What Are the 5 W's and H in a Press Release?

Every journalism student learns the 5 W's and H on day one. They're the six questions every news story answers: Who, What, When, Where, Why and How.

In a press release, they're your secret weapon. Answer them clearly, early and in plain language, and you've done most of the work.

The six questions, explained

Who? Who is involved? Your company, your spokesperson, partners, customers, the community affected.

What? What is happening? The actual news — a launch, an opening, a hire, a milestone, an event.

When? When is it happening or when did it happen? Specific dates and times. Include the time zone for events (MT for Calgary).

Where? Where is it happening? A full address for events. For announcements, the city or region affected.

Why? Why does it matter? This is where most releases fall short. Why should a reader care? What problem does it solve?

How? How does it work, or how did it come about? The mechanics, the process, the numbers.

Put them in the first paragraph

Journalists call the opening sentence or two the "lede." A strong lede answers most of the 5 W's and H right away.

Example:

"CALGARY, AB — Bow Valley Bikes (who) will open a free bike repair hub for newcomers (what) at its Bridgeland location (where) on Saturday, May 9 (when), giving new residents a low-cost way to get to work (why) through volunteer mechanics and donated parts (how)."

That one sentence tells the whole story. A reporter could stop reading and still have the news.

Then expand in order of importance

After the lede, journalists expect the "inverted pyramid": most important information first, supporting detail next, background last. So:

Lede — the 5 W's and H in brief
Expansion — more detail on the why and how
Quote — a human voice adding emotion or opinion
Supporting facts — numbers, partners, availability
Background — company history, boilerplate

For a full layout you can copy, see Press Release Template: What You Actually Need.

The "why" is where coverage is won

Most releases nail who, what, when and where. They're facts you already know. The why takes thought. And it's the question that makes a journalist care.

Weak why: "to better serve our customers." Strong why: "because Calgary's newest residents often can't afford a car in their first year."

If your why is weak, that's the signal to dig deeper for your angle. Comparing strong and weak releases helps — see What's the Difference Between a Good and Bad Press Release?

Keep each answer tight

The 5 W's and H help you stay short. If a sentence doesn't answer one of the six questions or add a quote, ask whether it needs to be there at all. That discipline keeps releases readable — more on that in How Long Should a Press Release Be?

Why this formula works

The 5 W's and H are how reporters themselves think. When your release is structured the way their stories are structured, you're speaking their language. It's one of the reasons a release isn't the same as an article, even though they share DNA — we unpack the difference in What's the Difference Between a Press Release and a News Article?

Quick checklist

Before sending, highlight your first paragraph and check:

[ ] Who is named?
[ ] What is clearly stated?
[ ] When includes a date?
[ ] Where includes a city or address?
[ ] Why gives a reason someone outside your company would care?
[ ] How is at least hinted at?

Six ticks? You're ready.

Found your who, what and when but struggling with the why? That's our favourite part. Start your Blast at blastily.com.