Press release or PR distribution services send a press release out to various organizations or will post a release on a single website. Journalists can then find releases related to specific topics, businesses or organizations.
There are two ways to submit a press release. You can use a service that will send your release out to various organizations like newspapers, magazines and similar press companies or you can post your release to websites dedicated to press release distribution. The cost of each will depend on the various websites you use and some are free. These services are collectively referred to as newswire services and the main way that press releases make their way to the public is through these services. They are used by journalists to search for information that can be used as content for various media. They can be websites or news feeds that journalists subscribe to.