Last month’s post on 44 things the media wish PR pros knew seemed to strike a chord with readers. One astutely underlined the need to flip the script and let bloggers and jounos know the other side.
Here, then, are 12 things I wish the media knew:
- That PR is not journalism’s bitch
- That replying to a carefully crafted pitch, even if to say you don’t want to pursue a story, is VERY important and curries a lot of favour
- PR pros have a job to do, just like journalists – so don’t spit venom and be civilized
- How to spell clients’/organizations’/bosses’ names correctly
- That getting the website URL wrong is tantamount to kicking me in the teeth
- That PR folks have heard a tonne about how much they suck/are a bother/do things that annoy journalists
- That YOU, dear media member, sometimes NEED me and others like me (and vice versa)
- That I cannot always track down a spokesperson in 2 minutes just because you have a deadline
- That PR is not the enemy of journalism
- That people who were never journalists are sometimes better at PR than those who were
- That good PR pros understand the visual and non-visual elements of a solid story and can be a real resource in terms of sketching this stuff out
- That PR, in 2011, is about FAR more than just media relations
Do you have anything to add?
Oh, Jackson, how I love your lists! I’m surprised this list wasn’t as long as your other ones because I’m sure in your experience working in PR, there are many other things you wished the media knew 😉
While I wouldn’t add too much to your list, I think it speaks volumes to the idea that PR and the media need to see their relationship as more of a partnership than as advesaries. PR needs the media to do part of their job and the media needs PR to do a part of theirs. While they are not entirely dependent on each other, it’s a beneficial relationship nonetheless when they do work together.
WOW!!! did you hit the nail right on the head!!! Great list, Jackson… mind if I share?
Thanks! Please do 🙂
I, too, was a little surprised it was not longer. But, I’m viewing that as a good thing – LOL. Take care K (Happy 2012)
You got it. Happy New Year!
Good stuff, as usual, Jackson! 🙂