How to write a press release (AP style format, template and examples)

This guide is part of our AP style guide. It gives you the 9 parts, a copyable template and three complete examples.

The 9 parts of a press release

End with ### centered below the last line. It tells the reader there is no more text. (Some older releases use -30-.)

Press release format, part by part

Release line and embargo

Most releases say FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. Use an embargo only when there is a real reason, such as a study publishing at a set time, and give the exact time and time zone: EMBARGOED UNTIL 11 A.M. EST, TUESDAY, NOV. 10, 2026. An embargo is a request, not a contract, so send embargoed material only to reporters you trust.

Headline

Write it like a news headline: subject, active verb, key fact. Present tense, sentence case, no period, no exclamation point.

(Both are fictional examples.)

Dateline

A dateline is the place name at the start of a story that tells readers where the news comes from. In AP style the city is in capital letters, followed by the state in AP abbreviation and a dash: SPOKANE, Wash. —. AP abbreviations are not postal codes (Wash., not WA), eight states are never abbreviated (Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas, Utah), and major cities on AP's standalone list, such as CHICAGO and BOSTON, take no state. [1] Wire-distributed releases usually add the date: CHICAGO, Nov. 6, 2026 —.

Lead

The lead is the first sentence, and it carries the news. Use the inverted pyramid: most important fact first, everything after in order of importance. A reporter who reads only the lead should be able to write a brief.

Quotes

A quote should say something a fact cannot: why the organization did this, what it means for people. "We are thrilled to announce this exciting partnership" says nothing, and reporters will not use it. Attribute with "said," name first: "...," Okafor said.

Boilerplate and contact

The boilerplate is a short, factual paragraph about the organization: what it does, where, how big, a website. Keep it free of slogans. The media contact must be a person who answers the phone the day the release goes out.

AP style rules that matter most in releases

These are the rules reporters fix most often when they adapt a release. Full lists are in our AP style guide and the AP style numbers and dates cheat sheet.

AP updates its stylebook every year; check the current edition for changes. [2]

Press release template (copy and paste)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

# [Headline: subject + active verb + key fact]
## [Optional subheadline: the second most important fact]

[CITY], [State AP abbreviation], [Mon. D, YYYY] — [Lead: who is doing what,
when and where, and why it matters to the reader. One sentence, 25 to 35 words.]

[Paragraph 2: the most important supporting fact. Numbers with their source.]

"[Quote: why this matters, in plain words]," said [Full Name], [title] of
[Organization].

[Paragraph 4: details: dates, prices, eligibility, location, how to take part.]

[Paragraph 5: second quote from a partner, customer or expert (optional).]

[Paragraph 6: what happens next or where to learn more, with a link.]

About [Organization]
[50 to 80 words: what it does, where, size, founding year, website.]

Media contact
[Name], [title]
[email] | [phone]

###

Three AP style press release examples

All three examples below are fictional. The organizations, people, numbers and study are invented.

Example 1: product launch

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ledgerly launches payroll tool that sets up small businesses in 15 minutes

PORTLAND, Ore., Nov. 6, 2026 — Ledgerly, a Portland accounting software
company, on Thursday launched Ledgerly Payroll, a tool that lets businesses
with fewer than 50 employees set up payroll in about 15 minutes and run it
for $6 per employee a month.

The tool files federal and state payroll taxes automatically in all 50
states and sends year-end W-2 forms to employees by email.

"Most of our customers were doing payroll in a spreadsheet because the
alternatives took a week to set up," said Priya Nair, Ledgerly's chief
executive officer.

Ledgerly Payroll is available now at ledgerly.example.com. Existing Ledgerly
customers can add it from their account settings at no setup cost.

About Ledgerly
Ledgerly makes accounting software for small businesses. Founded in 2019,
it has 80 employees and serves about 12,000 businesses in the United States.

Media contact
Sam Ortiz, communications manager
press@ledgerly.example.com | 503-555-0142

###

Example 2: event

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Spokane library to host free tax help every Saturday in February

SPOKANE, Wash., Jan. 15, 2027 — The Spokane Free Library will offer free
tax filing help for households earning under $60,000 every Saturday in
February, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at its Central branch, 900 W. Main Ave.

Trained volunteers will help residents file federal returns at no cost. No appointment is needed; residents should bring photo ID,
Social Security cards and all W-2 and 1099 forms.

"Paying $200 to file a simple return is a real cost for many families
here," said Ana Brooks, the library's director.

The library expects to help about 400 households over the four Saturdays,
based on demand last year.

About the Spokane Free Library
The Spokane Free Library runs five branches and serves about 230,000
residents.

Media contact
Leo Grant, outreach coordinator
lgrant@spokanefreelib.example.org | 509-555-0177

###

The event release puts the date, time, place and cost in the lead. Those are the four things a reporter or listings editor needs.

Example 3: research findings

EMBARGOED UNTIL 11 A.M. EST, TUESDAY, NOV. 10, 2026

Teens slept about 30 minutes more after later school start, study finds

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Nov. 10, 2026 — High school students in three Ohio
districts slept about 30 minutes more on school nights after their schools
moved the start time from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., according to a study
published Tuesday in the Journal of Adolescent Sleep.

Researchers at Midstate University tracked 2,000 students with wrist
sensors for one school year before the change and one year after. The
study is observational: it shows a change after the new start time, but
it cannot prove that the start time alone caused it.

"The extra sleep came almost entirely from later wake-up times; bedtimes
barely moved," said Dr. Helen Cho, an associate professor of pediatrics at
Midstate and the study's lead author. "We did not measure grades, so we
can't say whether the extra sleep helped students in class."

The study was funded by a grant from the Midstate Health Foundation. The
paper is available at https://doi.org/[DOI].

About Midstate University
Midstate University is a public research university in Columbus, Ohio,
with 31,000 students.

Media contact
Rachel Kim, research communications
rkim@midstate.example.edu | 614-555-0109

###

Press releases about research and reports: citing the study correctly

Releases about studies are where accuracy matters most, because reporters often copy their numbers. Before sending, check the release against the paper, not against your memory of it.

The research release checklist:

• The headline and lead state the finding the paper actually reports, in plain language.
• The study type is named: randomized trial, observational study, survey, review, modeling.
• Correlation is not written as cause ("linked to," not "causes," for an observational study).
• Sample size, population and time frame are stated.
• The journal, publication date and a working DOI link are included. If it is a preprint, say so.
• The main limitation is in the body, ideally in the researcher's own words.
• Funding is disclosed.
• Every number matches the paper's tables, including units and rounding.
• A researcher who can explain the work is available on the embargo date.

This also covers releases about your own reports and white papers: link the report, name the method (survey of how many people, run by whom, when), and do not quote a number the report does not contain.

What journalists delete

Writing a research press release in WriteOrbit

WriteOrbit is an AI writing editor; it does not have a press release template, so paste the template above into a new document. Where it helps is the research release, the one most likely to go wrong.

1. Cite the paper while you write. Search 250M+ scholarly works from inside the editor and type @ to insert the study. The citation links to the real work, so you can copy a DOI that resolves.
2. Check the release against the study. Upload the paper's PDF to the Library and use Ask on it, for example: "What was the sample size and how was sleep measured?" Answers carry page numbers, so you can confirm each figure in the release against the page.
3. Run AI review before sending. Claim checks flag statements that go beyond the evidence, and source-quality checks flag retracted papers, preprints and wrong DOIs. Results appear as comments on the exact sentences, and proofreading and tone review catch the "thrilled to announce" lines.
4. Get sign-off. Share the document with the researcher and your communications lead; their edits come back as suggestions (tracked changes).

WriteOrbit does not enforce AP style rules, so keep the table above beside you. Export to Word or PDF to send. The free plan covers this workflow at low volume; see pricing for current limits.

FAQ

How long should a press release be?

Most press releases run 300 to 500 words, about one page. That is enough for a headline, a one-sentence lead, the key facts, one or two quotes, a short boilerplate and a contact. If you need more, link to a fact sheet, report or study instead of adding paragraphs. Journalists read the top and decide in seconds.

Do press releases use AP style?

Yes, most do. Releases are written for journalists, and most U.S. newsrooms use AP style, so a release that already follows AP rules on dates, times, titles, numbers and datelines is easier to use. Follow your organization's house style where it differs, but keep the news structure: dateline, lead, facts, quotes, boilerplate.

How do you write a dateline for a press release in AP style?

Write the city in capital letters, then the state in AP abbreviation (not the postal code), then a dash, and start the lead: SPOKANE, Wash. — Major cities on AP's standalone list, such as CHICAGO, need no state. Many releases add the date after the city, for example CHICAGO, Nov. 6, 2026 —, which wire services expect.

What are the parts of a press release?

A press release has 9 parts: a release line (FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE or an embargo time), a headline, an optional subheadline, a dateline, a lead with the news in one sentence, a body with supporting facts, one or two quotes, a boilerplate paragraph about the organization, and a media contact. It ends with ### centered below the text.

How do you write a press release about a research study?

Lead with the finding in plain language, then give the study type, sample size, journal, publication date and a working DOI link. Quote the lead researcher on what the result means and does not mean, state the main limitation, disclose funding, and never claim cause when the study shows correlation. Check every number against the paper.

Next steps

A press release is a news story with a contact block, so the AP style guide applies line by line. For the structure underneath every example here, read the inverted pyramid next, then keep the AP numbers, dates and times cheat sheet open while you edit.

Sources

1. Poynter, "AP: spell out names of states in stories," April 23, 2014 (dateline abbreviations and the eight states never abbreviated). https://www.poynter.org/news/ap-spell-out-names-states-stories
2. The Associated Press Stylebook (online edition). https://www.apstylebook.com/