Archived copy ( memento of the original from April 7, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
2. ↑ "Readers cannot recognize advertising" Complaints Committee of the Press Council for the separation of editorial and advertising in 14 cases, December 3, 2010.