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What PR people hate in journalists
By Editor on Sep 17, 2006 in media
We talk about what journalists hate in PR folks. But what about those we dislike in journalists, if at all we can afford to make a list like that. Let’s try. Maybe we should create a blacklist of unprofessional journalists (BUJ) (oh we can pronounce it booo if we like).
So maybe to start it off:
1. Journalists who agree to a client interaction and turning chicken at the eleventh hour
2. Journalists who act super busy all the time
3. Journalists who think all the story pegs PR people offer are craps (but what they write usually turn out worse)
4. Journalists who hit big time on our female colleagues - yes, the kind is there, believe it or not
5. Journalists who demand two media giveaways at press conferences and events
6. Journalists who gatecrash at our events
7. Journalists who come to a client interview without their homework, only to ask basic school level questions
8. Journalists who make a mess of the client’s messaging, products, and technology in their stories, because they don’t have a proper understanding
9. Journalists who think they are the only ones working on deadlines
10. Journalists who think PR is all about massaging their ego
Technorati tags: PR, Public Relations, India,
On Sep 18, 2006, Anonymous said:
how about those who act like your best friends when they need info and amazingly morph into total strangers when you need to talk to them?
On Sep 18, 2006, Anonymous said:
Agreed. Not only that some mess up with the press briefing and press release and then the next day you end up by facing your furious CEO.
On Sep 21, 2006, shreyas said:
How about journos who stuff their faces at press conferences like they’ve never seen food before in their lives, all the time talking to the client with a mouth full of half chewed food!!
Also, journos who have their roving eye fixed on a girl, actually looking in her direction, while talking to the client who is sitting in the other direction….
On Sep 23, 2006, Anonymous said:
absolutely right shreyas. four years back i have had one journalist come to my press briefing with his wife. he came at the end of the briefing and his wife and he conviniently ate food and scooted off.
On Sep 28, 2006, managinginnovation said:
To add few more example. My personal experience. After all most eight years of agency life now I have joined a corporate and just to show my might to my spokesperson I fixed up few interviews with key publications…first some trainee lands up to meet my MD…without knowing anything about our business not only tht he never bothered to my mails explaining our business…well the interview went well over few cups of coffee everyone realizing tht nothing is going to appear. Few days later another new journalist lands up with only 5 questions which resulted into 2 hours of action packed exchange of words. Next after the interview the journalist told me tht it was a good discussion but he is not filing the story later over coffee he asked me how to apply in our organization. Horrified experience…….
Really don’t understand whtz wrong with the new breed…if you ask them for cab they get offended if you don’t then they ignore you. If you ask them if they want something to eat they will behave as it’s a crime next they can eat all most everything under the sun. Everyone is after THORA HATKE story or exclusive or I do front page stories so need more meat etc….it seems there is not much of difference in between Bollywood and journalism nowadays. I have leared few tricks of the trade…
Don’t give them media giveaways send them to their respective residence, according to the importance of the journalist take them to different hotels & of course alone, don’t send them taxi’s send them personal cars with AC stating i thought ur important so have send my own car, make them understand what news u can provide & wht exactly u need otherwise the story will be in total mess - if possible give them pointers along with a detailed Q&A but first go through last 4/5 stories filed by the journo to get a hang of the pieces, ego message is the best tool. I don’t know why we are still considered as fixers….someday the Scenario is going to chage..Lets hope for the best…thtz the best we can do…
On Oct 7, 2006, hobbit said:
Whoops, boss!
On Oct 12, 2006, manisha bhatia said:
Yeah actually its so true. How about those journos who look forward for free drinks and food and small small gifts every now and then. And after getting sloshed screw up the whole event.I know few journos who dont do any stories but at the evnt would behave as if they r the best journalists in the world. there are also few journos who would keep calling to ask few small small things such as movie tickets and discounts..which is absolutely not in our hands.
On Nov 2, 2006, bella said:
wat do u say about the journo’s who keep on telling u dat ur story interest ‘em and will surley do it but actually de don’t.
Can’t dey simply say dey cant do it??
On Apr 9, 2007, Anonymous said:
reading what is writen about various kinds of journalists who get on the nerves of Pr people, i am reminded of an anecdote shared by a professor from columbia uni. it goes like this: once a few people were seen taking a dead body around seeking alms to cremate the body. some gave, others passed by, until, one of the guys asked who the dead man was. on being told that he was a journalist, he shelled out a $100 note and “said 10 for this one and 90 for nine others you could bring dead!” Did he say that he was a PR person? No money gor guessing
On Mar 24, 2008, shweta said:
i hate those journalist who ask for the pick and drop …….. and doesnt understand that “to cover the story/event is their job’ for which they are getting the salary from their respective organizations. and sometimes they dont even cover that.
i hate those journalist who ask for the gifts after covering the PC/Event. really a cheap act.
i hate those journalist…….. actually list is very long
and most of the PR people would be agree with me
regards
shweta
On Mar 27, 2008, Waqas Kazmi said:
Dear All,
I dont agree with those peoples who said The Jounalist are hungry and asking a food bcz as a PR professional have a clear objective is getting a million dollar coverage with a Quality coverage which effect a comapny,s image.
For achieving this goal the journalist are th backbone for us if they required something for us which is possible and acceptable for us and in result they do what we want mean coverage So, i think this is A GOOD OPPURTUNITY for PR pros to fullfill his/her objective……….This is tactic for PR pros not tension.
Take a light thing of Journalist.