Journalists can be your best friend, or a nightmare

“The relationship between journalists and public relations practitioners is both complex and ambiguous. It is characterized by both cooperation and conflict” (Charron).

I originally started off studying journalism and PR, so I was aware the two worked hand in hand. It wasn’t until my internship at PPR where I got to fully understand the relationship between journalists and PR professionals.

PR professionals pitch ideas to journalists. One of the clients I got to work with was IGA. IGA had just decided they would give away free children’s tickets for the Perth Royal Show to customers who spent at least $50 in-store. The consultant I worked with called a journalist from the West Australian and told her IGA’s plans so they made an exclusive deal and the story would run in the West Australian before any other media platform.

I had the opportunity to attend the media outing and shadow the consultant I was working with which was really interesting. We met up with the IGA storeowners, the photographer, and some of the kids who would be modelling for the photo shoot, and the journalist herself.

The consultant I was working with organised the photo shoot and the outing and made sure the journalist would be attending. She made sure a high quality photo was taken and went around to everyone in the store who was taking photographs to make sure nothing was put up on social media until after the event, to ensure exclusivity with the West Australian.

Reputation is everything in PR, it is so important to build good relationships with stakeholders, co-workers and the media. Journalists can be your best friend, or a nightmare. This is why it is important to monitor media and in times when journalists are a nightmare, to use effective PR strategy such as crisis management or reputation management. In PR it is so important to get media coverage for your client, so forming good relationships with journalists will make your life easier if you are going to be working in the PR industry.

Check out the article from the West Australian! Link below:

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/29386409/free-royal-show-entry-just-the-ticket/

Until next time,

Greta x