Writing effective releases

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Writing effective releases

A course for anyone in the public relations or communications fields, who has to produce press releases on a regular basis or get news articles printed in the media, as well as get the attention of radio and television producers.

Content:
• Understanding just what the media wants and how to give it to them – finding creative ideas for media campaigns.
• How to make the media read a press release
• Newsworthiness
• Newswriting - hard and soft news style
• The difference between hard and soft news and when to use them.
• Obtaining effective briefs from clients
• Just when do we send a press release and when do we send a news article?
• Who to send it to and timing?
• The breakdown of a hard news piece. How to take the 5 w's and an h (who, what, where, why, when and how) and put these into one paragraph without losing the story.
• Editing your work and producing a ‘ready to print' piece.
• How to reach the electronic media with your release.
• Writing headlines and leads
• Effective Interviewing - getting the sound bite
• Tightening up language
• Making your writing flow
• Common grammar mistakes

Workshop content: This is a practical workshop that will involve turning press releases/statements/brochures and lengthy information into news articles.
There will be a large element of 'workshopping' on this course, using the delegate's own releases as well as putting together releases on the course.

Award-winning journalist and author Marion Scher has been one of South Africa's top freelance journalists for the last 18 years, writing for most of South Africa's leading publications such as Fair Lady, True Love, Cosmopolitan, Style, Men's Health, Longevity, Saturday Star and Sunday Times Lifestyle to name a few. For the last 14 years she has been Head of Journalism Studies at Allenby Campus, Bramley (now Damelin) and is an editorial trainer for the Magazine Publisher's Association. She is the current holder of the Rosalyn Carter Journalism Fellowship for mental health writing. She runs courses both in the media and public relations industry as well as in the corporate field, tailoring courses to meet the client's needs.

Venue

Date: 02 April 2008
Location: 1A Haven Road, Greenside, Johannesburg
Cost: R1500

Contact: Marion Scher
Company name: Media Mentors
Telephone number: 082 467 6046
Email address journo@icon.co.za