Chapter 11 of the News Reporting and Writing textbook taught me that news releases are helpful to reporters as long as reporters realize that releases are often boring and often contain sub-par writing and content.
News releases help reporters find stories and save some time doing research. They can open the door to more interesting, hopefully news-worthy stories, and can provide reporters with initial contact infromation for individuals that might be interview-worthy.
But it's important to remember that you are the reporter. Do not just publish what is given to you. It's probably not good enough to be in the newspaper. It may be written poorly or contain incorrect information. A news release is written by a PR person, not a journalist.
Take the information in a news release and look for a new angle. Take the release and find out what story behind it -- is it something the public needs to know? Just because something has happened or is about to happen in the community does not mean it is newsworthy.
If the information in a release is newsworthy, FINISH THE REPORTING.
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