There’s an interesting post on Amy Garhan’s Contentious.com about whether the day has come for companies to stop using press releases altogether.

She says (in another post):

I think the press release as it’s evolved over previous decades has outlived its limited usefulness and now usually represents more of a hindrance than a help to communication.

Instead, she suggests posting a blog entry or a website page that can be searched. A personalised email to an editor or journalist can include a link to this information.

Instinctively, I tend to agree. However, one possible objection is that a blog entry or web page can be revised. One thing about a press release (however much we dislike the whole idea of spin that it implies) is that it is a stake in the ground. On a given day, the issuer said something definitive. This sets the issue a higher standard of accuracy and accountability.

I’m definitely against press releases that are so bland or so badly written that they say nothing. I’m mostly against press releases that have no time hook or news value.

I think that blogs have a greater degree of informality and individuality that encourage more of a company’s ‘personality’ to emerge and the technology allows easier searching, linking and feedback but I’m not ready to retire the press release yet. I’d rather see if they can be made better first.