AFTER THE HIGHWAYMAN - SYNTAX AND SUCCESSFUL PLACEMENT OF PRESS RELEASES IN NEWSPAPERS Academic Article

abstract

• This study proves once again that too many press releases are poorly written and over-written, with long sentences and paragraphs, and poor syntax as well as weak and passive construction. In their use of press releases, journalists almost always have to make them simpler, shorter, easier to read, and less passive. The authors conclude that success in writing of press releases requires brevity and simplicity, shorter paragraphs, sentences, and words, and the elimination of the passive voice. Timothy Walters is an assistant professor of communication at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX. Lynne Walters is associate professor of journalism and Douglas Starr professor of journalism, both at Texas A&M University, College Station. Lynne Walters is currently a Fulbright professor at the American Journalism Center in Budapest, where her husband Timothy is also on a one-year appointment as a visiting professor. 1994.

authors

• Walters, Lynne

published proceedings

• PUBLIC RELATIONS REVIEW

author list (cited authors)

• WALTERS, T. N., WALTERS, L. M., & STARR, D. P.

citation count

• 31

complete list of authors

• WALTERS, TN||WALTERS, LM||STARR, DP

publication date

• January 1994

publisher

• Elsevier  Publisher

published in

• Public Relations Review  Journal

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.1016/0363-8111(94)90095-7

start page

• 345

end page

• 356

volume

• 20

issue

• 4

URL

• http%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.1016%2F0363-8111%2894%2990095-7