Writing a news release
Be short and concise.
Stories at a few hundred words have the best opportunity for media pickup.
Write for your audience.
A KU News-hosted story is for external sharing, so even news primarily of interest to the university audience may require additional context for media or external readers:
- Avoid unit jargon and acronyms
- Do not assume that readers are familiar with the university history, administrative structure and other components. Backlinks to older news releases, university webpages and public-facing messages may help reporters quickly grasp context if too much background would weigh down the story.
- Review stories for context and clarity before submitting to KU News.
Use the five W’s and an H.
The who/what/when/where/why/how should be included, usually early in the story. These include award amounts, whether events are open to the public and other details.
Include direct quotes.
Stories ideally will include a “voice” in the form of a direct quote: a unit leader, the award winner, a faculty researcher, etc. This not only elevates the story from a brief or calendar item, but it also indicates to media that someone is available to interview or whom they may quote from the news release.
Use proper attribution.
Facts, statements and opinions should be attributed, either in a direct or indirect manner:No: More than 50 KU graduate programs rank in the top 50 among public universities.
Yes: More than 50 KU graduate programs rank in the top 50 among public universities, according to the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings.
No: Women make up nearly two-thirds of Alzheimer's disease patients.
Yes: Women make up nearly two-thirds of Alzheimer's disease patients, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
No: The return of a concert to the Hill is a landmark moment for KU.
Yes: “The return of a concert to the Hill is a landmark moment for KU,” said Heather Blanck, vice chancellor of strategic growth initiatives and real estate for KU.
Remember that news articles are also relevant for archival purposes. Additional attribution helps strengthen the story for the long term and will help readers (and reporters) feel more confident with the material.
Write in third person.
News stories are written in third person: He/she/they. (This is an exception to KU Marketing messaging policies.) First person (I/we/our) is allowed in direct quotes. Always write a story assuming a media outlet will publish some or all of it as-is on their website; in that case, any “we” language in direct quotes prevents any misunderstanding about who that is.
Avoid marketing language.
This is persuasive, emotive language that news writers eschew. Examples include being “delighted to announce” or calling out “generous” donations if not within a direct, attributed quote.