What Happens to a Press Release After You Hit Submit?
THREE BEHIND-THE-SCENES CHECKS THAT CAN AFFECT WHERE A RELEASE GOES AND HOW IT APPEARS
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A corporate press release can look perfectly formatted in Microsoft Word, but that doesn't always mean it will appear the same way when published.
Clients typically submit their press releases to TMX Newsfile as Word documents. Newsfile then processes and formats the content for publication and distribution across news, financial and information channels. During this process, elements such as images, captions and tables may not always transfer as intended.
TMX Newsfile News Leads have encountered formatting issues that aren't apparent in the original press release document but become visible when the release is prepared for publication. Identifying these issues before distribution helps ensure the published release appears as intended. In our last Disclosure Intelligence article, we looked at what TMX Newsfile News Leads catch in the content of corporate press releases. Their responses also highlighted another part of the process that IR, PR and corporate communications teams may see less often: what happens after a release is submitted.
The News Leads' responses highlight three behind-the-scenes checks that can affect a release between submission and distribution:
Prepare tables and images for publication
Check distribution requirements and submission details
Confirm the release is going to the right markets
Prepare Tables and Images for Publication
Images and tables can require different preparation when a press release is submitted for distribution.
For images, issues can arise when text, labels or other visual elements are placed over an image in the Word document submitted for distribution, rather than saved together as a single finished graphic. Although these elements may appear correctly positioned in the original document, they can become separated during processing. Newsfile specialists may request a finished image file to ensure the graphic appears as intended.
Tables present a different consideration. When financial or technical tables are submitted as images, particularly if the text is difficult to read, Newsfile specialists may request an editable version in Microsoft Word or Excel to help prepare them for publication.
For communications teams, the best approach is to provide finished graphics with any labels or legends incorporated into the image, while keeping data tables editable wherever possible.
These steps are especially important for releases containing financial results, technical data, charts or other detailed visual information.
Check Distribution Requirements and Submission Details
Press releases can be delivered to a range of downstream news and information channels, and those channels do not always have identical requirements.
“Some distribution points have a minimum word count. Others have a maximum word count.”
TMX Newsfile News Lead
These requirements vary by destination and may change over time, meaning release length can have practical implications beyond writing style or reader engagement.
If a release is unusually short or long, it may be worth confirming whether channel-specific requirements could affect distribution. A release that falls outside a channel's requirements may need to be adjusted before it can be distributed through that destination.
Beyond word-count requirements, News Leads also check press release submission details, including account and language settings, to help ensure releases are processed and distributed correctly.
Confirm the Release Is Going to the Right Markets
Where a press release is sent should match any geographic restrictions or notices contained in the announcement.
News Leads review whether the geographic distribution selected by the client is consistent with the release itself. For example, if a release states “Not for U.S. Dissemination,” the selected distribution should not include the United States.
A mismatch could result in the release being sent to a market the announcement specifically says should be excluded. One News Lead also noted that matching the correct distribution network with the appropriate disclaimer helps ensure the release is indexed correctly and delivered to the intended feeds.
For IR, PR and corporate communications teams, the practical takeaway is to confirm the intended distribution markets and ensure any geographic restrictions or notices are consistent with those selections before submission.
Why Press Release Checks Matter Before Distribution
What happens after a press release is submitted to TMX Newsfile for distribution is largely invisible to the eventual reader. Yet checks involving visual formatting, distribution requirements and geographic market selections play an important role in preparing corporate information for publication.
For IR, PR and corporate communications teams, understanding these behind-the-scenes considerations can help make the submission process smoother and reduce the need for last-minute adjustments before distribution.
About This Analysis
This article draws on interviews with four TMX Newsfile News Leads conducted in August 2026. Their responses describe issues encountered while reviewing press releases submitted for distribution.
The examples illustrate operational considerations in the press release distribution process and should not be interpreted as legal or regulatory advice.
Source
TMX Newsfile News Lead interviews, August 2026
