The procedure to rewrite a press release is very much the same as that of writing a news report. The only difference is that the press release provides the main information. However, there may be times when the reporter may need to obtain extra information.

This is done by calling the official who issued the press release or going through past records/reports on the subject.

The following press release was issued by the Press Information Bureau announcing the postponement of bypolls to four constituencies in Uttar Pradesh. You will notice that this press release starts off with an old point. The news is buried in the second paragraph.

Your task as reporter is to locate the news point, and build an intro around it. The next step is to locate the points that supplement the intro. This should go into structuring the story.

Please go through the press note and then follow the steps that have been taken to rewrite it.

# Press release issued by Press Information Bureau on July 30, 2007  17:42 IST 

” POLLING & COUNTING DATES CHANGED FOR 3 ACS BYE-ELECTIONS IN UP

The Election Commission had announced on 24th July, 2007 the schedule for holding by-elections to fill a number of casual vacancies in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies including 39-Ballia Parliamentary Constituency, 20-Suar Tanda, 25-Gunnaur and 296-Farrukhabad Assembly Constituencies in Uttar Pradesh.

In the meanwhile, the Chief Electoral Officer, Uttar Pradesh, in view of the already existing flood situation in eastern U.P and likely water logging during the later half of the month of August in a considerable number of polling stations areas falling within Ballia Parliamentary Constituency, has requested the Commission to consider postponing the bye-election from 39-Ballia Lok Sabha constituency. The Commission having taken all aspects of the issue into consideration has decided to postpone the bye-election from 39-Ballia Parliamentary Constituency. A fresh schedule for the bye-election will be announced in due course.