# Release format

The parts of a release, top to bottom.

## 1. Release line

`FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE` by default, or an embargo line if the user gave one:

```
EMBARGOED UNTIL 9 a.m. EDT, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026
```

## 2. Headline and subhead

The headline comes first, in title case, then a one-sentence subhead in sentence
case. See SKILL.md, Step 2.

## 3. Summary bullets

Three to five bullets, right under the subhead and before the dateline. Each is
one complete fact that stands alone and names the company or product. Put a
number in each bullet that has one, but start each bullet with a name, not a
numeral.

```
- Tarnby Freight Systems' R4 door gearbox ships in five business days, against
  nine to 14 weeks for the imported part it replaces.
- The Tarnby R4 costs $2,850, about 10% less than the imported part.
- Tarnby Freight Systems opens orders for the R4 on Oct. 13, 2026.
```

## 4. Dateline

The dateline opens the first paragraph. It gives the city in capitals, the state
in AP abbreviation, the date, and a dash:

```
ERIE, Pa., Oct. 6, 2026 — Tarnby Freight Systems today ...
```

These 30 U.S. cities stand alone in an AP dateline, with no state: ATLANTA,
BALTIMORE, BOSTON, CHICAGO, CINCINNATI, CLEVELAND, DALLAS, DENVER, DETROIT,
HONOLULU, HOUSTON, INDIANAPOLIS, LAS VEGAS, LOS ANGELES, MIAMI, MILWAUKEE,
MINNEAPOLIS, NEW ORLEANS, NEW YORK, OKLAHOMA CITY, PHILADELPHIA, PHOENIX,
PITTSBURGH, ST. LOUIS, SALT LAKE CITY, SAN ANTONIO, SAN DIEGO, SAN FRANCISCO,
SEATTLE, and WASHINGTON.

Every other U.S. city takes its state in AP abbreviation. These are not postal
codes. Examples: Pa., Calif., N.Y., Mass., Fla., Ill. Eight states are never
abbreviated: Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas, and Utah. Outside
the U.S., use the city and country, such as `LYON, France`. A few world cities
stand alone, such as LONDON, PARIS, TOKYO, and TORONTO.

If the release goes out on a wire, the wire adds its own tag after the date,
such as `/PRNewswire/`. Leave that to the wire.

## 5. Lede

One or two sentences that answer who, what, when, where, and why. The most
important fact comes first. Use "today announced" at most once, and only if
nothing stronger fits.

## 6. Body

Inverted pyramid: each paragraph matters less than the one above it. A
typical order:

1. Lede
2. Why it matters to the reader
3. The key detail. Use a bulleted `Key figures` list when there are three or
   more numbers.
4. First quote
5. More detail: who else is involved, timing, availability, price
6. Second quote (optional)
7. What happens next, and where to learn more, with links to the supporting
   pages the user gave you

Every statistic (a measured result or a market figure) says who measured it
and when. A `Key figures` or `How it works` bullet list can appear at any
length. Add other descriptive headings, such as `About the study`, only when the
release runs past about 400 words. Do not put a heading right after the lede.

## 7. FAQ

Use the heading `Frequently asked questions`, then three to five questions in the
words a buyer, customer, or reporter would type into an AI assistant. Each
answer is one to three sentences, and uses only facts already in the release.

```
How much does the Tarnby R4 cost?
The R4 costs $2,850 per unit.
```

## 8. Boilerplate

Use the header `About {Company}`, then the company's standard paragraph, word for
word. A joint release is one that both companies issue and approve; it gets
one `About` section for each company. If you cannot tell whether a partnership
release is joint, ask.

## 9. Media contact

Include only the lines the user gave you.

```
Media contact
Jane Ortiz
Tarnby Freight Systems
press@example.com
+1 814-555-0100
```

## 10. End mark

`###` on its own line. It tells an editor the release is over.

## When the release goes on the company's own site

See "Publishing on the company's own site" in SKILL.md.