A reporter may need to confirm a number, request an interview, or obtain an image on a deadline. A press release therefore needs an identifiable media contact and a reliable route to reach them. The exact placement varies by house style, but the information should be easy to find and kept current.
The essential contact block
Include a media-contact label, a real person's name or staffed press office, role or organization, professional email address, and a phone number if it is monitored for media inquiries. If the number has restricted hours, state the time zone. For an urgent public-safety notice, provide the appropriate staffed emergency or media route, not a number that goes unanswered.
A simple format is: 'Media contact: [Name], [Role] | [professional email] | [monitored phone and hours].' Do not use an employee's personal number or email without their agreement.
Where it goes
Many releases place contact information near the top or after the body and boilerplate. For an emailed release, the sender and signature can help, but do not assume the email will remain attached when the release is forwarded or posted elsewhere. Keep a contact block in the release itself. A landing page can also include the press-office route and downloadable assets.
A CDC media-relations guide recommends a reachable contact and says emergency communication may require a 24-hour number. Choose an arrangement appropriate to the story and the team's actual availability.
Protect privacy and reduce friction
A journalist should not have to fill out a sales form to verify a factual claim. If the organization needs a secure channel for sensitive information, explain how to request it without exposing private data in a public PDF.
- Use a professional inbox or role address when staff turnover is likely.
- Confirm that someone monitors the inbox after distribution.
- Add an accessible link to images, source documents, or a fact sheet when relevant.
- Separate media inquiries from customer support and emergency assistance.
- Update archived releases if a contact is no longer valid, or route the address to a current team.
Check before sending
Send a test email, verify the telephone number, and confirm the contact has the facts and authority to respond. A perfectly formatted block is useless if the person cannot answer questions about the announcement.