Public Relations and Journalism

According to my public relations class’ textbook, Public Relations Writing and Media Techniques by Dennis L. Wilcox, “journalists depend on public relations sources for receiving most of their information” (304). At the same time, public relations practitioners depend on journalists for mass dispersion of their information. Media relations is “the core activity in many public relations jobs.” In fact, a survey of 539 large companies found that “media relations was the #1 job responsibility of their public relations staffs” (304).

While many assume that journalists seek out all of their stories, this supposition is incorrect. Wilcox explains that the reality of modern mass communications is that “reporters and editors spend most of their time processing information, not gathering it” (305). Furthermore, while many journalists might deny this fact, “most of the information that appears in the mass media comes from public relations sources that provide a constant stream of news releases, features, planned events, and tips to the media” (305).

Even Gary Putka, the Boston bureau chief of The Wall Street Journal acknowledges that “a good 50 percent” of the stories in the newspaper come from public relations people (305). In newspaper articles, journalists often refer to public relations people as “spokesman” or “spokeswoman.” The term’s use in publications has increased 81 percent since 1995. This rise shows the growing significance and usage of public relations in journalism and hence, the world.

Although their work intertwines regularly, there are areas of tension between public relations practitioners and journalists. Journalists resent the fact that stories are being fed to them and that public relations people assume they would be interested or willing to cover whatever they are pitching. Peter Himler, the executive vice president of Burson-Marsteller, summarizes that “overt commercialism, hyperbole, artificiality and manipulation are the best ways to turn off a reporter and, in so doing, damage the fragile, but vital relationship between [the] two professions” (307).

To see the magnitude of public relations practitioners’ influence over the press, look at any fashion or lifestyle magazine. The November edition of 944 Magazine is a perfect example. Page 22 is dedicated to the James Perse Boutique, which the magazine has called “944’s Choice.” The boutique was covered in the magazine because the public relations people behind the store sent a successful press release to the magazine, not because the magazine discovered the new boutique on its own.

Public Relations does not equate to Propaganda

When the words "public relations" are typed into youtube's search option, the following video is the first link to appear:



The video presents an unfortunately popular and widespread opinion that many people have regarding public relations. Public relations as an entity is characterized as propaganda, which undermines the magnitude and reality of the practice.

Public relations is not propaganda. Propaganda aims to influence a public’s behavior and opinion through emotionally loaded messages, often filled with purposefully inaccurate or altered facts. According to the father of public relations, Edward Bernays, public relations is “a management function which tabulates public attitudes, defines the policies, procedures and interest of an organization followed by executing a program of action to earn public understanding and acceptance." Public relations plans aim to educate, interest, and thus influence. Propaganda hides behind an agenda to influence.

The negative connotations associated with public relations not only lead the public to look down upon the practice, but they also lead businesses to overlook the importance of public relations. Some corporations, like Wal-Mart, do not seek out public relations until a major crisis erupts. The magnitude of public relations is so grand, however, that corporations should regard positive, constant public relations as part of corporate success.

To illustrate the significance and misinterpretation of public relations, a national survey of journalists by a New York public relations firm indicated that “two-thirds of the journalists surveyed said they don’t trust public relations people…” In truth, however, public relations serves as an unparalleled method of communicating with the public. In fact, 81 percent of the journalists surveyed above say “they need [public relations] people anyway.” The aforementioned information comes from Dennis L. Wilcox’s textbook entitled Public Relations Writing and Media Techniques.

The scope of public relations practitioners is broad. Just as journalists need public relations practitioners for story ideas, corporations need public relations even before a crisis hits the company. Continual corporate public relations can prevent crises from occurring and can perpetuate a positive company image. In the end, a corporation is only as successful as the public determines its image to be.