COLLEGIATE PRESSWIRE TAKES THE P.R. PULSE ON CAMPUS

College Media Wire Service Surveys Student Editors About Press Materials and Publicity

CLIFTON, NJ--(COLLEGIATE PRESSWIRE)--February 7, 2000--Collegiate Presswire, the leading electronic press material distributor to the nation’s college media, announced today it recently completed a survey of student editors to discern preferences regarding press materials. The positive results, which highlight the editors’ use of email and online services, help solidify the position Collegiate Presswire holds in the student media press-material distribution industry. The survey was conducted at the National College Media Convention, held in the late Fall in Atlanta, and was comprised of respondents including editors, writers, advisers and student media administrators.

The first question in the Collegiate Presswire Fall 1999 Editorial Survey asked student journalists how they prefer to receive press releases. Tossing aside the letter opener and fax machine, respondents overwhelmingly chose e-mail as their preferred method of delivery, with 67 percent of respondents selecting it. Their second choice was to read press materials online at CPWire.com, the online newsroom of Collegiate Presswire. Releases sent via postal mail and fax delivery checked in at a distant third and fourth place, respectively.

Student editors, much like their professional counterparts, also prefer to receive press materials early in the week, to allow for their deadlines and writing time. Approximately 35 percent of respondents chose Monday as their preferred day to receive materials. Wednesday turned out to be the lowest answer, with only 7.3 percent of respondents selecting it.

America’s student editors are particularly interested in two topics, according to the survey. Some 85 percent of those surveyed prefer arts and entertainment-related press releases most, while 55 percent choose career-related news and press materials as their favorite.

The Internet has become a key factor in the news-gathering process, the survey revealed. Regarding electronic delivery of press materials, 82 percent of those surveyed stated they would use photos – if appropriate – from an online news service, such as Collegiate Presswire. And that’s good news for clients who submit press photos to accompany their Collegiate Presswire releases!

Student editors use press releases in a variety of ways. While a clear majority of respondents, 67 percent, chose to turn them into stories for their paper, 42 percent answered that they use them for reference or supplemental information. A small minority, interestingly enough, run them verbatim – according to 16 percent of respondents.

“We’re really encouraged by these survey results,” stated Matthew Farlie, co-founder of Collegiate Presswire. “Not only do they highlight that Collegiate Presswire is on the right track with our flagship, electronic press-distribution service, but they also show that America’s student editors are more tuned in to press-materials and public relations than ever before.”

The full survey results are available, in slideshow format, on Collegiate Presswire’s Web site at http://www.cpwire.com/survey.


ABOUT COLLEGIATE PRESSWIRE
Collegiate Presswire is America’s Internet press-release distribution leader serving the collegiate media. The wire’s news-feed distributes press materials, features and information from companies and PR agencies to a proprietary nationwide network of college newspapers via email, fax and the World Wide Web. The Collegiate Presswire news-feed is syndicated across the Internet by Screaming Media. Founded in 1998, the company is based in Clifton, NJ, with a satellite office in Stamford, CT. The Company can be reached online at http://www.cpwire.com or toll-free at (888) 621-7721.