Emma Stokes
Introduction
• I will be comparing the press release, Make-A-Wish® celebrates 40 years of wishes at Super Bowl LIV
–
Make a Wish flew 19 children and their families from 12 different states and Canada to Miami for the Super Bowl
–
Welcome reception at Dave & Busters
• News story, Disney Parks Donates $1 Million to Make-A-Wish in Honor of Super Bowl LIV MVP
Patrick Mahomes
–
Most Valuable player Patrick Mahomes and Disney give Make a Wish $1 million
–
19 children and families that attended the Super Bowl will travel to Disney World
The Press Release
Make-A-Wish® celebrates 40 years of wishes at Super Bowl LIV
• The topic of the press release is Make a Wish grants 19 wishes to children at the Super Bowl LIV
• The news hook used to pull in the reader is each of the children are facing life threatening illnesses
• The headline used is Make-A-Wish® celebrates 40 years of wishes at Super Bowl LIV
• The newsworthiness values/elements used in the headline and release were – prominence – super bowl is a prominent event.
–
Significance – 19 children and their families are being affected, it has a big impact on a lot of people
– Human Interest – Richard Davis
The Press Release
Richard Davis, President and CEO of Make a Wish
America, is quoted in the release
–
"At Make-A-Wish, we believe that every child deserves a childhood, which is why we grant wishes that give kids hope and joy today – so they can look forward to tomorrow, From the first Super Bowl wish in 1982 to the record 19 wishes being granted during our 40th anniversary this year, the NFL has been one of our longest-tenured sponsors, and we are truly grateful for all that the league does to make life better for wish kids and their families."
The press release uses a straight summary lead. The release was a traditional format and follows the inverted pyramid format.
•
•
The Resulting Story
Disney Parks Donates $1 Million to Make a Wish in Honor of Super Bowl LIV MVP Patrick Mahomes
• The topic of the news story is Mahomes and Disney team up to give Make a Wish $1 million in honor of his win
• The headline is Disney Parks Donates $1 Million to Make-A-Wish in Honor of Super Bowl LIV MVP Patrick Mahomes
• The news values portrayed in the headline are prominence and human interest
The Resulting News Story
• No subhead was present
• Patrick Mahomes was quoted in the story:
• No boilerplate content made it into the story
“I’m going to Disney World!”
Similarities
• The same newsworthiness values were incorporated into the story as the press release. (prominence and significance)
• Both stories have the PR perspective of Make a Wish • The press release and news story expand our understanding by expanding Super Bowl attendance from Make a Wish children • Opportunity to help the public learn about Make a Wish beyond the organization itself
Differences
• The same news hook was not used for the press release and news story.
• The news story was structured differently because it did not have a boiler plate for Make a Wish.
• The news story is really focused on the Disney perspective, while the press release focused on the Super Bowl perspective
Key Takeaways Summary
I would have written the headline for the press release differently by being more specific and condensing. • I added a subhead to elaborate and focus on key details about the event. The author could have been more specific about the details of the event such as time and place to guide the reader.
The boilerplate is too long.
Missing commas and AP style errors.
I was able to find a press release easily from the Make a Wish news room. I found that press releases are longer than news stories.
•
•
•
•
https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2020 /02/disney-parks-donates-1-million-to-make-a -wish-in-honor-of-super-bowl-liv-mvp-patrickmahomes/
https://wish.org/press-releases/superbowl-20 20
•
•
