CARMA International

2001

This paper examines the relationship between the media and public relations (PR), presenting research that shows how PR has a major influence on media content.

It begins by outlining some basic facts about public relations that the author feels need to be understood prior to examining the relationship between PR and the media. Firstly, according to United States research reports, the majority of public relations activities are not related to the media. Secondly, of those public relations practitioners involved in media relations, many of whom are former journalists themselves, much of their time is involved in assisting the media to gain access and stories. PR executives frequently play an "information broker" role, identifying potential news and facilitating the release of information through statements or interviews. Third and lastly, much of the time of many public relations executives is occupied by answering journalists' questions and providing information at the media's request or invitation.



Several examples are cited demonstrating that despite media protestations that PR does not influence them, the converse is shown in numerous research studies - both academic and commercial media analysis. Journalists may not fully realise the impact that PR is having on their reporting, but it is, indeed, influencing what and when they report about whom and with what perspective. As one explanation, Macnamara suggests that perhaps journalism training programmes are not educating journalists to understand public relations and its role in their work; however, he also acknowledges and gives examples of when PR is sometimes explicitly used by PR experts to veil the truth and misinform the public through the media.

Macnamara concludes that the "growth of PR is clear evidence of the market telling us something. PR is not going away and needs to be recognised." He notes that though PR often does great good, journalists need to be more aware and vigilant about how PR may be influencing the stories they aim to tell.