Press Kit

A press kit (also called a media kit or press pack) is a bundled set of reference documents prepared by a government, international organization, campaign, NGO, or company for use by reporters covering a story. Its purpose is to reduce friction for journalists working under deadline: instead of chasing basic facts, a reporter can pull verified names, dates, figures, and quotes directly from the kit.

Typical contents include:

• A press release summarizing the news angle
• Backgrounders or fact sheets giving historical and policy context
• Biographies of key officials or spokespeople
• High-resolution photos, logos, and broadcast-ready B-roll
• Talking points or pre-cleared quotes
• Contact details for the press office
• Where relevant, full text of speeches, treaties, or reports

Historically, press kits were physical folders handed out at briefings — the UN, NATO, and the White House Correspondents' Office still produce printed versions for major summits. Today most are digital, hosted on dedicated newsroom pages or shared via embargoed links before an announcement. The European Commission's Daily News service and the UN Department of Global Communications both maintain online press kits for flagship events such as the annual General Assembly high-level week.

For Model UN delegates and IR researchers, press kits are a useful primary-adjacent source: they reflect how an actor wants its position framed, which is itself analytically valuable. They should not be mistaken for neutral reporting — kits are persuasive instruments curated by the issuing party. Cross-checking kit material against independent journalism and primary documents (treaty texts, voting records, court filings) is standard practice.

Press kits are also central to embargo journalism: reporters receive materials in advance on condition that they not publish before a set time, allowing coordinated coverage of releases such as IPCC reports or central-bank decisions.