Glossary
What is a press release dateline?
The short line that tells readers where and when the news originates — before the lead sentence.
Definition (with sources)
According to The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation’s AP Style datelines guide, a dateline is leading text that identifies the place and time of an article or press release. AP guidance summarized there says the dateline should contain a city name in all capital letters, often followed by the state, country, or territory, with an em dash before the first line of content.
PR Newswire’s AP Style press release guide similarly notes that the dateline provides context about where and when the news is coming from: city name in all capital letters, with a state abbreviation when the city is not well-known, followed by the date, then an em dash into the lead.
Why Getbyliner asks for country and city
Press releases need a dateline. On Getbyliner, country and city are required before distribution so the release has a clear origin, which also helps regional relevance for local and trade coverage. That wording comes from our product FAQ.
When you write a press release, plan to include an accurate originating location — not a city you are not actually announcing from.
Draft a release with a proper dateline
Answer plain questions, add your origin city, and distribute when you are ready.