ABSTRACT
First introduced in the 1970s, video news releases (VNRs) are video versions of news releases. Much like the traditional news release, a VNR provides ready-to-use content to journalists with the goal of having them share it with their audiences. Like all media, VNRs have evolved in the Digital Age. VNRs are no longer just for television journalists: Videos have become an essential part of online news sources. And the advent of social media has made it possible to bypass journalists and reach out directly to people through direct-to-audience videos. VNRs and direct-to-audience videos must contain information relevant to the target audience. In the case of VNRs, they must also serve the needs of journalists. The role of a strategic writer in the production of a VNR or direct-to-audience video is to produce a two-column script. Audience-direct VNRs—those that bypass journalists—are often embedded within organization websites, including digital newsrooms are featured on organizational YouTube channels.
