So, you have some big news, do you? We know the situation all too well. You’ve written your news release, you have your list of media contacts and now you’re trying to decide if you should embargo the release to the journalists on your list.

For those who are new to the concept, an embargo is when a communications or public relations team sends a news release or media alert to reporters ahead of the scheduled release of the information. The caveat is that the reporters agree to not publish or broadcast any news about it until a given time and date.

There are a variety of situations that can arise when preparing and sending out a news release, and these can define whether or not you should embargo the release.

Situations Where an Embargo May be Useful:

  • When you need to send out a media alert for an event or announcement, but also need to tell reporters what the news is as part of that alert.
  • When you have a certain amount of time when an interviewee will be available for the media, but you want to offer those time slots to a few specific reporters first.
  • When you have a long-standing relationship with a reporter and want to give them the information ahead of time, so they can start working on their piece in advance. This can foster trust between a public relations professional and a reporter.

While embargos are a great PR tool, we can’t forget that some reporters in the internet age are not willing to stick to the embargo rules. Although it is a time-honored tradition, “getting the scoop” is their business, and breaking news is what pays their bills. Moral of the story: don’t send something to a reporter unless you have a history of trust between you or you can live with the leak!

Need help planning and implementing a news release? Reach out! Our team of media specialists are here to help.