What is a newswire, and how does press release distribution work?
A newswire (or wire service for press releases) is a company that distributes press releases to a network of news websites, newsrooms, financial data terminals and journalists. You submit a release, the wire reviews it, then sends it through feeds that partner sites publish automatically, usually on pages labeled as press releases.
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How distribution works
- You submit the release with categories and contact details.
- Editors check it against the wire's rules.
- At the scheduled time, it goes out on the wire's feeds: RSS and API feeds to partner sites, email to journalist lists, and data feeds to financial terminals.
- Partner sites publish it automatically, often within minutes to hours, in their press release or partner content sections.
- The wire collects the URLs where it appeared and builds a distribution report.
What the labels mean
Sites that publish wire content mark it, for example "Press Release", the wire's name, or a disclaimer that the content is provided by a third party. This is what separates a release from an article written by the outlet's journalists. See press release vs media coverage.
Types of wires
| Type | Examples | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Large traditional wires | PR Newswire (Cision), Business Wire | Public company disclosure, large brands |
| National wires | GlobeNewswire, Accesswire, EIN Presswire | Companies of all sizes |
| Online distribution networks | Many resellers and newer services | Startups and small businesses, online syndication |
| Regional and industry wires | Country- or sector-specific | Targeted audiences |
Questions people ask
Is a newswire the same as the Associated Press?
No. The AP is a news agency whose journalists report the news. Press releases can appear on AP News in a dedicated press release section, through distribution partnerships, clearly separate from AP's journalism.