A bakery owner spends a Saturday writing a press release about her second location, pays $399 to send it out on a wire and gets two pickups: both automated news sites nobody reads. A week later, a competitor with a shorter release and one local reporter’s email address gets a feature in the city paper.
The difference is rarely the writing. It is whether the release gives a journalist a story they can use quickly. Two large journalist surveys published in 2026 spell out what that means, and the numbers are blunt.
What Journalists Said in 2026
Cision surveyed 1,899 journalists across 19 markets in January and February 2026. Muck Rack ran its own State of Journalism survey the same year. Together, they explain why most releases fail.
| Finding | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Journalists who rely on PR content for story ideas | 66% | Cision State of the Media 2026 |
| Journalists who say fewer than a quarter of pitches are relevant | 72% | Cision State of the Media 2026 |
| Journalists who say at least some of their work began with a pitch | 86% | Muck Rack State of Journalism 2026 |
| Journalists who prefer pitches under 200 words | 69% | Muck Rack State of Journalism 2026 |
| Journalists who prefer pitches before noon | 78% | Muck Rack State of Journalism 2026 |
| Journalists who oppose AI-generated pitches | 53% | Cision State of the Media 2026 |
Read those together and the problem is clear. Journalists need PR content, since two out of three use it for story ideas, but nearly three in four say most of what they receive has nothing to do with their beat. A release is not ignored because press releases are dead. It is ignored because it went to the wrong person or said nothing new.
What journalists value most: In the Muck Rack survey, 70% wanted clear relevance to their beat, 58% wanted interview access to relevant sources, 40% wanted original data or research and 37% wanted high-resolution images. Cision found the same top three: original research, expert access and embargoed information.
Is Your News Actually News?
Before writing a word, run the announcement through a quick filter. A local reporter will cover something only if readers would care, not because it matters to you.
| Usually news | Usually not news on its own |
|---|---|
| Opening a new location that creates local jobs | Updating your website |
| Original survey data about your industry or town | A new logo |
| A large contract, grant or partnership with a known name | Attending a trade show |
| An award from a recognized, independent body | “Celebrating five years in business” |
| A product that solves a problem readers have right now | A small price change |
| A response to a local event, backed by expertise | Hiring a mid-level employee |
Items in the right-hand column can still become news if you add data or a real local angle. A five-year anniversary is not a story. “Bakery that opened during a downtown slump now employs 14 people and buys flour from three county farms” might be.
The Parts of a Press Release, and Why Each Exists
Every part of the standard format solves a problem for a busy editor.
- Release line: “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE” or an embargo date and time. It tells the reporter when the news can run.
- Headline: The news in one line, with a verb. Reporters often decide from the subject line and headline alone.
- Subhead: One extra fact that the headline could not fit, such as a number or a date.
- Dateline: City, state and date in AP style, for example “COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 3, 2026.”
- Lead paragraph: Who, what, when, where and why in two or three sentences. If the reporter reads nothing else, this has to carry the story.
- Body: Supporting facts, numbers and context, most important first.
- Quote: One or two quotes from a named person that add opinion or emotion, not facts that belong in the body.
- Boilerplate: A short, standard “About the company” paragraph.
- Media contact: A real name, phone number and email that someone answers the same day.
- End mark: “###” tells the reader the release is finished.
A release of 300 to 500 words is plenty for small business news. Business Wire’s entry price, for example, covers 400 words, and extra words cost more on most wires.
A Full Sample, With Notes on Every Line
The sample is for an invented business so you can see the format without copying someone else’s news.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Rise and Grind Bakery Opens Second Columbus Location, Adds 9 Jobs
*New Clintonville shop will source all flour from three Ohio farms*
COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 3, 2026 — Rise and Grind Bakery will open its second location at 2840 N. High St. in Clintonville on March 21, adding nine full-time jobs and bringing its total staff to 23. All flour for both shops will now come from three family farms in Ohio, up from one.
The new 1,800-square-foot shop includes a 12-seat cafe and a window into the baking area so customers can watch bread being shaped. The bakery sold about 31,000 loaves at its Short North location last year.
“We kept getting emails from Clintonville customers driving 20 minutes for a loaf of sourdough,” said owner Maria Lopez. “Opening up the street from them felt like the obvious next step.”
Rise and Grind opened in 2021 and now buys about 40,000 pounds of flour a year from Ohio growers.
About Rise and Grind Bakery
Rise and Grind Bakery is an independent sourdough bakery in Columbus, Ohio, with locations in the Short North and Clintonville. It bakes all bread on site daily using Ohio-grown flour.
Media contact: Maria Lopez, 614-555-0142, maria@riseandgrindbakery.example
###
Why each choice works:
- The headline has a number. “Adds 9 Jobs” gives a local business reporter an angle. “Announces Exciting Expansion” gives them nothing.
- The subhead adds a second angle. The farm sourcing gives a food writer a reason to care too.
- The lead answers all five questions in two sentences, so a reporter can lift it straight into a short news brief.
- The body uses real numbers. Square footage, seats, loaves sold and pounds of flour give the story texture without adjectives.
- The quote sounds like a person. It explains why, which is the one thing the facts cannot.
- The contact is the owner’s direct line. Reporters on deadline call whoever answers first.
Sending It: Wire Service or Direct Email?
Many small businesses assume a paid wire is the main route to coverage. For local news, it rarely is. A wire puts your release on hundreds of syndicated pages and in news databases, which helps with search visibility and investor records, but reporters seldom pick stories from those feeds.
What Wire Services Charge
Prices change often and depend on reach and length. These figures were published by the vendors and collected in October 2026.
| Service | Entry price | What the entry price covers |
|---|---|---|
| Business Wire | $475 | 400 words, US local distribution, unlimited links, linked logo |
| EIN Presswire | $149 per release | Up to 700 words, three links, one image |
| PRWeb | $120 to $480 | Basic has no embedded link or image; links and images start at the Advanced tier |
| Newswire | $399 and up | Vendor states no word limit and unlimited images |
| PR Newswire | Quote only | Price depends on reach, length and extras |
When Each Route Makes Sense
- Direct email to a few reporters: Local openings, community news, events and expert commentary. It costs nothing but time and works best when you name a past story the reporter wrote.
- A low-cost wire: When you want a public record of the announcement online, such as a funding round or a new product.
- A major wire: Public companies with disclosure duties, or national product launches where trade outlets and analysts monitor the feeds.
Dig deeper: If you run a public company, news that could move the share price must reach the public in a way that meets SEC Regulation FD. That is why listed companies use major wires for earnings and material news.
Pitching the Release to a Reporter
The release is the reference document. The pitch email is what gets it read. Using the Muck Rack numbers as a guide:
- Find two to five reporters who have covered similar news in the past six months. Read their last story.
- Keep the email under 200 words. Put the news in the subject line, for example “Clintonville bakery opening March 21, 9 new jobs.”
- Open with why it matters to their readers, then link or paste the release.
- Offer something useful: an interview, high-resolution photos or a tour before opening day.
- Send it before noon, local time for the reporter.
- Follow up once, three or four days later, with one new detail. After that, move on.
Mistakes That Sink Small Business Releases
- Writing for yourself: Phrases like “world-class” and “excited to announce” tell a reporter nothing and get skipped.
- Burying the news: If the new location is in paragraph four, the release fails before anyone gets there.
- Mass-mailing a list: With 72% of journalists already saying most pitches are irrelevant, blasting hundreds of addresses guarantees you join that pile.
- Unanswered phones: A reporter who cannot reach you within a few hours moves to another story.
- Low-resolution photos: 37% of journalists in the Muck Rack survey said high-resolution images make a pitch more valuable. Send a link to a folder, not 10 MB of attachments.
- AI-written pitches sent as-is: More than half of journalists in the Cision survey oppose them. Use AI for a first draft if you like, then rewrite it in your own voice and check every fact.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should a small business press release be?
Aim for 300 to 500 words. That covers the essential facts, one or two quotes and the boilerplate. Many wire services price by word count, with 400 words a common base.
Is it worth paying for press release distribution?
It depends on the goal. For local media coverage, a well-targeted email usually beats a paid wire. For a public online record, investor updates or national trade news, a wire can be worth the cost.
Can I send a press release as an attachment?
Paste the text in the body of the email or link to a web page instead. Many newsrooms filter attachments, and reporters want to read the news without downloading anything.
What is an embargo?
An embargo asks journalists not to publish before a set date and time. It gives reporters time to prepare a story. Only offer one to reporters who have agreed to it in advance, and keep the date firm.
