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= Workflow =
The proposed texts should be submitted for colective edition at the DebianTimes team draft area.

The drafts should state the closing date and GMT hour for contributions.

An email should be issued at debian-publicity mailing list containing a link to it, the closing date and hour.

Define a closing date and time period of two business days.

After the closing date, a Debian Times editor publish it and include at very first line: TEXT PUBLISHED ON DEBIAN TIMES url....

In some circumstances, additional edition may be needed and the draft should be kept available.



[:DebianWiki/EditorGuide#translation:Translation(s)]: none

Prerequisites: study the external links about Press Releases and read previous PRs at Debian Times

[:/Discussion:Discussion]

  • ?TableOfContents(3)

General

When writing Press Releases for the Debian Times you represent the Project to the outer world. So please keep in mind when adding articles, that our readers expect the highest quality standards, as they are accustomed from everything having the label "Debian".

To be more exact, Debian Times should follow the spirit of the social contract, and should be exact, objective and truthfully.

Audience

The intended audience of Debian Times press releases are journalists. By extent, the potential users and potential developers.

Content

The PR content must focus on positive things regarding Debian Project. Even when reacting against negative things, the focus shall be on the solution presented by Debian Project, avoiding to even cite the original negative event as much as possible. In this situation, the text must be self contained: a casual reader that is unaware of original negative event should not be compelled to search for such event and be satisfied with knowing that Project is creating new solutions.

Other companies, products, services should be cited as additional information resources, giving contact information and some background.

Depth of details: the depth should be only enough to the intended audience. Additional information should be linked for those interested at more in depth information.

Always link to original content URL when applicable. Always give due credit. Never copy entire original content into the PR without written consent. Limit copying to the fewest lines possible, and to direct citations from interviewed people.

The Press Releases MUST NOT name other people or institutions in any negative tone. Only as a defensive reaction mode, after a consult to debian-legal mailing list. It is a very bad PR tactic that always backfire to some degree and does not add any real value to a Press Release. Left it to blogs and press. It is a legal risk, that a non-profit could not afford. PRs should always focus on positive tone and facts.

Structure

You need to state information about the following answers, IN THE ORDER:

1- Who, where, when is using and chose Debian?

2- What was accomplished / built / offered?

3- Why Debian was chosen?

4- What are the benefits of using Debian?

5- How Debian enabled such success / feature / business model, etc?

The structure elements who, where, should link to institution official site and wikipedia geographical information pages. Company, city, province, country.

Title

It should be the last thing you write. And the most important one. It could be the only chance to get attention of the reader. It will be catch phrase that will be spread. It must be the essence of the Press Release, stating the most important, the key benefit of choosing Debian.

Lenght

The main text should try hard to be printable in a single A4 page, helvetica 12. The "About Debian Project" could be printed in a second A4 page. If your text NEEDS to be longer, you MUST apply style guidelines to make sure it is readable, redactable, compelling. Time is becoming less and less available.

Your text MUST be of highest information DENSITY to be worth reading despite any size.

The structure elements who, where, when, what should be as short as possible.

Style

The official press release language is british english.

Workflow

The proposed texts should be submitted for colective edition at the ?DebianTimes team draft area.

The drafts should state the closing date and GMT hour for contributions.

An email should be issued at debian-publicity mailing list containing a link to it, the closing date and hour.

Define a closing date and time period of two business days.

After the closing date, a Debian Times editor publish it and include at very first line: TEXT PUBLISHED ON DEBIAN TIMES url....

In some circumstances, additional edition may be needed and the draft should be kept available.

External Links