Sometimes the News is Buried

Public relations firms almost always bury the actual news– the “why” of the story to be specific– at the bottom of the press releases they send.

I wrote a brief (click here) on Wednesday about how the Missouri State Treasurer’s office is encouraging Missourians to look through its database to help return unclaimed military medals and insignia to its owners.

The news started with a press release talking about the database and urge to return these prized possessions home. But, as a curious Chicagoan who has never heard of such a thing before, I was wondering how the office had so many unclaimed medals. I mean, don’t people want those?

Turns out it’s because after so many years, banks and other institutions must turn over unclaimed property and possessions like safety deposit boxes where these medals have been stored away. The answer to my curiosity, and probably most, was tucked at the bottom of the press release.

Tip to reporters when dealing with press releases: Read the entire thing thoroughly, the news is not always at the top.