PRs versus journalists back in focus
The relationship between journalists and PRs appears to be the topic of the week, culminating in a debate on the subject in Sydney tonight.
This evening’s PR Institute of Australia event comes in a week that the differences between the two sides have been widely discussed.
On Monday, Neil Shoebridge, marketing editor of the Australian Financial review wrote a piece decrying incompetent PRs, while journalist Jason Whittaker shared his own negative experiences in a guest posting for Mumbrella.
It came as research – which will be debated tonight – suggested that up to 80% of news content starts off as PR. And others debated the need to involve a PR agency at all.
Those contesting tonight’s question – “that PR and journalism are different sides of the same coin” – include a mixture of journalists and PRs, plus an academic: Clint Drieberg (2UE); Gerard Ryle (Sydney Morning Herald); Simon Sharwood (media freelancer); Lukas Picton (Text 100); Brian Giesen (Ogilvy); Sophia Russell (B&T); Pru Quinlan (Einsteinz Communications); Marie Najjar (Public City); and Prof Jim Macnamara (UTS).
Tonight’s debate can be followed via the Twitter hashtag #priadebate.
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
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Thanks for the preview Tim and hope you’re looking forward to the event – should be a cracker of a night!
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One of my favourite topics but I’m afraid I’m too jetlagged to be there tonight. I’ll be following the tweets with interest.
What I will say though is this: there are great PRs and great journalists, crap PRs and crap journalists. I’ll rant about the bad ones as much as the next person, but let’s not tar everyone with the same brush.
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Oh god not this old chestnut! These discussions never get anywhere – just Journo’s slagging off PR’s aand wishing they didn’t need them. Let’s face it Journalism isn’t what it used to be – not many journo’s source their own stories anymore because there simply isn’t as many journo’s out there with job cuts. Journo’s are always going to hate PR’s when it suits them. They need to look at the reason why there are so many PR’s now V’s Journo’s.
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As someone who has worked on both sides – as a journalist first, and now in PR – I know for a fact we both can’t live without each other. I agree with Jen – there are good and bad in both industries. I think the more understanding we have of each other’s working environments, the more harmonious our relationships could be.
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We have had some problems with the registration system and have now done some fixes to make sure people can purchase tickets for tonight. The link is: http://www.pria.com.au/eventsp.....-same-coin
I am working out a weblink and will attempt to microblog the proceedings from the floor.
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@TWUBS Sure it has potential to be a slagfest, but I’d rather hear about what media and PRs are doing wrong, to work out how to do it better.
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Ever since I joined the PR world 21 years ago this debate has raged on and off and has never been resolved.
Why?
Because there is no right or wrong answer. The one side can’t do without the other (although citizen journalism and social media has fundamentally shifted the goalposts).
There is nothing wrong with a bit of tension on both sides as long as it falls within the bounds of professional conduct. Unfortunately to the detriment of both professions this isn’t always the case.
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PR professionals and Journalists can get along. They do, they have been and they will; tonight.
As a member of the PRIA New Media Committee, I would like to clear up a few misleading arguments from today’s mUmBRELLA PR vs Journalism debate that has arisen before the ACTUAL debate.
Tonight’s PRIA debate consists of mixed teams of PR professionals and journalists. There are four people per team so that means two PR pros and two journalists on the Affirmative and two PR pros and two journalists on the negative. This is a perfect example of the industries working together and they have been working together very well and very hard to develop terrific arguments for this evening’s event. Thanks to all those involved.
I hope you’ll all get there to see just how well we can work together. Support the arguement that PRs and journalists can get along.
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You’re right Kimberley. Just as I blogged back in March: http://www.dynamicbusiness.com.....iends.html
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Absolutely! Totally agree with your Dynamic Business blog – PRs and journos can get along and they should. I can’t believe it’s such an ‘issue’. We both (I’m at WordStorm PR) have our place and can work together very well. I believe we should go back to the good old fashioned relationship building ‘long lunches’ and face meetings to establish a working relationship where we can be of real value for each other but without any pressure or expectations for results on either side. And when it comes down to it, yes, we’ll pick up the bill! Thanks Jen.
http://www.dynamicbusiness.com.....iends.html
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I remember a lecture from my early student days – a sort of ‘Marketing 101’ – and there was a film that had been gathering dust in a closet somewhere for many years that was dragged out for we students. It had a rather to-the-point, in a Madison Ave kind of way, title – “20 Rules of Focus” (or something similar).
Rule number 1 – Focus needs an Enemy.
While there are valid points on both sides, I feel this whole debate may have it’s roots in that very concept. Maybe the film was more relevant than I knew…
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Lisa, perhaps it should have stayed in the closet as a Madison Ave film!
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Journalists are never wrong or can rarely admit it. Certainly not in public. Start there. I am one and what I’m saying is right, unless that’s wrong.
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As a journo who’s now run a PR agency for a decade, I remember once interviewing a junior PR graduate for a job who had never had to complete a media writing course as part of her degree. Our compulsory Media 101 training course for all clients explains how the media works, what makes news, and what doesn’t. I’m lucky to run a ’boutique’ (that’s PR for smaller) agency that isn’t answerable to shareholders looking for new accounts to boost income and frank dividends. So we pick the accounts we enjoy, with recognisable PR and media opportunities. And we walk away from the ones that cause the ‘oh oh’ feel in the gut. Not all PR agencies are so lucky. But – as Jen and Kimberley so rightly say – of course we can, and should make every effort to, get along. Last time I looked, we’re all made up of pretty much the same innate stuff, regardless of what our business cards say!
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Philippa, your journalistic writing skills hit the proverbial nail on the head – we are made from the same stuff and we’re all striving to deliver information to our target markets / audiences, so it makes sense to work together. In fact, the more I think about it, the more crazy and nonsensical the ‘issue’ seems; almost as though we’re trying to make it even more difficult for our professional selves!
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Kimberley you sound like you’ve already made up your mind!?!? And you’re yet to hear my witty jokes and convincing argument 🙂
All I can say is that tonight should be a good laugh and all things going well I’ll still have a job tomorrow following my PR-bashing!!!
🙂
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Oh Lukas, the crowd will decide tonight; it’s not up to me! I have strong opinions about both sides of the arguement so you’ll still have to convince me!
Yes, tonight is for entertainment folks, it’s not a dual to the death so let’s hope everyone remembers it’s a networking event and not a mud slinging fight. Although perhaps we can add mud wrestling to the agends for the next networking event?!
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Listen to brekky radio and read the morning paper. It’s all the same stories, nothing unique anywhere, and much of it is driven by PR, the new issue of Choice magazine, or the story of the week (hello swine flu).
Somebody needs togrow some balls and lead the pack with unique interesting stories.
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OK link established and (reception allowing) will try and Twit some of the substantive points from tonight’s debate – tune into the hashtag on Twitter #PRIADebate
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I’ve been enjoying reading all your comments, although I think Kimberly may have come up with the best story of the week – pitting the journos against the prs in a mud wrestling reality show – perfect entertainment for all! With live commentary via twitter…
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So, how did it go?
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It was a victory for the we’re-all-in-it-together camp. More here shortly:
https://mumbrella.com.au/pr-vs-journalists-debate-concludes-were-on-the-same-side-5221
Cheers,
Tim
RE: the 80% influence statistic…. this is a chicken and egg issue.
Journalists influence the commercial agenda of the business community to an enormous degree. There’s few things that get a Chairman or CEO’s attention these days so fast as a news headline. So, you could almost reverse the stat and say that media influences well over half the decisions made in corporate Australia today.
… and how about the fact that a PR’s content is primarily generated by and influenced by the CEO’s they report to. PRs may give it a fresh perspective or wordsmith it, but it ultimately comes out of the business they represent. Business drives our economy, and is a legitimate source of news, so why the drama?
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