Images and videos can help a reporter assess and illustrate an announcement, but they do not make an unverified claim newsworthy. Treat each file as evidence with a source, date, context, and clear permission to use it.
Select media that explains the news
Choose a photograph of the product, person, location, or event central to the announcement. A relevant image is more useful than a generic team photo. If a process is hard to describe, a short demonstration can show it, provided it is not edited to suggest an outcome the viewer would not actually see.
For a future event, do not use an old image without labeling it as archival. For a product still in prototype, identify the rendering or prototype accurately. Do not present a stock image as an actual customer, patient, or location. The Associated Press's newsroom standards emphasize identifying archival material and preserving the factual meaning of visual content.
Prepare files and captions
Provide a working link to downloadable, publication-quality files rather than embedding a huge attachment in every pitch. Include a smaller preview in the release if it helps scanning. Use descriptive file names and a short caption that identifies who or what is shown, where, and when. Give a photographer or creator credit and a contact for questions.
Supply horizontal and vertical crops only when they faithfully represent the same scene; never crop out a detail that changes the story. Include alternative text on the public release page so someone using assistive technology can understand the visual's purpose. A transcript or captions make spoken video usable to more readers.
Confirm rights and restrictions
Know who created the file and what rights your organization has to distribute it. Obtain releases or permissions when people, private property, or third-party marks require them. If a photo may be used only with this story, say so plainly in a media note. A link being public does not mean a newsroom can reuse everything at that address without restriction.
Do not submit a customer testimonial image or clip without the person's informed approval. Sensitive information visible in a screen, badge, document, or background should be reviewed before release. Give a journalist the original context if a clip has been shortened.
Place and test the media
Put the most relevant image near the main announcement and link to a small, organized media kit for further choices. Test access without an account, check download speed on mobile, and confirm filenames and credits survive download. Avoid expiring links if a story may be covered after launch day.
State whether footage is a demonstration, archive, animation, or independently recorded event. Accurate labeling helps an editor decide how to use it and prevents an attractive visual from creating a false impression.