For many, Page 1 in search has become the new holy grail of business owners and SEO practitioners alike. Of course, nothing can guarantee you will be on Page 1 of search. That being said, as part of a broader online marketing strategy, news releases can be an effective tool to facilitate the outward expression of news and information about a business, which over time can result in the creation of online authority in the eyes of search engines.
http://www.toprankblog.com/2010/03/news-blended-search/