Video News Releases: Best practices for reaching TV, Digital, and Social Media
If you are looking to increase TV media coverage, boost your visibility online, and maximise the return on your next PR campaign, a professionally produced Video News Release (VNR) should be part of your communications strategy.
Journalists, producers, and digital publishers are working to tighter deadlines than ever before. Newsrooms are expected to deliver content not just for news bulletins but also for websites, social media, and streaming services, often with fewer resources.
Which is why a well-produced VNR has become one of the most effective PR tools and is essential to the success of any PR campaign.
What is a Video News Release?
A Video News Release is a professionally produced news package that provides media outlets with what they need to produce a TV news story. They include broadcast-quality vision or footage and ‘grabs’ or ‘sound bites’ from key spokespeople, all from a digital link emailed with a media release.
Unlike advertising, a VNR is designed to support earned media coverage by helping journalists tell a story with a strong news angle.
The most successful VNRs don’t just promote a brand – they tell a story that resonates with audiences.
Why Video News Releases are essential for broadcast PR
Television news has always relied on compelling pictures. But now every media platform demands visual content.
Online news stories include video. Social media rewards video content. Even radio stations publish video interviews across their online and social media channels.
Value-adding with broadcast-quality footage and interviews significantly increases the chances of your story being picked up because you are making it easier for journalists to publish it. And if you provide all the talent and footage they need, often they don’t even have to leave their desks to cover your story.
“Newsrooms are under enormous pressure to produce more content with fewer staff and resources. They are also looking for great pictures and great stories to tell. If you can deliver both, you are already ahead of the pack,” Adoni Media‘s Managing Director, Leisa Goddard, said.
Why businesses should invest in a Video News Release
Creating a VNR is not simply about filming an interview and relevant vision. A VNR should combine strategic key messaging, experienced journalists, broadcast-quality filming, spokespeople who have been media training, and a targeted PR strategy for distribution.
“The best VNRs don’t feel like marketing, they look and feel like news and that’s the difference between a VNR that gets ignored and one that secures national media coverage,” Ms Goddard said.
Best practices for Video News Release production
Start with a genuine news angle.
No amount of great camera work can rescue a story with a weak angle. Ask yourself whether your announcement is genuinely relevant to your audience. What is new? What is the impact on the community? Who is it affecting? Is it a significant milestone? How important is the research?
Lead with the news, not the organisation.
Invest in broadcast-quality footage and interviews
The quality of your production matters because it is a representation of your organisation and your brand. Poor lighting, muffled audio or no audio on the vision, and shaky camera work will only guarantee your VNR being binned. Work with a professional camera operator, preferably someone who has worked in news and knows what journalists need and ensure the producer also has newsroom experience, so they know which questions to ask the talent to draw out newsworthy grabs.
Choose the right spokespeople
Your spokespeople should help to tell your story. They need to be knowledgeable, authentic, and confident on camera. The best talent should also be able to explain complex issues in a way that makes it easy for the audience to understand what they are saying while delivering memorable ‘grabs’ or ‘sound bites’.
“Spokespeople don’t need to know everything – they need to be able to communicate their key messages clearly, confidently, and in a way people will remember,” Ms Goddard said.
“If they aren’t confident and credible in front of the camera, it would wise to invest in media training. Like bad camera work, bad talent will also ensure your VNR won’t see the light of day.”
Provide plenty of supporting vision
TV journalists also need broadcast-quality vision or footage to cover your story. To help bring your story life, ensure the right people and relevant activity to the story are filmed. The more relevant vision the more options journalists have when it comes time to edit your footage into their story.
Make it easy for media
To make it easy for journalists to use your VNR, ensure the following are included:
- broadcast-quality vision or footage
- edited newsworthy ‘grabs’ or ‘sound bites’
- clean audio
- Media Release
- supporting Fact Sheets
Think beyond television news
A VNR should never be viewed as content only for television news bulletins. The same footage and interviews can be used across a number of platforms including online news websites, social media channels, YouTube, media kits, as well as updates for internal communications and stakeholders.
One professionally produced VNR shoot can generate widespread media coverage and content for weeks – or even months – after the PR campaign has been launched, making VNRs a valuable PR toolkit that should always be considered in your PR plan.
At Adoni Media, our team of former television news journalists have produced hundreds of Video News Releases in Australia, helping clients secure national TV coverage, online news stories, and millions of media impressions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Video News Release (VNR)?
A Video News Release is a professionally produced package of broadcast-quality video, interviews and supporting footage created to help journalists report on a newsworthy story. In Australia, VNRs are commonly used by organisations seeking earned media coverage.
Why are Video News Releases effective?
VNRs save journalists time by providing ready-to-use visual content, making it easier for television, digital, and social media outlets to cover a story.
Do television stations still use Video News Releases?
Yes. Television newsrooms continue to use VNRs when they contain genuine news value, high-quality vision, and credible spokespersons. Digital publishers and online news platforms also increasingly use VNR content.
What should be included in a Video News Release?
A strong VNR typically includes interviews, B-roll footage, edited grabs, clean audio, high-resolution images, a media release, and supporting fact sheets.
Can Video News Releases be used for social media?
Absolutely. Content captured for a VNR can be repurposed into short-form videos, reels, LinkedIn posts, YouTube content, and other digital assets, maximising the return on your production investment.
How long should a Video News Release be?
While the complete media package may contain several minutes of footage, interview grabs are generally kept concise, with clear, quotable sound bites that newsrooms can easily edit into their stories.
Do I need media training before filming a Video News Release?
Media training is highly recommended. A confident spokesperson who can communicate clearly and deliver memorable messages dramatically improves the effectiveness of a Video News Release and the likelihood of media coverage.
