The 10 most common embargo mistakes

The classic mistakes PR teams make with embargoes, from wrong timezones to burying the moment in a PDF. All easy to avoid.

Raoul van Wijk · Updated May 2026 · 4 min read · Writing

Only listing one timezone. Include the main timezones your media list uses. Do not make recipients calculate the time themselves.
Using EST in July for New York. New York observes EDT in July. Use ET when you want a label that remains correct across daylight saving changes.
Hand-converting across DST windows. The US and Europe change clocks on different dates. For several weeks a year, the usual math is wrong. Use a converter.
Burying the embargo line inside a PDF. Many journalists read pitches on mobile, so keep the embargo line in the email itself and near the top.
No date, only a time. '09:00 ET' means nothing without a date. Include the day of the week too, so nobody misreads the calendar.
Sending under embargo without confirming. Some reporters have blanket policies against unsolicited embargoes. If you have not worked with them before, ask first.
Different embargo times in the release and the email. Copy paste one block from a converter into both. If they disagree, you look sloppy.
Not lifting after a break. If one outlet publishes early, first check what happened. If the story cannot be held or removed, consider lifting the embargo for everyone else so other recipients are not disadvantaged.
Using 'midnight' without saying midnight where. 'Midnight ET' is technically 00:00, which is the start of the day, not the end. Be explicit.
Forgetting the year. Ambiguous once you cross into December or January. Write the full date.

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