A media release is a short, structured document sent to journalists and editors to announce something newsworthy, a product launch, event, company milestone, or community initiative. It follows a standard format (headline, dateline, lead paragraph, body, boilerplate, contact details) and is written to make a reporter's job as easy as possible.
If you're looking for industry specific examples beyond what's covered here, the press release samples for all industries page has additional formats across sectors.
Media Release vs Press Release – Is There a Difference?
A media release and a press release are the same thing. The terms are used interchangeably, same format, same purpose, same structure. The only difference is regional preference: "press release" dominates in the US, while "media release" is the standard in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.
"Press release" is the dominant term in the United States, used across agencies, newswires, and corporate communications. "Media release" is more common among PR practitioners who want to signal the document is intended for all media, broadcast, digital, and print, not just the traditional press.
A news release sample from an Australian government department will look identical in structure to a press release from a US tech company. Same format, same purpose, same rules. The only practical difference is regional convention.
The one time it matters: Australian government bodies almost exclusively use "media release," while US newswires default to "press release." Pick one term and stay consistent throughout your materials.
Expert’s Tips: "A media release doesn't need to be creative, it needs to be clear. Give a journalist the who, what, when, where, and why in the first three sentences, and you've already done more than 90% of the pitches in their inbox."
— EasyPRwire Editorial Team
Standard Media Release Format (Annotated)
Every media release uses the same structure, in the same order:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — tells editors when they can publish. If the announcement is time sensitive, replace this with a specific embargo date and time zone.
Headline — one line. Specific and factual beats are clever. "Riverton Council Opens $4.2M Community Hub on March 15" will outperform "Riverton Takes Bold New Step Forward" every time.
Subheadline (optional) — one supporting sentence with the secondary angle.
Dateline — City, State/Country, Date — opens the first paragraph.
Lead paragraph — answers who, what, when, where, and why in two to three sentences. If a journalist reads nothing else, they should still have enough to write a story.
Body paragraphs — supporting detail, background, and at least one quote from a named spokesperson. Two to four sentences per paragraph.
Boilerplate — the "About [Company]" section at the bottom. Two to three sentences.
### — three hash symbols signal the end. Every journalist knows this convention.
Media contact — name, title, email, phone. Make it easy for a reporter to follow up that afternoon.
Media Release Sample 1 - Corporate Announcement
Corporate announcements, partnerships, funding, structural changes, leadership moves, follow the same template. The one mistake most companies make is burying the news in paragraph three. Put the numbers and the names in the headline.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hartwell Manufacturing Partners With GreenPath Logistics to Cut Supply Chain Emissions by 35% Three year agreement covers 12 distribution centers across the Midwest
CHICAGO, IL — June 10, 2026 — Hartwell Manufacturing today announced a three-year partnership with GreenPath Logistics to transition its entire Midwest distribution network to low-emission freight by Q1 2027. The agreement covers 12 distribution centers and is projected to reduce Hartwell's Scope 3 supply chain emissions by 35 percent annually.
Under the terms of the deal, GreenPath will replace Hartwell's current diesel fleet with electric and compressed natural gas vehicles across routes in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan. The transition begins in September 2026.
"We've been working toward this for two years," said Hartwell CEO Dana Osei. "GreenPath had the infrastructure and the track record. This wasn't a difficult decision."
The partnership is part of Hartwell's broader commitment to reach net-zero operations by 2030. The company reported $480 million in revenue in 2025 and employs 3,400 people across eight US states.
About Hartwell Manufacturing Hartwell Manufacturing is a Chicago based industrial components supplier serving the automotive, HVAC, and agricultural equipment sectors since 1987. Learn more at hartwellmfg.com.
Media Contact: Priya Nakamura | Director of Communications p.nakamura@hartwellmfg.com | (312) 555-0192
Research cited by AMW Group shows personalized pitches achieve a 24% higher response rate than mass distributed emails, and 83% of journalists surveyed by Muck Rack in 2024 specifically said they want personalized email pitches.
Media Release Sample 2 - Product or Service Launch
Product launches need one thing above everything else: a specific benefit, not a feature list. If you can't answer "so what?" in the headline, you're not ready to send it.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Clearview Diagnostics Launches At-Home Blood Panel With 48-Hour Results, No Clinic Required Direct-to-consumer kit covers 22 biomarkers including cholesterol, thyroid, and vitamin D
AUSTIN, TX — June 10, 2026 — Clearview Diagnostics today launched the ClearPanel Home Test Kit, a direct-to-consumer blood testing solution that delivers results within 48 hours without requiring a clinic visit or a doctor's referral. The kit, now available at clearviewdiagnostics.com and through select pharmacies, tests 22 biomarkers for $89.
Users collect a small finger-prick blood sample at home and mail it to Clearview's CLIA-certified lab. Results arrive via a secure online dashboard with a plain-language summary and a flagged overview of any values outside standard ranges.
"People kept telling us they wanted to know their numbers but couldn't justify a full clinic appointment," said founder and CEO Dr. Amara Joffe. "We built this so they could."
The ClearPanel kit is intended for wellness monitoring, not medical diagnosis. Clearview recommends users discuss flagged results with their primary care provider.
About Clearview Diagnostics Clearview Diagnostics makes consumer health testing more accessible through direct-to-consumer lab services. The company operates a CLIA-certified processing facility in Austin, Texas, and has served over 85,000 customers since 2023.
Media Contact: Tom Vasquez | PR Manager tvasquez@clearviewdiagnostics.com | (512) 555-0874
Media Release Sample 3 – Event or Community News
Event releases need the five Ws in the first paragraph: who is running it, what it is, when, where, and why it matters to the community. Leave logistics vague and you'll get ignored.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Free Youth Photography Workshop Returns to Eastside Library June 28-30 Three day program for ages 14–19 covers digital photography, editing, and portfolio building
PORTLAND, OR — June 10, 2026 — The Eastside Community Arts Foundation will host its fourth annual free Youth Photography Workshop at Eastside Branch Library from June 28 to 30, 2026. The three-day program is open to Portland residents aged 14 to 19 and accepts 24 participants on a first come, first served basis. Registration is now open at eastsideartspdx.org.
Participants learn digital photography fundamentals, photo editing in Adobe Lightroom, and complete a small portfolio project on the final day. Cameras and laptops are provided. Students who complete the program receive a printed certificate and are featured in the Foundation's annual digital gallery.
"We designed this for kids who are curious but don't have the gear or the budget to explore it on their own," said program director Lucia Ferreira. "Most of our alumni tell us this was where it clicked."
The workshop is fully funded by a grant from the Oregon Arts Commission and requires no payment from participants.
About the Eastside Community Arts Foundation The Eastside Community Arts Foundation provides free arts programming and creative education to youth and adults across Portland's east side. Since 2018, it has served over 4,200 program participants.
Media Contact: Marcos Dillon | Community Outreach mdillon@eastsideartspdx.org | (503) 555-0341
Media Release Sample 4 – Government / Nonprofit
Government and nonprofit releases tend to carry more factual weight, they're documenting policy decisions, funding allocations, and public programs. Get the numbers right, name the approval body, and attribute everything.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City of Meriden Allocates $1.8M in Federal Funds to Expand Affordable Housing Waitlist Program New units to accommodate 140 additional households by December 2026
MERIDEN, CT — June 10, 2026 — The City of Meriden today announced the allocation of $1.8 million in federal Community Development Block Grant funds to expand its Affordable Housing Assistance Program. The funding will finance the development of 58 new affordable rental units and extend waitlist support services to an additional 140 households by December 2026.
The allocation was approved by the Meriden City Council on June 8, 2026, following an independent needs assessment commissioned in January. The assessment found that the current waitlist holds 612 households, a 38 percent increase from 2023.
"The demand has been consistent, and the gap between available units and families who need them is real," said Mayor Denise Okafor. "This funding gets us closer to where we need to be."
Residents seeking information on eligibility or application procedures can call the City of Meriden Housing Office at (203) 555-0130 or visit meriden.gov/housing.
About the City of Meriden Housing Office The Meriden Housing Office administers city and federally funded housing programs for low- and moderate-income residents. For program details and eligibility requirements, visit meriden.gov/housing.
Media Contact: Housing Office Communications housing@meriden.gov | (203) 555-0130
Media Release Sample 5 – Tech Company Announcement
Tech releases carry too much jargon and not enough plain language. Lead with what the user can now do, not the underlying technology.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Fieldnote Software Adds Offline Data Sync to Its Construction Site Management Platform
DENVER, CO — June 10, 2026 — Fieldnote Software today released an offline data sync feature for its construction site management platform, allowing crews to log and submit work orders without an active internet connection. The update is free to all users and works across iOS and Android.
Data syncs automatically once the device reconnects. The feature covers daily reports, safety checklists, and equipment logs.
"We have customers in tunnels and buildings mid-renovation where connectivity is basically nonexistent," said CPO Ryan Teal. "They were paper-logging and entering manually later. This removes that whole step."
About Fieldnote Software Fieldnote Software makes project management tools for the commercial construction industry. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Denver, the company serves over 1,200 firms across the US and Canada.
Media Contact: Sarah Blum | sblum@fieldnotesoftware.com | (720) 555-0229
Media Release Sample 6 – Nonprofit Fundraising Campaign
Fundraising releases work when the math is clear and the urgency is real. The sample below leads with the gap, the match, and the deadline in that order.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Second Harvest Food Bank Launches Summer Campaign to Close 40,000-Meal Funding Gap
SACRAMENTO, CA — June 10, 2026 — Second Harvest Food Bank of Sacramento today launched its Summer Food Drive to raise $120,000 by July 31. All public donations are matched dollar for dollar through a $60,000 gift from Brentwood Financial Group.
Summer creates a consistent distribution gap. School meal programs pause, and demand from families with children increases roughly 30 percent in June and July.
"The match means every $25 donation covers 50 meals," said Executive Director Celeste Huang. "That math is hard to ignore."
Donate at secondharvest-sac.org/summer or call (916) 555-0417.
About Second Harvest Food Bank of Sacramento: Second Harvest distributes food to over 200 partner agencies across Sacramento and Yolo counties. In 2025, the organization distributed 18 million pounds of food.
Media Contact: Dev Sharma | dsharma@secondharvest-sac.org | (916) 555-0220
Media Release Sample 7 – Crisis or Correction Statement
Most PR teams only think about crisis releases when they're already in one. Having a template before you need it matters. The format here is simple: acknowledge, explain, state corrective action, provide contact.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Vantage Credit Union Addresses System Outage Affecting Online Banking Access
BATON ROUGE, LA — June 10, 2026 — Vantage Credit Union is aware that some members experienced disrupted access to online banking between 11:40 p.m. on June 9 and 6:15 a.m. on June 10 (Central Time). The issue has been resolved. No member data was compromised.
The disruption was caused by a server failure during scheduled overnight maintenance. Members whose automatic payments were affected will not be charged late fees, and Vantage will contact affected accounts within 48 hours.
"We understand this was disruptive," said President and CEO Marcus Webb. "We're reviewing our maintenance procedures to prevent a recurrence."
Members with questions should contact Member Services at (225) 555-0180 or support@vantagecreditunion.org.
Media Contact: Communications Office, Vantage Credit Union communications@vantagecreditunion.org | (225) 555-0100
Media Release Sample 8 – Awards and Recognition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunridge Pediatric Clinic Named Best Children's Healthcare Provider in Dane County for Third Year Running
MADISON, WI — June 10, 2026 — Sunridge Pediatric Clinic has received the 2026 Best of Dane County award for Children's Healthcare Provider, the third consecutive year it has earned the recognition. The award is based on resident votes and published annually by the Wisconsin State Journal.
Sunridge serves over 6,800 active pediatric patients across two Madison locations. Adding evening and weekend appointment availability in 2025 cut average wait times for routine visits from 11 days to four.
"This is entirely a reflection of our staff," said Medical Director Dr. Paula Ibarra.
New patients can schedule at sunridgepediatric.com or by calling (608) 555-0317.
About Sunridge Pediatric Clinic Sunridge Pediatric Clinic provides primary care for patients from birth through age 18 at two locations in Madison, Wisconsin.
Media Contact: Julie Ransom | jransom@sunridgepediatric.com | (608) 555-0317
How to Distribute Your Media Release?
Writing the release is only half the work, getting it in front of the right people is where most organizations drop the ball. Distribution doesn't have to be complicated, but it does have to be intentional.
Build a targeted media list: Find 5–10 journalists who actually cover your industry or region. Personalized outreach to a few beats mass sending to hundreds.
Email with a pitch note: Paste the release below a short, direct email. Don't attach a PDF. Don't make them hunt for the news.
Use a wire service for broad reach: Funding rounds, product launches, and regulatory news benefit from syndication to aggregators, financial platforms, and search indexes.
Use a distribution service to skip the manual work: Professional press release distribution gets your announcement to relevant outlets without building a list from scratch.
Time it right: Tuesday through Thursday mornings tend to get the best journalist attention. Avoid Fridays and major news days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a media release and a press release?
They're the same document. "Press release" is more common in the US; "media release" is more common in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. The format, purpose, and structure are identical.
How long should a media release be?
Between 300 and 500 words for most announcements. One page is the standard. Two pages is acceptable for complex stories with significant background detail. Anything longer typically means you're including information that belongs in a backgrounder, not the release itself.
What should you include in a media release?
A headline, optional subheadline, dateline, lead paragraph answering who/what/when/where/why, two to three body paragraphs with supporting detail and a quote, a boilerplate About section, the ### end marker, and full media contact information.
Do media releases still work?
Yes, but they work differently than they did fifteen years ago. Journalists don't run releases verbatim anymore, they use them as source documents and starting points. A well-written release with real news value, a named spokesperson, and accurate contact information still generates coverage. A vague, jargon-heavy release still gets ignored. The quality bar is higher now, not lower.
