The press release completed its first century in 2006. And if the past few years are any indication, the press release is likely to experience more changes in the next decade than it has in the last 50.

The press release was born at the height of frustration with the 19th Century Robber Barons. A restive public was demanding greater accountability from the men who ran big industry and often operated without regard for the opinion of the masses. This was all about to change.

On October 28, 1906, at least 50 people lost their lives when a three-car train of the Pennsylvania Railroad's newly equipped electric service jumped a trestle at Atlantic City, NJ, and plunged into the Thoroughfare Creek. That afternoon, Ivy Lee, the putative father of modern PR and an advisor to the Pennsylvania Railroad, wrote the first press release. It expressed the company’s sorrow and version of what happened.

The New York Times was so impressed with this innovative approach to corporate communications that it printed the first press release -- verbatim -- on Oct. 30, 1906 as a "Statement from the Road." In the weeks that followed, newspapers and public officials effusively praised Pennsylvania Railroad for its openness and honesty.

In response to charges he was trying to manipulate press coverage, Lee issued a "Declaration of Principles" that stated, "This is not a secret press bureau. All our work is done in the open. We aim to supply news. If you think any of our matter ought properly to go to your business office, do not use it."

As we’ve said before, when it comes to crafting effective press releases, it’s essential that the release contain actual news. Secondly, especially in light of the changes in who can access a press release, it’s imperative that they conform to journalistic standards.