Quick Answer: To release a press statement to local media, you should begin with a story, and that must have actual local appeal. Locate topical newspapers, websites, television, radio and journalists. Then send a straight-cut release with a customized pitch and make a professional follow-up.

Key Takeaways

• Build your story around a clear local news angle.
• Target journalists who cover your industry or community.
• Make the headline, lead and most important details easy to read.
• Select direct outreach, distribution or a combination of both.
• Track media pickups, traffic, and other meaningful results.

Before You Send a Press Release, Make Sure It Deserves Local Coverage

A press release must have a local reason to count. Prior to transmission, inquire about the effects of the news on people in society. A new business, local event, major expansion, award or community project can be a good news item.

Pay attention to timeliness, proximity, public interest, and local impact. The newsroom might not be interested in a usual product update. Nonetheless, the same announcement can be more powerful when it is related to a local need or change.

Local news takes numerous forms to reach a local audience. In 2025, 65% of the adults in the U.S. reported receiving local news at least once in the past year on a local TV station. The rest, 42%, relied on online-only sources of local news. Because coverage is so split across formats, pairing local outreach with a professional press release distribution service helps a story reach both TV-first and online-first audiences at once.

Find the Local Media Outlets That Actually Cover Your Story

Begin with those outlets that already discuss your community and topic. Consider local newspapers, community websites, TV stations, radio stations, newsletters and relevant trade publications. Look through their recent stories to get an idea of what they tend to publish.

The story that you give should be appropriate to the audience of the outlet. To illustrate, a business reporter may be apt when it comes to business expansion. An event that is a charity might belong to a community or lifestyle section. This targeted strategy can render the local press release distribution more pertinent and efficient.

Digital outlets also deserve attention. In 2025, 68 per cent of individuals who received news in their local daily newspapers primarily obtained it on the internet. Thus, create a targeted media list comprising both traditional and online local sources. A wide press release distribution network can help cover this list faster than manual outreach alone.

Find the Journalist Who Is Most Likely to Cover It

The ability to find the appropriate journalist will enhance your outreach. Find reporters in your industry, topic or locality. Read some of their recent articles before sending your pitch. This can guide you on their beat and viewership.

Do not forward the message to all reporters. Otherwise, tell them why your story is appropriate to their coverage. A topical pitch provides the journalist with a useful background and saves his time.

Cision’s 2026 State of the Media research found that 66% of surveyed journalists rely on PR-provided content for story ideas. Still, relevance matters. A specific pitch is more effective than a mass email that is read casually.

Write the Press Release Around the News, Not Your Business

A good press release places the news on the front burner. Begin with a concise headline and lead which describe what, and why it is important. Next, add the most important facts, quotes, details to support and contact details.

Avoid turning the release into an advertisement. Rather than stating that your business has introduced an amazing new service, state what is different and who is a beneficiary. Provide concrete facts and plain language to make the story easier to comprehend.

Make the format scannable. Concise paragraphs, handy quotes, and uncomplicated details make journalists fast at working with the information. When distributing via KingNewswire, please keep in mind that broader distribution cannot substitute for a truly useful and newsworthy story.

Send a Personal Pitch With Your Press Release

A press release narrates the entire story, whereas a pitch explains why the journalist should be interested in the story. Make your pitch brief and relate the announcement to the beat of the journalist, their audience or locality.

Begin with an understandable topic. Then say what the news is in a sentence or two. Include a local angle and press release or assets of the media. Avoid lengthy introductions, selling terms, and generic messages to all reporters.

Personalisation can also help build better media relationships. Contact the journalist by reading their latest work. If the story fits their coverage, explain that connection clearly instead of simply asking them to publish your release.

Should You Email Local Media Directly or Use a Distribution Service?

A press release can be sent to local media in two primary ways: via direct outreach or a distribution service. The uses of each method differ. Your decision would be based on your story, target audience, budget and reach you want.

Direct Media Outreach

Direct outreach refers to journalists or editors being contacted by the individual. You do research on pertinent reporters, personalise your pitch and forward the press release to them directly.

This method provides greater control and assists you in developing media relationships. It is particularly effective when a certain local story fits the beat of one journalist.

Press Release Distribution Service

Your release can be distributed to a broader network by a distribution service. This is sometimes called press release wire distribution. You can often select locations, industries, and other targeting options.

This would save on time spent on research and could offer wider distribution. It can be effective in cases when you have to cover a number of markets or widen awareness.

Direct Outreach vs. Distribution Service

Direct Outreach	Distribution Service
Highly targeted	Broader distribution
Builds personal relationships	Provides wider network access
Requires more research and time	Reduces manual outreach
Best for specific journalists	Useful for wider reach
More control over your pitch	Easier to scale distribution

When a Hybrid Strategy Makes Sense

You do not always have to choose one method. A hybrid model can be an outreach to journalists as well as a general distribution.

For example, you could personally pitch a local business reporter while using KingNewswire to distribute the same news more broadly. This can assist you in working towards certain editorial opportunities besides increased reach of the release in general.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a small business story into the local newspaper?

Focus on the local impact first. Next, identify reporters writing about business or community news and send a short, personalised pitch with your press release.

Should I send the press release as an attachment?

It depends on the journalist or newspaper. If submission guidelines allow attachments, use them carefully. Otherwise, add a clean link or place the necessary information into the email.

What if no local journalist responds?

Do not assume the story has failed. Check the local angle, journalist target, subject line and time. You may also choose another appropriate outlet or redo the story and resend it.

Can I send the same press release to multiple local newspapers?

Yes, though don’t use them all equally. The release can be on the same schedule, but your pitch must give the reason why the story is important to the specific audience of each outlet.

Final Thoughts

Knowing how to issue a press release to the local media can not involve only locating an email address and clicking on the send button. The most powerful strategy begins with a localised story, one with true local interest.

Locate the appropriate outlets and journalists. Make your pitch personal, and your press release user-friendly. Contacting media directly can be used; local distribution of press releases, or both methods, can be combined depending on your objectives.

Most importantly, focus on earning attention rather than simply distributing information. Your announcement stands a higher chance of being meaningful local coverage with a relevant story, targeted outreach and follow-up.

Once the story and the media list are ready, you still need a reliable way to get the release out the door. Many businesses handle the local pitch themselves and lean on a trusted press release distribution partner for the wider send, so the same announcement reaches national databases, search engines and journalist inboxes without extra manual work.

Author Expertise

By Sarah Whitfield | Last Reviewed: August 27, 2026

This guide integrates press release writing, media outreach, search engine optimisation research, and content strategy. It is centred on actionable measures businesses can take to identify relevant local media, enhance their pitches, and make superior distribution decisions. Before pitching anyone, it helps to be clear on what counts as a newsworthy press release in the first place.

Related Resources

Ready to go beyond local outreach? Explore our press release distribution packages or start with our press release distribution service to get the story in front of a wider, verified media network.