In general, however, news media prefer to use news
as soon as it is received. Reporters take pride in bringing
facts to light, not in withholding them. Never give them
a story marked Hold For Release unless you have a
good reason.
News Release Numbering System
For quick reference and orderly filing, a release
number is assigned to all outgoing stories. There are
various systems of assigning release numbers. Most
commands follow the practice of beginning a new series
at the beginning of each year. The first release sent out
in 1994, for example, would have a release number of
1-94. The second release would be 2-94, and so forth.
All releases are numbered consecutively in this manner
until the end of the year. Remember that release numbers
are assigned to each story, not to each copy of a story. If
one release is sent to 17 different media, all 17 copies
should bear the same release number.
NEWS ADVISORY
A news advisory is an abbreviated form of a news
release intended to get the news media to cover an event
themselves. The news advisory is normally no more
than a page in length and includes a compact description
of the event. Pertinent information, such as the date,
time, location, specific details and the significance of
the event, also should be included. You may disseminate
the news advisory in the same manner as a news release,
using the format in figure 7-2.
SPOT NEWS ANNOUNCEMENTS
When an event of immediate and urgent news
interest occurs within the command, such as an
unscheduled VIP visit or an accident involving
casualties, all available and properly releasable facts are
issued promptly and without waiting until a complete
account is compiled. Spot news of this type is usually
released by bulletin or in memorandum form. However,
if circumstances require, it may be read over the
telephone. Spot news is always issued For Immediate
Release.
NEWS CONFERENCES
Whenever a news event is of great importance to the
local public or when there is a visit by a prominent
official who wishes to address the media, a command
calls a news conference and sends invitations to all
interested media. Information is released at a news
conference through a senior naval officer or other Navy
spokesperson, an individual involved in unclassified
activity of public interest, an expert in some newsworthy
project, survivors of an accident or perhaps someone
directly involved in some activity or event.
Often, after an advance release goes out announcing
the intended visit of a VIP or some other event of
significance, the media requests a news conference.
When time permits, prepare media information kits
(covered in Chapter 16) to supplement information
made public at news conferences.
Avoid, if possible, requesting media to submit
questions in advance. When advance questions are
desirable, as in cases where highly technical answers
would be required for some questions, correspondents
should be advised of this. When written questions are
volunteered, detailed answers are normally prepared
and distributed to all attending media representatives
immediate y preceding the conference.
A news conference can be abused. The only reason
to call a news conference is to release information that
cannot be covered adequately by a news release. A news
conference should not be used solely as a prestige
vehicle. It should be called only when there is something
to say. Most media cannot spare the time and personnel
for this type of coverage. The quickest way to alienate
reporters is to make them cover an event in person when
they could have covered it over the telephone.
A news conference can do a lot for the Navy when
it is used properly. News conferences establish public
esteem, erase controversy and show that the Navy has
nothing to hide. Reporters are given the opportunity to
ask questions and get all the information they want. This
often results in clearing up misunderstandings. Finally,
it enables all media to get the same information at the
same time.
INTERVIEW
An interview differs from a news conference in that
it is usually initiated by a media representative and
involves communication of information from a
responsible spokesperson to only one reporter.
BACKGROUND BRIEFINGS
Background briefings differ from a routine news
conference or interview only in their usual provisions
that a precise source is not identified in the reporters’
stories. The content or source of a story written from a
briefing is usually attributed to a “Navy spokesperson,”
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