Are news releases still relevant in today’s media landscape? It is a fair question,  especially in an era where social media, AI-generated content, shrinking newsrooms, and large language models have changed how stories are discovered, shared, and trusted.
Every few years, someone declares that public relations is dead. Almost every time, news releases (press releases, media releases or however you want to label them) are the first tactic to be called obsolete. The reality is far less dramatic. News releases are not outdated. They are misunderstood and frequently misused.
Too many organizations still treat news releases as mass emails sent to journalists or as long-form blog posts dressed up in corporate language. When used that way, they fail. When used strategically, news releases continue to play an important role in modern public relations, search visibility, brand credibility, and now AI-driven discovery.
News Releases Are No Longer Just for Journalists
One of the biggest misconceptions is that news releases exist solely to generate media coverage. Reporters are still part of the audience, but they are no longer the only audience.
Today, news releases serve several important purposes. They establish an official, searchable record of your news. They support SEO by placing your brand and messaging on credible, indexed platforms. They also provide prospective customers, partners, investors, and increasingly AI systems with a clear, factual account of what your organization is doing and why it matters.
Large language models and AI-powered search tools rely heavily on publicly available, authoritative sources to understand companies, summarize news, and answer questions. News releases published on trusted platforms often become part of the data these systems analyze. When someone asks an AI tool about your organization, product, leadership team, or recent announcement, the response is frequently informed by press releases that exist across the web.
When someone searches your company name months or even years after an announcement, a well-written release often appears near the top of the results. That visibility helps shape perception long after the original news cycle has passed, not only for humans but for machines that influence what people see next.
Why an Official Record Still Matters
In a fast-moving digital environment, misinformation and assumptions spread quickly. This risk is amplified when AI systems summarize content based on what they can find.
A news release creates clarity and consistency at moments when accuracy matters most. Whether the news involves a leadership change, a major initiative, a product launch, or a meaningful milestone, a news release establishes your version of events as the primary source.
Journalists, analysts, industry writers, and even competitors often rely on press releases for background information long after they are published. Search engines and AI models do the same. Without a clear, authoritative record, those systems may pull information from forums, third-party articles, or outdated sources.
The value is not limited to immediate coverage. It lies in having a single, verified narrative that others can reference with confidence, whether they are people or algorithms.
Journalists Still Use News Releases When There Is Real News
Another common myth is that journalists never read press releases anymore. In reality, journalists ignore releases that are not newsworthy and pay attention to those that are.
When a release communicates something meaningful, is targeted to the right outlets, and includes access to knowledgeable spokespeople or supporting assets such as video or audio, it can still lead to coverage. In broadcast and digital newsrooms, having ready-to-use content is often appreciated because it saves time and resources.
The issue is not the release itself. The issue is using news releases for announcements that do not justify them.
News Releases Still Matter When Used Strategically
So, are news releases still relevant? Yes, but only when they are part of a thoughtful communications strategy. They are not intended to stand alone.
News releases should support broader goals such as search visibility, message consistency, media readiness, and AI discoverability. They should be written clearly, optimized for search, and reserved for moments that truly represent news.
At Chemistry PR & Multimedia, we view news releases as one tool within a larger strategic framework. When used intentionally, they help organizations control their narrative, strengthen credibility, and ensure their story is discoverable and accurate both today and in the future.
News releases have not disappeared. They have evolved. In a world shaped by search engines and large language models, they still work, and in many cases, they matter more than ever.
