Is getting media coverage an uncreative job?
By Editor on Apr 1, 2007 in PReducation, clientservicing, industry, mediarelations
Recently I got a mail from a mass communication student who is doing an internship in a PR agency. She asked if public relations is all about running after the media and getting coverage for clients, because that is what all the people in her agency seem to be doing. If that is the case, she said, then the PR profession is turning out to be disappointingly different from what she expected based on her academic studies. She thought PR is about creative communication strategies and counseling but the most creative thing we do is to come out with interesting story pegs for the media. She wondered if she should opt for advertising or event management instead in her career.
I thought maybe other PR professionals might be able to share their views. Most of us have asked the same question when after studying two years of PR theory lands up in an agency to run after journalists. I remember reading a HT column once in which the columnist calls PR as one of the bullshit professions of the 90s.
Well, maybe it’s just the starting point that one has to go through in the start of a career, any career. Following up on journalists is one way to start building contacts in the media. The media is one indisputable tool that we can use to influence certain target audiences. So media relations play an important part of the PR profession (yet we should not be seen as the quick fix solution to control the media. It’s about building trust).
I read somewhere that PR today is about say 80% media relations, the rest belongs to investor relations, training spokesperson, counseling and others. I think for newcomers the disconnect starts when an agency starts selling media coverage as the only service that it can provide to clients, and PR professionals of all ranks count on journalist contacts as their only strengths.
We have to ask ourselves why we are after getting media coverage. There’s a communications objective behind it. The communications objective comes from the marketing objective and the overall corporate vision. What should be the message of the communication? The media is just a tool that we use to spread our messages. There are other tools too like direct interaction with target audience through events, newsletters, forums, communities, etc. All these are part of PR. It’s just that sometimes the client’s marketing team does all these thinking and once they decide everything, they use PR agencies just as post offices to run around after the media. We have to decide for ourselves how we want to be viewed – as someone who will run around after the media, or as a consultant who can provide thoughts and advices to your clients.
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On Apr 1, 2007, Anonymous said:
I would like to share an interesting incident that happened last week. We (my colleague and I) were going through a PR briefing session with the CEO of a respected Delhi-based company. We presented some good ideas , which were appreciated and accepted by the client’s team.
After we came out, the corporate communications head, who was also part of the discussion told us candidly: “Guys, whatever you said inside was good, but what will really get you your cheque is the thickness of the media coverage report. So you know what to aim for…”
On Apr 2, 2007, Benito Castro said:
Here in Europe it is the same. Media coverage is the start of our tools offer. But it is not enough. It is a pity but I have nearly 20 different actions each in External and Internal Communications, but there are written in Spanish.
On the other hand, web 2.0 is the right way to develop the pure essence of our activity wich is dialogue with different publics.
Sorry for my English mistakes.
Benito Castro.
On Apr 2, 2007, hobbithob said:
Hi Benito, thanks for dropping in your comments. Maybe PR is media coverage mainly after all.
Your external and internal communications sound interesting. Maybe I should run a google translate on your blog:-)
On Apr 3, 2007, Opinionated said:
Hi
Its true that coverages matter – but in a long term relation with a client one is certainly expected to chip in much more that media coverages. I remembering working for a TV channel, where in we would come up with innovtive ideas for jernos/target audiences like sending a small glass full of sand with plastic fishes in it etc. as a reminder for a new programmes. I feel there is always room to come up with new ideas and earn a brownie point with the cleint – which will also give you a professional satisfaction. More value you add to the basic PR services, there are chances of having a higher confidence level with your client resulting in higher involvement. Sometimes PR profesionals are also called for the strategy meetings. It depends how you want to position yourself as.
On Apr 8, 2007, Anonymous said:
Hi,
Would like to present my opinion that PR is just not about media coverage, its an intellectual profession where you are not accountable just for media reports but in over all how one is moving step by step to position one’s client and making the image of client in client’s industry……..