Purpose. Sprint 52 fills the Media & PR pack gap named in marketing-backlog-v2 §5: LWD had scattered media-kit fragments but no press-release template that a non-PR operator could safely fill in under time pressure. This document ships that template — three modular headings (news · quote · boilerplate), eight pre-approved topic boilerplate paragraphs, structural guardrails, and gate-mapped acceptance criteria. Backlog item: BL-15 (press release template).
How to use. Choose one topic from §3 (below). Copy the release skeleton in §2. Fill the [bracketed] placeholders. Paste the chosen topic boilerplate into the “About LWD” slot. Add the media contact line from §4. Route through compliance sight-check (per /spokesperson-brief §approvals) before sending to a journalist.
Do not. Do not send a release without the compliance sight-check. Do not edit the eight approved boilerplates without CMO+compliance re-approval. Do not use a boilerplate variant that omits ABN, ACN, ACL 387398, or the mediation disclosure — the acceptance criterion (backlog v2 §5) is that every variant carries all four markers.
Contents
- 1. The three modular headings — what each does
- 2. The release skeleton (copy-paste ready)
- 3. The eight pre-approved topic boilerplates
- 4. Contact block + interview-request routing
- 5. Embargo & distribution discipline
- 6. Voice discipline — what a press release from LWD sounds like
- 7. Acceptance criteria (16-cell gate matrix)
- 8. Worked example — DGR-granted announcement
1. The three modular headings
Every LWD press release is built from three modular slots. The template forces the operator to name each slot explicitly so nothing is smuggled between them.
| Slot | Purpose | What goes in it | What does NOT go in it |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEWS | The single fact of the day. | One or two paragraphs. Who did what, when, why it matters. Concrete verbs. Names. Dates. Numbers. First paragraph must stand alone. | Adjectives (“proud”, “excited”), aspiration, mission-copy, calls to donate. |
| QUOTE | One human voice on the news. | One quote block (rarely two). Attributed to a named LWD spokesperson (see /spokesperson-brief §approved-lines for approved framings). Under 40 words. | Generic charity language. Second-person appeals. Quotes from beneficiaries (never used in press releases — see §6). Multiple quotes stacked. |
| BOILERPLATE | Who LWD is, in one paragraph. | One of the eight pre-approved topic boilerplates from §3. Every variant carries ABN, ACN, ACL 387398, and the mediation disclosure. | Ad-hoc rewrites. New claims. Numbers not audited in the Y1 report. Endorsements not in writing. |
2. The release skeleton (copy-paste ready)
Below is the exact structure for a distributable press release. Copy the block. Fill the [bracketed] placeholders. Choose one boilerplate from §3. Route through the compliance sight-check.
[Headline — one line, verb-driven, no adjectives. Under 12 words. Example: “Life Without Debt receives ATO DGR endorsement”]
NEWS. [Lead paragraph — who / what / when / where / why in one sentence. Second sentence adds the one piece of context a journalist needs. Third sentence, optional, adds the one comparison-point or precedent. First paragraph must stand alone: if a wire service takes only the first paragraph, the story is still complete.]
[Detail paragraph 1 — the one number, the one date, the one comparison. Attributed source for every fact.]
[Detail paragraph 2 — the one thing this news enables or unlocks. What it means for the beneficiary population.]
[Detail paragraph 3 — optional. Additional operational context, or the next milestone.]
— ENDS —
3. The eight pre-approved topic boilerplates
Each boilerplate is a self-contained paragraph paste-able into the “About Life Without Debt” slot. Each is tuned to a topic. Every variant carries the four required compliance markers (ABN, ACN, ACL 387398, mediation disclosure). Do not edit; do not paraphrase; do not blend variants.
The all-purpose paragraph — use when no more specific topic applies
Use when the news is about ATO DGR endorsement, ACNC registration, or ASIC company registration
Use when the news references audited Y1 numbers
Use when the news involves a hospital, palliative-care service, or health-referrer MOU
Use during National Palliative Care Week (late May) or similar awareness period
Use when the news is a major-donor gift, corporate MOU, or workplace-giving relationship
Use when the news is a policy consultation, industry submission, or regulatory context piece
Use with extreme caution — only when a beneficiary has given written informed consent for their story to be told publicly (and even then, most releases should use Boilerplate 1 or 3 instead)
4. Contact block + interview-request routing
Every release ends with a contact block. Use this exact form (do not substitute a personal name for the shared inbox as first-line contact).
Media contact. [Name of duty spokesperson or comms lead] · media@cosailifewithoutdebt.org · +61 [duty phone] · interview-request routing: /media-kit-refresh. High-resolution imagery, logo pack (SVG/PNG), factsheet, and bios available on request. Interview format options: 20–40 min print interview · 5–15 min radio segment · pre-record or live broadcast · short video call.
| Journalist asks for… | Routed to… | SLA |
|---|---|---|
| General interview / policy comment | media@cosailifewithoutdebt.org → spokesperson from /spokesperson-brief §approved | Reply within 4 hours business / next business day out of hours |
| Beneficiary story / case | Board (not spokesperson) — via media@ inbox flagged “beneficiary story request” | Reply within 24 hours; decline unless written consent already in hand |
| Legal / regulatory challenge | Board + legal counsel via media@ flagged “legal query” — no on-the-record response same-day | Acknowledge within 4 hours; substantive response 24–48 hours |
| Financial / audited-numbers detail | Treasurer + CMO via media@ flagged “financial detail” | Reply within 4 hours business; refer to audited financials at /registrations-index |
| Imagery / factsheet / logo pack | media@ auto-send — assets pre-staged at /media-kit-refresh | Reply within 2 hours business |
| Complaint about coverage / correction request | CMO via media@ flagged “correction” | Acknowledge within 2 hours; substantive response 24 hours |
5. Embargo & distribution discipline
Embargo rule. LWD may embargo a release under a stated time only when: (a) the underlying fact is not yet publicly available, and (b) the embargo is agreed with each journalist in writing (email) before the release is sent. Verbal embargoes are not offered. Once one outlet publishes early, the embargo lifts for all.
Distribution list. Maintained at /media-kit-refresh §distribution. Segmented by outlet type (national newswire, health-sector trade, financial press, community radio, podcasts). Review quarterly by CMO.
Timing rule. Business-hours issuance (09:00–16:00 AEDT/AEST) unless the underlying event forces otherwise. No Friday afternoon releases unless directly time-linked to an event; no releases 24–26 April (Anzac observance), 25–31 December (silence window), or the day of a state or federal election.
6. Voice discipline — what a press release from LWD sounds like
The voice is: quiet, precise, evidence-first. Not aspirational. Not urgent. Not appeal-shaped. A press release is not a fundraising asset; it is a news asset. If a paragraph reads like it could appear on a donation page, it does not belong in a press release.
| What LWD writes | What LWD does NOT write |
|---|---|
| “LWD resolved $1.82M of consumer debt in its first year for 31 households.” | “LWD is proud to have made a real difference in the lives of hardworking Australians facing devastating illness.” |
| “Debt-mediation is performed by Credit Mediation Services Pty Ltd under ACL 387398.” | “Our team of dedicated debt experts works tirelessly to secure the best outcome for every client.” |
| “The average case takes 23 days from intake to resolution.” | “LWD works quickly to bring peace of mind to families in their darkest hour.” |
| “LWD does not guarantee outcomes; individual mediation may result in reduced or waived debt.” | “LWD wipes debt for those who need it most.” (untrue — regulatory risk) |
| “Referrals are received through participating hospitals under formal MOU.” | “LWD is the go-to charity for hospitals across Australia.” (unsubstantiated) |
| “A quote from [named spokesperson, role].” | “A quote from a beneficiary who wishes to remain anonymous.” (never in press releases) |
7. Acceptance criteria (16-cell gate matrix)
Every release, before distribution, is checked against this 16-cell matrix. If any cell is not green, the release does not go out.
| # | Criterion | Gate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Release fits on one A4 page printed (headline + sub + 4–5 body paragraphs + quote + boilerplate + contact). | G5 |
| 2 | NEWS slot is verb-driven, adjective-free, and the first paragraph stands alone. | G3 |
| 3 | NEWS slot contains no appeals-language, no CTAs, no mission-copy. | G3 |
| 4 | QUOTE slot uses one of the five approved framings from /spokesperson-brief §approved-lines. | G3 |
| 5 | QUOTE slot is under 40 words and attributed to a named LWD spokesperson. | G3 |
| 6 | BOILERPLATE slot uses one of the eight pre-approved paragraphs from §3 verbatim. | G1 |
| 7 | Boilerplate carries ABN (or “ABN: pending”). | G2 |
| 8 | Boilerplate carries ACN (or “ACN: pending”). | G2 |
| 9 | Boilerplate carries ACL 387398 reference (mediation licensing). | G2 |
| 10 | Boilerplate carries the mediation disclosure (LWD funds; CMS performs; no guarantee of outcomes; not debt discharge). | G2 |
| 11 | Numbers cited in release are from audited Y1 report (or explicitly labelled “estimated” / “pending audit”). | G1 |
| 12 | No beneficiary is named, identified, or quoted in the release. | G1 |
| 13 | Contact block includes media@ shared inbox as first-line contact (not a personal email). | G4 |
| 14 | Compliance sight-check completed and initialled by compliance-agent (or delegated Board signatory). | G2 |
| 15 | CMO sight-check completed and initialled. | G3 |
| 16 | Distribution timing respects §5 rules (no Fri PM / no Anzac / no silence window / business hours). | G5 |
8. Worked example — DGR-granted announcement
Below: the release skeleton filled in with a hypothetical DGR-granted announcement. Illustrative only — the actual release will be issued from /press/launch once registrations are confirmed.
Life Without Debt receives ATO DGR endorsement
NEWS. Life Without Debt Ltd (ACN: [actual] · ABN: [actual]) has been endorsed by the Australian Taxation Office as a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR), effective [date]. The endorsement means donations of $2 or more to LWD are now tax-deductible for Australian taxpayers. LWD is the first Australian charity to focus specifically on resolving consumer debt for people living with terminal, life-limiting, chronic or serious illness.
LWD registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC) on [date] and applied for DGR endorsement on [date]. In its pre-DGR operating year, LWD supported 31 households and resolved $1.82 million of consumer debt, at an average all-in cost of $1,840 per case.
Debt-mediation work is performed by Credit Mediation Services Pty Ltd under Australian Credit Licence No. 387398. LWD provides the charitable funding; CMS’s licensed practitioners perform the mediation on the beneficiary’s behalf. Service is free at the point of use, Australia-wide, for beneficiaries meeting published eligibility criteria.
— ENDS —
Hand-off to Sprint 53
What Sprint 53 inherits. A press release template that fills in 30 minutes, eight approved topic boilerplates each carrying the four required compliance markers, a 16-cell acceptance gate that a non-PR operator can walk. Companion documents: spokesperson brief (three-hard-questions rehearsal), media kit refresh (bios, factsheet, logo pack, imagery, routing), media pack operator brief (this sprint’s brief).
What Sprint 53 opens. EOFY appeal + 5-touch email sequence (BL-02 re-run) · Palliative Care Week PR (Room F re-hero, using this template with Boilerplate 5).