Media Relations Two-Point-Oh Please Stop Calling It That
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Public relations has evolved as an industry - you can tell because there is now a “2.0” involved. Public Relations 2.0. Which means that everything that the profession entails has transitioned to the latest and greatest version – Measurement 2.0, Client Relations 2.0, Event Management 2.0…everything, that is, except media relations.
I know what you’re thinking – look at this fool who says that media relations hasn’t changed. He’s ignoring social media! BURN THE WITCH!
Of course the tools are going to evolve – and that’s the entirety of what social media, from Twitter to Facebook to LinkedIn, is in the case of media relations – a set of tools. It’s just another range of touch points for monitoring and interacting with the media. It allows for better relationships, better research, better understanding of journalist and blogger deadlines, real-time feedback and a better feel for what’s trending in their respective worlds.
Obviously I’m not putting enough emphasis on blogs then, right? Look at this guy, thinking that the era of citizen journalism won’t impact the way public relations approaches the media!
There is no doubt that the interactions are changing. Bloggers aren’t necessarily looking for the same things as traditional reporters and editors, and they can run on a completely different set of editorial principles and deadlines. But even so, blogs don’t represent a wholesale change from what media relations is all about.
My point is that media relations is about the story. It’s about getting the right information and the right news to the right people at the right time. Yes, our means of getting the story out there have changed, and changed dramatically. And yes, the way the story has to be told needs to be adapted to your key contacts within the media, whether they be bloggers, editors or beat writers.
But the slickest social media strategy in the world, replete with Twitter accounts, blog commenting plans and Facebook fan pages, won’t save you if your story is weak.
--John Terrill
I know what you’re thinking – look at this fool who says that media relations hasn’t changed. He’s ignoring social media! BURN THE WITCH!
Of course the tools are going to evolve – and that’s the entirety of what social media, from Twitter to Facebook to LinkedIn, is in the case of media relations – a set of tools. It’s just another range of touch points for monitoring and interacting with the media. It allows for better relationships, better research, better understanding of journalist and blogger deadlines, real-time feedback and a better feel for what’s trending in their respective worlds.
Obviously I’m not putting enough emphasis on blogs then, right? Look at this guy, thinking that the era of citizen journalism won’t impact the way public relations approaches the media!
There is no doubt that the interactions are changing. Bloggers aren’t necessarily looking for the same things as traditional reporters and editors, and they can run on a completely different set of editorial principles and deadlines. But even so, blogs don’t represent a wholesale change from what media relations is all about.
My point is that media relations is about the story. It’s about getting the right information and the right news to the right people at the right time. Yes, our means of getting the story out there have changed, and changed dramatically. And yes, the way the story has to be told needs to be adapted to your key contacts within the media, whether they be bloggers, editors or beat writers.
But the slickest social media strategy in the world, replete with Twitter accounts, blog commenting plans and Facebook fan pages, won’t save you if your story is weak.
--John Terrill
Labels: Media Industry, PR Industry
 ShareThis
|
posted by speakerbox at
8:03 AM |
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home