Real-world examples of how to cover a press release (and do it better)

Why start with examples of how to cover a press release

Press releases are like boxed cake mixes. Some people pour them straight into the pan and hope for the best. Strong writers use them as a base, then add their own flavor, structure, and context.

Looking at real examples of how to cover a press release helps you see:

• How reporters turn a bland headline into a clear, reader-first angle.
• What to keep, what to cut, and what to question.
• When to treat a release as straight news, and when to treat it as marketing.

Let’s walk through several real examples and break down the choices behind them.

Example of turning a product launch release into a reader-focused story

Imagine a tech company sends a press release: “Acme Corp Announces Next-Generation Smartwatch 3.0 Featuring Advanced AI Integration.” It’s packed with specs, buzzwords, and quotes from executives.

A lazy rewrite might read: “Acme Corp today announced its Smartwatch 3.0, which the company says is ‘the future of wearable AI.’” That’s just the press release with light editing.

A stronger example of how to cover a press release would:

• Lead with what matters to readers: price, availability, and what’s actually new.
• Compare it briefly to competitors like Apple or Samsung.
• Include a skeptical line or two about the company’s claims.

You might open like this:

Acme’s new Smartwatch 3.0 adds fall detection and a week-long battery life, pushing the company into direct competition with Apple and Samsung in the high-end wearable market. The device, announced Tuesday, starts at $299 and ships in March.

Notice what happened:

• The angle is about competition and value, not the company’s hype.
• The first paragraph answers: What is it? Why should I care? When can I get it?
• The executive quote, if used at all, comes later.

This is one of the best examples of a simple move that upgrades your coverage: shift from “what the company wants to say” to “what the reader wants to know.”

Health and science: examples of how to cover a press release with context

Health and science press releases are especially tricky. They often oversell early research or use dramatic language that doesn’t match the data. Strong coverage always adds verification and context.

Let’s say a university issues a press release: “New Study Finds Coffee Cuts Heart Disease Risk in Half.” That’s the hook, but it’s probably missing nuance.

A responsible example of how to cover a press release would:

• Read the actual study, not just the release.
• Check how big the study was and who funded it.
• Add outside expert comment.

An article might open like this:

A new study suggests that people who drink two to three cups of coffee a day may have a lower risk of heart disease, but cardiologists say the findings don’t mean everyone should start chugging espresso. The research, published Monday in the Journal of Cardiology, analyzed data from 20,000 adults over 10 years.

Then you could:

• Link to an authoritative resource such as the National Institutes of Health or Mayo Clinic for general heart health guidance.
• Include a quote from an expert not involved in the study, maybe from a major hospital system or academic medical center.

This kind of coverage shows one of the best examples of responsible reporting: you treat the press release as a tip, not as the final word.

Local government: examples include turning dry releases into human stories

City and county governments publish press releases constantly: road closures, new ordinances, funding announcements, public health updates. The releases are often dry, but the impact is real.

Suppose a city issues a release: “City Council Approves Ordinance 22-17 Regarding Short-Term Rentals.” The text is full of legal language.

A more reader-friendly example of how to cover a press release might:

• Translate the ordinance into plain language.
• Explain who is affected (hosts, neighbors, tourists).
• Add reaction from at least two sides.

You could write:

Short-term rental hosts in Springfield will face new limits on how often they can rent out their homes under a measure the City Council approved Monday night. The ordinance caps rentals at 90 nights a year and requires owners to obtain a $150 annual permit.

Then you:

• Explain why the council says it’s doing this.
• Add comments from a host and a neighbor.
• Link to the full ordinance or city FAQ on the official .gov site, such as a city or county homepage similar to USA.gov’s local government directory.

This shows readers how the decision hits their wallets and their neighborhoods, instead of just echoing the city’s language.

Nonprofits and advocacy: examples of examples of how to cover a press release with impact

Nonprofits often send press releases about grants, new programs, or awareness campaigns. The temptation is to reprint them as feel-good stories. Strong coverage goes a step further.

Imagine a nonprofit issues a press release: “Local Food Bank Receives $500,000 Grant to Expand Services.”

A shallow rewrite simply repeats the announcement. A stronger example of how to cover a press release might:

• Put the grant size in context (Is that big? For how long?).
• Explain what “expand services” actually means in daily life.
• Include a real person affected by the change.

An article could start like this:

A $500,000 grant will allow the River Valley Food Bank to open two new distribution sites and add fresh produce to its weekly offerings, potentially reaching an additional 3,000 families next year, the organization said Tuesday.

You might then:

• Add a short profile of a local family that uses the food bank.
• Include a stat from a national source like Feeding America about food insecurity trends.

This turns a basic funding announcement into a story about impact, not just dollars.

Corporate crisis: example of turning a defensive press release into clear accountability

Crisis press releases are written to protect the organization. Your job is to serve the reader, not the brand.

Say an airline issues a press release after a major outage: “Update on Service Disruption – Commitment to Our Customers.” The release is full of vague phrases like “intermittent issues” and “isolated incident.”

A strong example of how to cover a press release in this situation would:

• Lead with what happened and how many people were affected.
• Translate vague language into plain English.
• Add outside verification, such as data from flight-tracking services or regulators.

An article might open like this:

More than 1,200 flights were canceled and thousands of passengers stranded nationwide Monday after a software glitch knocked out Acme Air’s scheduling system for nearly six hours, according to data from FlightAware. The airline apologized in a statement but did not say what caused the outage.

Then you:

• Quote the press release, but also point out what it doesn’t say.
• Add comments from passengers and, if available, a regulator or industry analyst.

This example of coverage shows readers how to interpret the company’s carefully worded statement, rather than just amplifying it.

Events and announcements: examples include previews, recaps, and explainers

Event press releases are everywhere: conferences, festivals, webinars, ribbon cuttings. You don’t have to treat them all the same.

Say a university sends a press release: “State University to Host Climate Resilience Summit.”

Here are three examples of how to cover a press release like this, depending on timing and audience:

• Preview angle: Focus on what’s coming and why it matters.

  Scientists, policymakers, and community leaders will gather at State University next week to discuss how coastal towns can prepare for rising sea levels, part of a two-day Climate Resilience Summit open to the public.

• Explainer angle: Use the event as a hook to unpack a bigger issue.

  You might connect the summit to recent flooding, citing data from sources like NOAA or academic research.

• Recap angle: Cover what was actually said or decided.

  Local mayors called for new federal funding to help small coastal towns deal with flooding and erosion during a climate summit at State University this week, warning that many communities lack the money to upgrade aging infrastructure.

These variations show how one press release can feed multiple story types, depending on your editorial needs.

Trend pieces: examples of examples of how to cover a press release as part of a bigger story

Sometimes a single press release isn’t the story—it’s a sign of a larger trend.

Imagine three different banks issue press releases in the same month about closing physical branches and “investing in digital experiences.” Any one announcement is minor. Together, they’re a pattern.

A strong example of how to cover a press release in this context would:

• Pull data from all three releases.
• Add national statistics on branch closures from a regulator or industry group.
• Interview customers, small-business owners, or community advocates.

Your article might start like this:

Three major banks have announced plans to close more than 150 branches this year, accelerating a shift toward online banking that consumer advocates say could leave rural and low-income communities with fewer options for in-person service.

Then you:

• Briefly summarize each bank’s press release.
• Add outside data and expert analysis.

This is one of the best examples of moving beyond “announcement journalism” into real reporting.

Practical workflow: how to turn any press release into a solid news piece

By now you’ve seen several examples of how to cover a press release across different beats. Let’s pull out a simple, repeatable workflow you can use with almost any release.

Start by asking three questions:

Who actually cares about this?
Is it customers, patients, local residents, investors, students, parents? Write for them, not for the sender.

What changes in the real world because of this?
Does someone pay more, get a new service, lose access, gain protection, face a new risk?

What’s missing or unproven in the press release?
Are there claims without data? Are key numbers or timelines vague? Who disagrees?

Then, shape your story:

• Pick a clear angle based on impact, not hype.
• Rewrite the headline in plain language that reflects that angle.
• Lead with the impact or the most newsworthy fact, not the company’s self-praise.
• Use only the quotes that add color or insight; skip empty flattery.
• Add at least one outside source or expert, especially for health, science, or policy.
• Link to the original press release and, when helpful, to authoritative resources like NIH.gov or Mayo Clinic for background.

When you study examples of examples of how to cover a press release, you’ll notice that strong stories rarely look like the original release. They’re shorter, sharper, and more honest.

FAQ: real examples of common questions about covering press releases

What are some good examples of how to cover a press release for a small business?
Use the announcement as a hook, but focus on customers. If a bakery issues a release about a new location, your story might highlight how it brings jobs to a neighborhood, adds late-night options, or fills a gap after another shop closed. That’s a small, local example of turning marketing into news.

Can I ever publish a press release almost as-is?
Sometimes, yes—especially for time-sensitive alerts like severe weather warnings, school closures, or public health advisories. Even then, add a clear headline, a short summary, and links to authoritative sources such as CDC.gov or local .gov sites so readers can verify details and get updates.

What’s an example of when I should ignore a press release entirely?
If the release has no real-world impact for your audience—say, a minor award, an internal promotion, or a jargon-heavy “partnership” that doesn’t change prices, services, or policy—it may not be worth coverage. You can still file it away as background, but you don’t owe anyone an article.

How do I avoid sounding like an ad when I use quotes from a press release?
Use quotes sparingly and strategically. Pick lines that show emotion, conflict, or perspective, not empty praise. Strong examples of coverage often paraphrase the company’s claims in neutral language, then use quotes to reveal how people feel or what they fear.

Are there real examples of press release coverage that went wrong?
Yes. Health and science outlets have been criticized for repeating exaggerated claims from early studies without checking the data, leading to confusion and mistrust. That’s why it’s so important to cross-check with original research and trusted organizations like NIH, major universities, or large hospital systems.

When you treat press releases as raw material—not finished stories—you gain control of the narrative. Study these examples of how to cover a press release, adapt the patterns to your beat, and your coverage will feel sharper, more honest, and far more useful to the people you’re writing for.