Mangaluru: Public Relations Council of India (Mangaluru Chapter) and Swastika e-learning Institute jointly conducted the online workshop “Effective Ways of Writing Press Release” on the Zoom platform on Thursday, May 20.
“Press release should create a curosity in a journalist”, said Harish Mambady, senior journalist from Mangaluru. He was addressing the online gathering after inaugurating the workshop.
The workshop was preceded by an overview of the subject of discussion by the Chief Guest of the event, Chairman Emeritus, PRCI, M B Jayaram. He shared a brief description of the history of press releases. He described the background of the first-ever press release documented by Ivy Lee. Jayaram explained that this release was about the Pennsylvania railroad accident. This press release, dating back to 1906, was published by the New York Times.
Jayaram gave a gist of Mambady’s speech in English since the latter resorted to delivering the address in Kannada. He shared detailed pointers from the perspective of a newsperson. The Chief Guest asserted, “Avoid clichés and furnish all relevant details to the deck. Dress it (the report) up with visuals such as images and video clips.” He also advised that one must be ready with their press release in different languages and that bulky attachments must be avoided.
Before the Editor of NewsKarnataka.com, the facilitator of the workshop, Srinivasa Pejathaya took over the event, he was introduced by Senior Lecturer Dr Gayatri Nambiar. Pejathaya who’s currently pursuing his PhD in Health communication from Kuvempu University, Shivamogga, gave a detailed presentation on ‘Effective ways of writing Press Release.’ He informed the various members of the PRCI as well as other participants across the country that the aim of a good press release is “to garner attention and to create awareness.”
He went on to affirm that the authentication of any product, service, event and so on can only be provided through a mainstream media publication. With 12 years of experience in print and online media, he shared his knowledge through the workshop by explaining immediacy and the classic inverted pyramid style of reportage. He also threw light on tips and timings of writing and reaching out to news organisations for publications of press releases. He emphasized on the nuances of writing a headline which should be, “precise, crisp and to the point” and formation of leads and tails among many other information on the topic of the hour.
After the presentation, an interactive session was held with the participants of the workshop. A practise draft of the press release of this very event was tasked as an activity in the workshop. With inputs from the members of the PRCI as well as the attendees, a rough draft was made. The workshop was concluded on the note of improving students and practitioners hand at reportage, increasing professional standards for a better era of journalistic writing and the pragmatic vitality of press releases in today’s world. This was followed by a Q and A session with the participants.
With the best wishes conveyed by PRCI National President Dr T Vinay Kumar for organising such skill-based workshops, around 40 participants attended the same. The event was concluded with positive feedback on the session from few of the attendees.
Members of the National Executive Body of PRCI and other chapters also attended the workshop. The President of PRCI Mangaluru Chapter, Dr Raghavendra Holla, Secretary of PRCI, and other office bearers were present for the webinar. Other special guests like PRCI Mangaluru’s Secretary, Canute Pinto and Swastika e-learning Institute’s Manager, Pooja Thunga were also present.
