AGCJ 404
Agricultural Communications and Journalism

Wonderful news! Your Press Release was picked up by newspapers in several states. Now, your supervisor's phone is ringing non-stop and your e-mail inbox has hundreds of unread notes, all requesting more information. It seems your Research Brief and Fact Sheet have started more coffee house conversations than the latest Mad Cow outbreak. You dread what your supervisor wants as she/he storms toward your resplendent cubicle. You're hoping all this fun ends with the next request.

"Write a news brief!" shouts your supervisor. The news brief will be submitted to as many agricultural information agencies as can be located. Build the news brief from the writing you've completed in the Research Brief, Fact Sheet, and Press Release.

• News briefs are "usually" very short, no more than one short paragraph.
• The paragraph must be of "immediate interest" to readers.
• They have catchy opening phrases that grab the readers' attention.
• News briefs are limited to the "who, what, when, where, and why" style of writing.
• They may be termed as "human interest" stories.
• It is double-spaced, with similar formatting (letterhead, etc.) as was used in the press release.
• Finally, submit an e-file of your news brief to your SUPERVISOR before the project deadline.

• USA Today Top News Briefs
• AgNews Daily Top Story
• CNN Headline News
• TAMU News

Refer to the Tutorial for more information on press releases.