A “Wired” Primer: Understanding and Using News Distribution Service:The press release continues to be a staple of today’s media relations’ picture, but in a crowded communications world, its distribution can be equally as important as its development. With hundreds of releases vying for reporters’ attention each day via e-mail, fax, and even postal mail, the most concisely written news release still needs a helping hand to reach as many media outlets as possible.That’s where a “wire” service, or news distribution service, comes in. Simply put, a wire service manages the distribution of a press release to a nationwide, comprehensive subscriber list of media agencies, including print, broadcast, and electronic news. Releases are also sent to Internet news portals, where they’re made available to major search engine websites such as Google, Yahoo!, AltaVista, and others. The key to effectively using a wire service is to understand your desired outcomes before engaging a service. Just as you wouldn’t blindly send a news release to every news writer and editor at a publication, wire services can sharpen a distribution list by targeting only a selected geographic region or a vertical market that’s best suited to your news. For instance, a release can be distributed throughout a single state such as New York, a metropolitan region such as the San Francisco Bay Area, or a larger region such as New England. The two largest news distribution companies are Business Wire and PR Newswire, and each offer a full menu of distribution options. Rates for each can range from approximately $120 for local distribution (such as San Jose), to as high as $595 for a nationwide distribution. In most cases, these charges apply to a release that’s 400 words or less – every additional 100 words are subject to an increased-length charge. Is a Wire Service Worth It? If you are a publicly traded company, you may be required to use a national wire service for your news announcements in order to meet SEC full-disclosure requirements (check with your legal counsel). However, if you want to get your press releases to key journalists and industry trades to secure media placements, a wire service may not be the best option. Very few individual journalists and trade publications directly receive press releases sent via wire services (for example, niche print and eNewsletters typically are not included in the distribution list of a wire service). Companies who simply blast their press releases over wire services won’t likely get the media coverage they desire, and in fact run the risk of missing their intended media targets. We've found the primary (and in many cases, only) advantage of sending your release over a wire service is getting it to show up on the major Internet portals like Google News and Yahoo! Once on these portals, your release will be viewed by thousands of sources and get picked up by many e-Clipping services and eNewsletters. In most cases, a release will remain on Internet search engines for up to a year or more. Where HR Marketer Fits In Several companies have sought alternative means to avoid spending such amounts on a per-release basis. One such alternative is HR Marketer, which maintains a targeted database of journalists nationwide who concentrate entirely on the workforce and human resources space – media contacts that do not receive wire distributions. HR Marketer members can send news and announcements directly to writers’ e-mail addresses. Members can also send their press releases to major Internet news portals and search engines as part of their regular membership. For companies who primarily wish to make their stories searchable via the Internet, this service provides a cost-effective alternative to the traditional wire service. So if you’re considering the use of a news distribution service, or simply striving to make the most of your media relations dollar, it’s critical to weigh as many alternatives as possible, know who needs to see your message the most, and identify the best means to make that connection. |