Three hash marks on a line of their own—###—are a familiar end-of-copy signal in news-release formatting. They tell an editor where the release stops. The convention comes from print-era newsroom workflows, but it is not a magic requirement for every website or distribution system. Use it when it clarifies the document and follow the receiving outlet's instructions when they differ.
What the marks do
An end mark separates the release from anything appended to it, such as background notes or transmission details. Southeast Missouri State University's editorial guide, for example, instructs staff to put ### at the bottom of a printed release to signify its end. Other guides allow an 'end' label. The purpose is completeness and clarity, not a signal that an announcement is more newsworthy.
The exact placement has varied by organization. Some put the company boilerplate before the end mark and a media contact after it; others include both before the mark. Choose one clear order and keep all facts a journalist needs available. Do not let a decorative symbol hide an important contact or make a legal disclosure ambiguous.
A practical closing sequence
01
Finish the actual news
End the body after the key facts, context, and approved quote. Do not use an end mark to cover an unsupported claim or a missing date.
02
Provide company context
A short boilerplate can identify the issuing organization and link to a reliable official page. Keep it current and factual.
03
Make follow-up possible
Give a monitored media contact with a name or role, email, and any useful time-zone information. Test every link.
04
Place one clear marker
If the format calls for it, put ### or END on its own line after the release material according to the outlet's style. Do not scatter markers between sections.
When the convention is optional
A structured online newsroom page already has a visible end, navigation, and a contact block. A CMS or distribution platform may add its own metadata or reject decorative characters. In that setting, a literal ### can confuse ordinary readers and may not improve editorial handling. A PDF, email attachment, or copy-and-paste media release may still benefit from a familiar sign-off.
Business Wire's release-writing guidance emphasizes clear, readable news and a useful first paragraph. Its longer guide calls for media contact information and a website address at the end. Those essentials matter more than any one symbol. Check submission rules before assuming that an old convention is mandatory everywhere.
Avoid common closing mistakes
Do not end the copy before a required qualification or put internal notes below the mark where they might be forwarded accidentally. Do not use the marker in place of a boilerplate, media contact, or correction policy. Keep confidential drafting comments out of the distribution file entirely.
Before sending, have another person read the release from the headline through the contact block. Confirm that the story has a real ending, all claims are approved, and the contact can answer questions. The best use of ### is modest: it is a clear publishing cue when a human or platform needs one, and easily omitted when the document is already unambiguous.