Multimedia FAQs
General FAQs
Who is eligible to use PR Newswire for Journalists?
PR Newswire for Journalists is available to those who work in journalism: reporters, editors, bloggers, photographers, art directors, researchers, broadcasters and producers.
I'm an existing user of PR Newswire for Journalists and just changed jobs. Do I need to register for the site again?
No. Just click on "My PR Newswire" and then click on "My Info." You can change your company, email, job title, mailing address, etc. If your username is the old email address, please email us and we'll change it for you.
I am interested in re-publishing your news releases on my website. Can you help me do that?
You can visit our Publishing Partners page in the Community Section of the site to learn more about the various channels to receive our content.
Who should I contact for a quick one-on-one or group demo of the site?
Our media relations team is happy to walk you through the site. You can reach them at [email protected] to set up a time that's convenient for you.
I am interested in distributing a news release through PR Newswire. How can I get more information?
Please send a request to [email protected] and include your name, company, location, email and phone number. You will be contacted shortly.
Are university students and professors allowed to use PR Newswire for Journalists?
Yes, but please be advised this site is not to be used for class assignments. ProfNet may not be used for class assignments. These sites may only be used if you are working on a story that will be published and has been assigned to you by a publication. Only students of university-level journalism programs may have access to this site. Our staff will contact you for verification.
Is there a fee to use your news releases, videos, logos or photos?
No, PR Newswire for Journalists is free for members of the media.
Can I change my username?
Yes. Please email Media Site team at [email protected] with your information and the new username you prefer. We will notify you once we update your username.
How do I change my password?
Click on your name on the top right corner. Select "Edit Account Info" and then "Change Password."
Which browser should I use with PR Newswire for Journalists?
PR Newswire for Journalists has been optimized for use with versions of Internet Explorer, FireFox and Chrome. However, the website should be functional for all other browsers as well.
Which mobile devices should I use with PR Newswire for Journalists?
PR Newswire for Journalists works with all smartphone devices with browsers.
I need help with the website. Who should I contact at PR Newswire?
You can reach out to our Media Site team by emailing us at [email protected]. Please note that we are staffed Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST.
My PR Newswire
My PR Newswire allows journalists to create custom news releases feeds, in which they can receive news releases via email. They can customize the delivery time and the topics of the news releases based on their needs.
Overview
Who is eligible to use PR Newswire for Journalists?
PR Newswire for Journalists is available to those who work in journalism: reporters, editors, photographers, bloggers, art directors, researchers, broadcasters and producers.
Do I have to create a profile in order to use PR Newswire for Journalists?
No. But creating one will ensure that you see the copy you need to see.
I'm a university student majoring in journalism. Can I use PR Newswire for Journalists?
Yes, but please be advised this site is not to be used for class assignments. ProfNet may not be used for class assignments. These sites may only be used if you are working on a story that will be published and has been assigned to you by a publication. Only students of university-level journalism programs may have access to this site. Someone will contact you for verification.
I'm a user of PR Newswire for Journalists and I've just changed jobs. Do I have to register for the site again?
No. Just click on My PRNewswire and then click on "My Info." You can change your company, email, job title, mailing address, etc.
Do I have to create a profile in order to use PR Newswire for Journalists?
No, but creating one will ensure you get the news releases you need to see.
What is a news feed profile?
A news feed profile allows you to customize the type of news releases you want to receive from PR Newswire. You can set up filters based on keywords, industry, subject, language, geography, multimedia assets and much more. Want to receive the customized news releases in real time or around your schedule? No problem! Just simply set up a delivery time in your news feed profile and we will deliver the news releases right to your inbox.
I need to contact ProfNet about a query I just sent out.
Please contact ProfNet at [email protected].
Is there a fee to use your news releases, videos, logos or photos?
No, PR Newswire for Journalists is free.
Which browser should I use with PR Newswire for Journalists?
PR Newswire for Journalists has been optimized for use with versions of Internet Explorer 8 or higher, FireFox 22 or higher and the latest version of Chrome.
Can I change my username and/or password?
Yes. To change your password, click on the box that says "Forgot your password?" You'll be prompted to enter your email address. PR Newswire for Journalists will send you a temporary password along with your username. Use the temporary password to sign in, and then create a new password. If you need to change your username, please send your request to: [email protected].
I am covering an upcoming political convention or tradeshow. How can I receive news about it?
Just set up a custom news feed profile using the name of the event as the keyword.
Create/edit a profile
How many profiles can I create?
There is no limit in regards to the number of profiles you can create.
Email Delivery
I thought I set up my news feed profile, but am not receiving my emails.
Please go into your news feed profile and ensure the email delivery option is set to YES
I'm receiving too much email from you. How can I change my delivery preference?
Is your profile setup to receive news releases in real time? If so, you can change it so that emails will be delivered based on your schedule. Also check to see if your news feed profile criteria are too board. Setting additional criteria will get you more relevant news releases.
Multimedia FAQs
How do I search for images which are relevant to me?
You can utilize the basic search by the keyword in the caption or use the advanced search in the Multimedia section to find the images that you need.
Do I need to credit these photos and how do I do that?
No, you do not need to credit the photos. However, photos should be used for editorial purposes only.
News Release FAQs
The industry/subject categories look different than what they were previously.
We made some changes to our industry/subject categories and added more industries and subjects to PR Newswire for Journalists, so that we can provide more relevant news releases to the beat you're covering. If there is an industry or subject that you cannot find, please reach out to the Media Site team at [email protected].
ProfNet FAQs
How do I send a query?
Click on the ProfNet Experts tab in the navigation bar and fill out the query form.
What does "cloaking a query" mean?
When you choose the cloaking option, ProfNet will omit the publication name from your query and just describe the publication in generic terms (e.g., national business magazine). If you are a staff writer and your email address identifies the publication, we will also withhold your name and email address from the query. The system will assign a randomly generated “anonymous” email address to which members can respond. All responses will then be forwarded by the ProfNet system to your actual email address
If you are a freelance writer, you can also choose to omit your email address and have the system create an “anonymous” email address. However, your name will be listed in the query.
Have any questions about how cloaking works? Drop us a line at [email protected] with “Cloaking” in the subject line.
How do I re-send a query?
To re-send a query, click on the ProfNet Experts tab and then ProfNet Inbox to see your queries. Click on the headline of the one you would like to re-send, and then on “Resend Query.” You will have the option to edit the query before re-submitting it.
How do I turn off a query?
Go to your ProfNet inbox, select the query. Click on the Change Status drop down and select Turn Selected Queries Off.
How long does it take for a query to be sent out?
Queries are distributed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time. Provided our editors don't have any questions on your query, it can usually be distributed within an hour. You will receive a confirmation copy by email once it is distributed.
Are ProfNet members vetted?
All ProfNet members must also be members of PR Newswire, which verifies that members are legitimate businesses. In addition, all ProfNet members must sign our Terms & Conditions, which state:
- ProfNet Opportunities (queries) are not to be used as stepping-off points for pitches that have no relevance to the request.
- Contact with reporters submitting Opportunities is to be made only via the channels specified by the reporter in the request.
- ProfNet Opportunities are to be treated as confidential, disclosed to others in your organization only on a need-to-know basis.
- Opportunities are never to be posted to an electronic mailing list or shared with others on a public site.
- ProfNet members shall in no way attempt to badger or coerce a reporter into contacting or quoting a given source.
- E-mail addresses obtained through ProfNet are not to be used in any list for unsolicited, mass-distributed messages.
- All Opportunities are to be viewed as exclusive to the writer or organization submitting the request.
- ProfNet Opportunities are not to be used to advance personal interests or agendas, except in cases where reporters explicitly request responses that are personal in nature.
If one of our members sends you a response that violates our Terms & Conditions, please alert us at [email protected] and we will investigate.
Can bloggers use ProfNet to find sources, products, etc.?
Yes, but we do require that blogs be active for at least six months, and we will review the blog to ensure it is appropriate for our audience.
For product requests, we require the blog comply with the FTC blogger guidelines regarding reviews and giveaways, and that there are no fees associated with the request (e.g., ProfNet members will not be asked to pay any fees or purchase advertising in exchange for having their products reviewed/featured). We also require UVPM numbers be included in the query. Whenever possible, please also include any site stats available, such as the blog's Google Rank, number of followers, page views per month, etc. Because members are understandably wary of product requests, the more information you can provide upfront, the better your response rate.
Who should I contact in ProfNet about a query I just sent out?
You can speak with our ProfNet Editorial team at 800-PROFNET (800-776-3638), ext. 1 or email us at [email protected]