Media Center

Press release format:

Press releases must contain the following information:

• A contact person with phone number and e-mail.
• A headline.
• A succinctly written “story” that includes who, what, where, when, why, and how.
• A news hook to the Barrington market.
• Brief background information on your organization.
• One or two quotes from the organization’s leaders or officers.
• A high-quality photograph in JPEG format at 300 dpi (5×7 size), with a caption that names all people shown in the proper order.

Correct spelling: It is your responsibility to ensure that all names are spelled correctly. It is also your responsibility to ensure that no information is plagiarized from other sources. Please double-check names and sources before submitting your release to QB.

Tips for crafting a press release that will have optimal chance of receiving our attention:

• First and foremost, you must have a Barrington angle to your story. Why do our readers care about your organization or event?
• Your story must have a legitimate “news hook.”
• Be sure to include all the information described above as our editors cannot respond to incomplete submissions.
• Create a catchy headline that has the Barrington market in mind.
• Tell a great story. If you ask the questions, “Why should Barrington-area readers want to know about this?” and “What makes my event unique?” will help in telling a great story.
• Include a high-quality, interesting photograph along with an informative caption, including correctly-spelled names when there are people in the photo.

Feature Stories:

If you have a story idea for our magazine that you would like to pitch to us, you must send a query letter to our Editor. Query letters should contain the following information:

• A catchy opening sentence that describes the essence of your story in a succinct manner or draws us immediately into the subject matter. If there is a news hook to your story, include that here.
• A paragraph explaining your story in detail. You must include why this story is relevant to the Barrington-area reader. You must have a hook and an appropriate angle to the story. Keep in mind that we are a bimonthly publication with specific issue dates (Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/June, July/Aug, Sept/Oct, and Nov/Dec). Your story should fit into the “seasons” of our publication schedule, and if appropriate, you should propose a specific issue date. Two months or more prior to issue date is generally what is required for consideration.
• A paragraph explaining who the sources for the story are, and any background information that we would need to know. Include here any potential for photography (this is critical for getting us interested in stories).
• Your contact information, including a phone number and e-mail. You may also include links to a website if you have one.