Press releases sit at the start of many news stories. They share the key facts. Then outlets write the full article. In Harvard Referencing Style, treat press releases as electronic sources when you read them online.
Tip for a research paper or dissertation: Use the press release if it is the source of a specific claim or figure. Cite the later news story only when you rely on that article’s wording or analysis.
What Counts as a Press Release?
- An official statement posted by a company, agency, or NGO.
- Usually short. Facts, quotes, dates, numbers.
- Often published on the organisation’s site or media centre.
A media release is similar but can be shorter and more promotional. On social accounts, the corporate author is clear, so you cite the organisation or named official.
Core Harvard Patterns
In-text citation
- Press release with no named author:
(Title Year) - If a corporate author is clear:
(Corporate Author Year)
Reference list entry — press release (web)
Title. (Year). [online] Available at: URL [Accessed Day Mon. Year].
Some guides italicise the title; others keep it plain. Follow your university sheet and stay consistent.
Reference list entry — media release (social or site post)
Corporate Author, Year. Title in italics, media release, Day Month,
Place if shown, viewed Day Mon. Year, URL.
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Harvard Citation Examples
Press release (title as author)
- In-text: (Press Statement by Dr William Jonas 2014)
- Reference list: Press Statement by Dr William Jonas, Aboriginal and Torres. (2014). [online] Available at: http://example.org/jonas-release [Accessed 17 Aug. 2014].
Media release (named official / corporate author)
- In-text: (Morrison 2015)
- Reference list: Morrison, S. 2015. Tax and business incentives to boost economic growth & jobs, media release, 7 December, Parliament House, Canberra, viewed 15 Dec. 2015, http://sjm.ministers.treasury.gov.au/media-release/022-2015/.
Corporate newsroom item with clear author
- In-text: (National Gallery 2023)
- Reference list: National Gallery. 2023. New exhibition dates confirmed, media release, viewed 2 Mar. 2023, https://example.org/newsroom/exhibition.
Quick Chooser: Press vs Media Release
| Your source | Who to cite in-text | Start of reference list |
|---|---|---|
| PDF or page titled “Press Release” with no person named | Title + Year | Title. (Year). |
| Corporate post with named minister/CEO | Surname + Year | Surname, Initial. Year. Title, media release… |
| Social post on the official account | Organisation + Year | Organisation. Year. Post title/first phrase, media release… |
Keep the Accessed date for online items. Add place only when shown on the release.
Page Numbers and Timestamps
Most releases have no pages. If a PDF has pages, add them for quotes:
(Corporate Author Year, p. 3) or (pp. 3–4).
Frequently Asked Questions
To Harvard reference an article in press:
- Author(s) last name, initials.
- Year (in press).
- Title of the article.
- Title of the journal (in italics).
- DOI or URL (if available).
- Accessed date (if online).
- In-text: (Author, in press) or (Author, year, in press).
Follow your university guide. Some keep it plain; some italicise. Be consistent across your dissertation.
Use n.d. in place of the year: (Title n.d.) and Title. (n.d.). ….
Close. A media release is often shorter and posted on a feed. Cite the corporate author or named official and include the label “media release”.
Yes. Cite the press release for the statement or figure. Cite the article when you rely on its wording or commentary.
Still a press release. Treat it as an electronic source. Add the Accessed date and pages if visible.
