Pyramid Style

The pyramid style is used by journalists when writing news stories and public relations practitioners when writing media releases and other pieces. Using this format, the most important information goes at the top of the story and the least important information goes at the bottom. This way, readers obtain the information they need even if they read only the first part of the piece.

Pyramid style is used for media releases so no critical information is lost if an editor cuts the release from the bottom, just as an editor may cut news stories to prepare them for publication. The first paragraph or two of the media release should be able to stand alone and tell the story.

In a media release, the pyramid begins with the most important part, the “lead,” which states the main purpose of the release. Once the news angle is clearly stated, the writer shows why the information is significant to the audience. An editor should be able to read these first few lines and determine why the information is newsworthy—or why the media release should be thrown away.

The lead is followed by the “five Ws” used by journalists—who, what, where, when, and why— that were not already addressed. At this point, the release should stand on its own without additional details, if necessary. The audience has all the information it needs to pursue the topic.

As the pyramid works its way to the bottom, it is time to add additional information on the subject of the media release; this information expands on and complements the facts already presented. This section ranges from one sentence to several paragraphs. If the release has not already included information on how the readers—not the media— can get more information on the topic, this information is included here.

The release ends with the organization's boilerplate. This optional component is a one- or two-line description of the organization's mission—what it does, why it exists. It may also include information on the organization's product lines, history, or market standing. The boilerplate should be consistent for every release regardless of the topic.

The pyramid writing style is used for pieces other than media releases. For example, each entry in this encyclopedia is written in pyramid style. Just as an editor may read only the first few lines of a media release, readers of this book may not read each entry in its entirety. Therefore, each entry begins with a definition of the topic, an explanation of why it is important, and basic information. The topic is then more fully discussed in subsequent paragraphs.