A media release template in Australia follows a specific format, headline, dateline, lead paragraph, body, boilerplate, "ENDS," and a media contact block.
If you've been landing on American templates with "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE" at the top, that's not the standard here. Australian media relations has its own conventions, and this guide covers all of them, with a full annotated example and sub templates for the most common announcement types.
What Is a Media Release?
A media release and a press release are the same thing. In Australia, "media release" is the standard term, "press release" is used too, but you'll find "media release" on government websites, university communications departments, and most local PR agencies.
The purpose is simple: you write a structured press release document that gives journalists enough to file a story without calling you first. If they do call, it should be to get a quote or confirm a detail, not to understand what you're announcing.
According to the Medianet 2025 Australian Media Landscape Report, press releases were the second most commonly used story source among Australian journalists in 2024, with 83% of surveyed journalists using them. That figure has stayed consistently above 80% for five years running. The format works.
Australian Media Release Format - Standard Structure
Australian media releases follow a specific structure. Here's what goes where, and why.
1. Headline: Treat it like a news headline, not a marketing tagline. It should tell the journalist what happened. "Canberra Tech Startup Raises $4M to Expand Regional Healthcare Access" works. "Revolutionary Platform Set to Transform the Industry" doesn't.
2. Dateline: City and date at the start of the first paragraph. Format: SYDNEY, 15 June 2026. Use the city where the news originates, not necessarily where your organisation is headquartered.
3. Lead paragraph: Answer who, what, where, when, and why in two to three sentences. Journalists read the lead and decide in seconds whether to keep going.
Expert's Tip: Most media releases fail in the first sentence. If a journalist can't tell what happened and why it matters in under 20 words, you've lost them. – EasyPRwire
4. Body (2–3 paragraphs): Expand on the news with supporting detail, context, and one or two quotes from a named spokesperson. Quotes should sound like something a human actually said, not a corporate brochure.
5. Boilerplate: A short paragraph (3–5 sentences) describing your organisation. Same text every time. Journalists skip it; it's there for accuracy.
6. "ENDS" or "###": Both are used in Australia. "ENDS" is more common among government and not for profit comms teams. "###" (three hash symbols) is standard in corporate and agency PR. Either is fine; pick one and be consistent.
7. Media contact block: Name, title, phone (mobile preferred, journalists work odd hours), and email. This should appear after the ENDS marker.
Media Release Template - Copy and Use
The following is a plain text template you can copy directly. Replace all bracketed fields.
[HEADLINE: What happened, in plain English]
[SUBHEADLINE: Optional — one sentence of supporting context]
[CITY], [DATE] — [Organisation name] today announced [core news in one sentence]. [One sentence of context — why this matters or what it follows on from]. [One sentence on what happens next or who benefits].
[Spokesperson name and title] said: "[Quote that adds perspective or emotion the body text doesn't already cover. Keep it to two or three sentences. Avoid restating facts already in the release.]"
[Supporting paragraph: relevant data, background, or secondary detail that a journalist might find useful. This is where you can add a statistic, a reference to a report, or context about the broader landscape.]
[Optional second quote from a partner, customer, or secondary spokesperson.]
About [Organisation Name] [Organisation name] is a [type of organisation] based in [city], [state]. Founded in [year], we [what you do in one sentence]. [One more sentence on scale, reach, or mission]. For more information, visit [website].
ENDS
Media contact: [Full Name] [Title] [Mobile number] [Email address]
Media Release Example
Below is a full example for a fictional product launch. Annotations in italics explain the choices made.
Bendigo Agtech Firm Launches Soil Monitoring Device for Dryland Farmers
CropSense aims to reduce fertiliser costs by up to 30% for grain growers across southern NSW and Victoria
[Subheadline adds a specific, concrete claim — this is what journalists use for web article decks]
BENDIGO, 10 June 2026 — CropSense, a Victorian agricultural technology company, has launched a wireless soil monitoring device designed specifically for dryland farming conditions in southern Australia. The CropSense Pro connects to existing farm management software and provides real-time data on moisture, nitrogen, and pH levels across paddocks of up to 500 hectares. [Lead answers who, what, where, and has a geographic hook that makes it relevant to regional outlets]
CropSense CEO Amara Nguyen said: "Dryland farmers have been making fertiliser decisions based on estimates for decades. This device gives them the same precision data that irrigated farms take for granted." [Quote adds a perspective not in the body copy — it contextualises the problem, not just the product]
The device retails at $890 per unit and is currently available through 14 rural merchandise stores across Victoria and New South Wales, with Queensland distribution planned for Q3 2026. CropSense received a $1.2 million grant from the Australian Government's Ag Innovation Hub program in 2025 to support commercialisation. [Secondary paragraph adds price, availability, and credibility via grant mention]
About CropSense CropSense is a Bendigo based agtech company founded in 2021. The company develops sensor hardware and data software for broadacre farming operations across southern Australia. CropSense currently works with over 200 farming businesses across Victoria, NSW, and South Australia. For more information, visit cropsense.com.au. [Boilerplate: specific, factual, no adjectives like "leading" or "innovative"]
ENDS
Media contact: Jordan Park Head of Communications, CropSense 0412 000 000 jordan.park@cropsense.com.au
Media Release Template for Different Announcement Types
Different announcements need slightly different angles. Here's what to adjust for the four most common scenarios.
Product or Service Launch
Lead with what the product does and who it's for, not how excited you are about it. Include price and availability in paragraph two, journalists will ask if you don't. If there's a limited release or waitlist, say so.
Headline format: [Company] Launches [Product] for [Target Audience] in [Market/Region]
Event Announcement
Send two to three weeks before the event date, not the day before. Lead with the date, location, and who should attend. Include a ticket link or registration URL in the body text, not just the contact block.
Headline format: [Event Name] Returns to [City] on [Date] — [Key Speaker or Theme]
New Hire or Executive Appointment
Journalists covering business rounds love these, but only if the appointment is genuinely senior or the person has a recognisable profile. Lead with the person's name, title, and what they'll be doing, not a list of their past credentials. One quote from the incoming hire, one from their manager.
Headline format: [Company] Appoints [Name] as [Title] to Lead [Function or Growth Area]
Partnership or Collaboration
The most common mistake here: burying who the partners are. Both organisations should be named in the headline or the first sentence. Each organisation typically issues their own media release, coordinating so the quotes don't duplicate each other.
Headline format: [Organisation A] and [Organisation B] Partner to [Specific Outcome]
According to Medianet's 2025 report, the top reason Australian journalists reject a media release is "lack of news value" (36%), followed by "lack of relevance" (27%). A well chosen announcement type with a genuine news angle addresses both.
How to Distribute Your Media Release in Australia?
Writing a solid media release is half the job. Getting it in front of the right journalists is the other half.
Most Australian journalists (88%) receive media releases directly via email from PR contacts, according to Medianet's 2025 data. But if you don't have an established contact database, a distribution service fills that gap, reaching wire services, newsrooms, and online platforms simultaneously.
When distributing, consider:
Targeting by geography: A Hobart based announcement rarely needs to go to a Darwin outlet. Tight targeting gets better pickup rates than blasting every journalist in Australia.
Timing: Tuesday to Thursday mornings generally get the best open rates. Avoid Friday afternoons and the week between Christmas and New Year.
Embargo vs. immediate release: If you're briefing journalists in advance, include "EMBARGOED UNTIL [DATE AND TIME]" at the top. Only use an embargo if you have an actual relationship with the outlet, cold pitching under embargo is rarely respected.
