When my 393 report is complete, I will graduate with a Marketing and PR, Commerce degree. Throughout the PR stream, I noticed that there was constant banter about ‘the journalists’. It was a real, ‘them and us’. I never really understood what it was all about. After all, I studied along side journalism students and there wasn’t any animosity. In the real world, how I have learnt where the banter stems from.
I have learnt how important it is to form good relationships with the journalists and to choose when and when not to trust your message in their hands. The journalists have so much control over delivering our message via the media. Quite a number of times now I have written a media release and it has been printed virtually word-for-word in the local papers. The only difference is that it’s no longer my bi-line. Cheeky! But good to know that my message hasn’t been changed.
However, it’s not always so easy to say what you want to say in the media without paying. For instance, council rates is always a hot topic. Many residents write into the local papers and go on talk-back radio to complain about increasing rates. It is always the council’s position to be transparent and factual about why rates increase. Nevertheless, every year local newspapers and talk back radio give a voice to a minority of complaining residents attacking the council. As a result, a ‘war via media’ begins.
Unfortunately, journalists and reporters contribute to the ‘war’ by wanting to create a ‘good story’. They exacerbate the trouble by printing a bias point of view that is not always supported by facts but is newsworthy. They love a David and Goliath battle and so do their audiences. We as PR practitioners, on behalf of our organisations, contribute to the war by being forced to respond, with no control over what is printed.
In this case, the journalists and PR practitioners have different stakeholders and consequently the message can come unstuck. The council are representative of the entire community and pleasing an entire community can be difficult.
Throughout my prac, many hours were wasted by the team having to correct newspaper articles, advise management and respond to the media in defence of the council and its reputation. Surely, any war can be avoided through better communication. To really get a message across, I suggest finding other communication channels and leaving the media out of it. - Megan
I have learnt how important it is to form good relationships with the journalists and to choose when and when not to trust your message in their hands. The journalists have so much control over delivering our message via the media. Quite a number of times now I have written a media release and it has been printed virtually word-for-word in the local papers. The only difference is that it’s no longer my bi-line. Cheeky! But good to know that my message hasn’t been changed.
However, it’s not always so easy to say what you want to say in the media without paying. For instance, council rates is always a hot topic. Many residents write into the local papers and go on talk-back radio to complain about increasing rates. It is always the council’s position to be transparent and factual about why rates increase. Nevertheless, every year local newspapers and talk back radio give a voice to a minority of complaining residents attacking the council. As a result, a ‘war via media’ begins.
Unfortunately, journalists and reporters contribute to the ‘war’ by wanting to create a ‘good story’. They exacerbate the trouble by printing a bias point of view that is not always supported by facts but is newsworthy. They love a David and Goliath battle and so do their audiences. We as PR practitioners, on behalf of our organisations, contribute to the war by being forced to respond, with no control over what is printed.
In this case, the journalists and PR practitioners have different stakeholders and consequently the message can come unstuck. The council are representative of the entire community and pleasing an entire community can be difficult.
Throughout my prac, many hours were wasted by the team having to correct newspaper articles, advise management and respond to the media in defence of the council and its reputation. Surely, any war can be avoided through better communication. To really get a message across, I suggest finding other communication channels and leaving the media out of it. - Megan
3 comments:
Hi Megan
It sounds like you have gained some extremely valuable experience throughout your placement relating to media relations.
I have to agree with you that at uni we hear the banter about "the journalists" and the "them and us" battle but I have never really expereinced it so havn't been able to form any personal opinions relating to the matter at this stage.
It's great to hear another student's opinions on the matter especially when they have had first hand experience in this industry.
I'm sure that the skills which you have learnt during your placement will be very beneficial to you in the future when dealing with the media.
Hi Megan
I understand your frustration!
I have dealt with and witnessed the different and sneaky tactics of the media! From my understanding and talking to journalists in the media there has alays been that animosity between journo's and PR practitioners. For one, I think that both are incredibly busy and trying to get hold of either one at times can be an absolute nightmare, but secondly the media are one to definately watch out for.
The Hub held a press conference for their client Western Desert Mob who had refused to take part in the Art Awards inorder to demonstrate their key messages. Western Desert Mob is the collaboration of a number of artists and art galleries who want to promote the ethical purchase of Aboriginal Art. The Hub were receiving a number of phone calls from the media looking to publish an exclusive interview, but openly said that they wanted to portray WDM as protestors refusing to part take in the awards. The media wanted to put a negative spin on the story and then feature it on the 7pm news. If the story had been reported as the media intended it would have totally counteracted all the hard work The Hub have been doing with their client over the past five years. The media then filmed the press conference and took snippets of the interview which was done with the key spokesperson and put a slightly negative angle on the story.
A positive you have come across is you are now aware of the tactics necessary when dealing with the media which I'm sure will become a vital tool necessary in the future (especially if you wish to work for government departments or local councils)
Good luck with everything
Hi Megan,
I absolutely agree with you when you say how important it is to establish and maintain a good and strong relationship with journalists when working in the PR field.
Whenever I think of this I remember many of my previous lecturers and tutors mentioning countless times to, 'Look around the room, Look at every single one of your classmates. Remember these faces, these people are the future journalists, marketing people and public relations practitioners who may be able to help you in the future. It is these contacts that will prove to be invaluable once entering the work force.'
However, it is the binary opposition between journalists and public relations practitioners created by the media's desire to create a good story that made me deter from entering a career in journalism.
I have found that a majority of people hesitate and avoid dealing with the media and it is for similar reasons to the ones brought up in your post. The amount of evident bias and obvious sensationalised material made for an entertaining and 'good' story that can sell and having to correct and deal with the repercussions can be very time consuming and potentially damaging for any company or organisation but it can also harm your relationship with certain members of the media, the relationships you are meant to have established and maintained before and throughout your career.
It can't always be possible to please everyone but I suppose it does boil down to an individuals, or in the media's or public relations practitioners case the company's, own intgerity and standard of ethics and morals.
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