PR Newswire

PR Newswire
Public corporation
Traded as LSE: UBM
Industry Publications; communications
Founded 1954
Headquarters 350 Hudson Street, Suite 300
New York, NY 10014-4504[1]
U.S.
Products Newswire service
Website www.prnewswire.com

PR Newswire started in 1954 to send text press releases to the media. Today, the company continues to provide press release and company communications through its website, and also delivers news and multimedia content. Public corporations in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and other nations may use PR Newswire to meet SEC Regulation Fair Disclosure requirements.

History

PR Newswire was founded in 1954.[2] In 1971, it was sold to Western Union,[3] which had provided the telecommunications lines and teleprinters that supported the service. In 1972, PR Newswire began using electronic terminals for copyediting. In 1978, the company adopted the Associated Press' computerized message handling and transmission system.

In 1982, PR Newswire was purchased by current owner UBM plc, known at the time as United Newspapers.[4]

In 2000 the company acquired eWatch, founded in 1995 as an automated service to monitor websites, chat rooms, Usenet groups, web publications, online service forums and investor message boards for mentions of a specific organization, issue, product or service. eWatch also monitors for mentions of an organization's peers and competition, and includes audience numbers to help communications professionals determine the impact of their media relations campaigns. The eWatch service monitors more than 11,000 print and 12,000 online news outlets, including blogs, for company mentions.

In 2001, PR Newswire issued the first Multimedia News Release for Touchstone Pictures promoting the film, "Pearl Harbor." The Multimedia News Release was the first press release to include b-roll, soundbites, high resolution images, and film trailer.[5] Many refer to the Multimedia News Release as a [Social Media Press Release] or [Social Media Release].

In December 2008, PR Newswire moved its New York City corporate headquarters from Midtown Manhattan to Lower Manhattan, at 350 Hudson Street.[1]

In mid-2009, PR Newswire acquired The Fuel Team.[6]

The largest competitor to PR Newswire is Marketwired.[7] In October 2011, PR Newswire was sued by Marketwire for $25 million in damages after it hired Marketwire's former chief technology officer, Shoeb Ansari.[8]

The PR newswire database includes 10,700 syndicated websites and has 543,379 journalists and influencers in its network.[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Worldwide Offices - New York Headquarters". PR Newswire Association LLC. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  2. ↑ "About PR Newswire". PR Newswire. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
  3. ↑ "Herbert Muschel, 85, Founder Of Service for Corporate News", New York Times, November 5, 2003. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
  4. ↑ UBM, Media Briefing. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
  5. ↑ Touchstone Pictures' "Pearl Harbor" Premieres
  6. ↑ "PR Newswire Acquires Leading Online News Room Hosting Company, The Fuel Team". PR Newswire. July 31, 2009. Retrieved April 3, 2014.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "UBM plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013". Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  8. ↑ "Stop the press releases! PR Newswire sued by rival". Reuters. October 26, 2011. Retrieved January 30, 2013.

External links