Behind the Scenes: Public Relations vs. Journalism

As PR pros, we try to make connections with reporters to secure coverage for our clients. Ideally, we’ll be creating a mutually beneficial relationship where our clients get coverage, and reporters get an interesting story or a source who provides important insight or background information. But not every PR pro follows best practices, and it’s not uncommon for public relations professionals and journalists to be at odds.

Former Buchanan Public Relations Account Executive Amanda, who previously worked as a reporter for WPMT-TV, recently began working as a reporter again, this time with WEHT-TV / WTVW-TV. Jean Rutter, who is freelancing with BPR, spent 26 years as an editor at The New York Times. After working on both sides of the industry, they have been able to see the best – and worst – of both positions. I asked Amanda and Jean for some insights into the relationship between the PR pro and journalists.

1. What are some of the best practices you’ve seen from PR professionals?

Amanda –  I’ve had many experiences with PR professionals throughout my years in the industry. Buchanan Public Relations is the champ when it comes to respecting journalists’ time. Knowing when it’s a bad idea to cold-call a reporter or interfere with a story is key.

Also, I love it when I call a PR rep and she makes her client readily available like it’s no big deal. During my days as an executive producer, I developed relationships with these trustworthy PR folks and as a result, their clients ended up on my shows pretty routinely. Everyone was happy!

Jean – I appreciate a pitch that recognizes what I do. For example, when I was assigning education news coverage, the best pitches nodded at a fresh development, showing knowledge of both the topic, and of what I was doing. Just a simple acknowledgment got my attention. Here’s an email (from a BPR AE, as it happens):

I saw that David Leonhardt and Adam Liptak have already been covering the recent affirmative action cases being decided by the Supreme Court and I wanted to reach out with a potential expert to comment on the cases prior to or following the court’s ruling.

A second, related point is that news outlets like The Times that are aimed at a broad audience seldom do single-source stories, and almost never cover one product, person or event in isolation. Understand the way who or what you’re pitching fits (or swims against) a trend. Look for a wider, national or global angle. Here’s another BPR example (you guys are good at this!) from a time when campus assaults were in the news. One of my reporters was gathering string on university honor courts’ handling of assault accusations, and I was glad to pass this pitch (by the same BPR AE) along to him:

One in five women are raped during their college careers, with 80-90 percent of sexual assaults perpetrated by acquaintances.  With statistics like these, it’s important for university leaders to understand the legal requirements and best practices for addressing allegations of sexual assault on campus.

Pepper Hamilton and the Freeh Group will be hosting a webinar tomorrow titled “Investigating and Resolving Sexual Assaults on Campus.” I have included a release below with more information.

2. How about some of the worst practices you’ve seen?

Amanda – Maybe this is my pet peeve – but please do not cold call me repetitively, or during editorial meetings. I had an experience where a PR person would call me in the middle of a news meeting almost every day at 9:30 a.m. and read the same pitches that were already in my inbox and my voicemail. A simple follow-up email would’ve been most effective – and to the benefit of the client.

Really try to dig in to understand journalists’ deadlines. What are their normal hours? When are their editorial meetings? Calling or emailing at the right time can sometimes guarantee coverage for your client – but if a pitch is poorly timed it could mean you’ve lost the chance to have your client included in a story in the future.

Jean –  A highly regarded colleague, a reporter known for crafting insightful and stylish obituaries, frequently posts on Facebook her nominations for “Demented PR Pitch of the Day.” Don’t be demented. Write in clear language, don’t go overboard to shock, and above all be sure that everything you write can pass a rigorous fact check. That colleague, Margalit Fox, is a master of inviting ledes, drawing in readers with humor, surprise and sometimes delayed gratification (throwing in a hint, but holding off on completing the thought to draw the reader along). Be like Margo. (And read her obits!)

3. What are some tips for PR pros when working with journalists?

Amanda – This is said so often, but it bears repeating: We are people too, and we’re just doing our jobs. I probably don’t want to cover that negative story about your client, but I have to. And, by the way, I understand that you have a job to do as well.

Second, I LOVE it when PR people have printed information readily available for me at their clients’ events. It makes writing my story under a tight deadline so much easier, and it ensures that your clients get the best and most accurate coverage.

Finally, keep in mind that before we were late to your client’s press conference, we may have been covering a murder or trudging through muddy flood waters. In today’s fast-paced world, we’re trying to be everywhere at once (and only succeeding sometimes!).

Jean – Know your subject inside out. Be creative with your approach and be willing to engage in some back-and-forth to find common ground, a new angle. Find a way to make your client or story fill a need. Don’t be afraid to show a little of your personality.

4. What about vice versa?

Amanda – PR pros are not your enemy. Again, they have a job to do, just like you. My biggest tip — develop a relationship with PR folks outside the office. The perspective can be helpful for everyone and can give you inside insight on their styles and clients, as long as you don’t betray the trust. Breaking down communication barriers is the first step toward producing quality news content for everyone.

Jean – Respond. If it was clear that a PR pro had sought me out for a reason (and wasn’t just spamming me with anti-lice shampoo “for schoolchildren,” for example), I tried to acknowledge every pitch, even if it was to say no. That’s a hard goal to reach on a busy day, and I wasn’t always successful. But my thinking was that you never know when you’ll need a lifeline, or where it might come from. Good resources are essential.

5. How has working in public relations affected how you, as a journalist now, work with PR professionals?

Amanda – I am a lot more patient. I understand that PR folks are dealing with multiple news outlets at one time and oftentimes are under a lot of pressure due to high client expectations, and I know from experience that juggling those demands can be tricky. But I also know the ins-and-outs of the PR world, so I am more adept at getting the story I need as a journalist now. The relationship between the media and PR professionals is still a tricky dance, but it helps when each side understands the demands of the other’s job.

6. Now that you’ve returned to work as a journalist, have you noticed any changes since your last tour of duty?

Amanda – Absolutely. I work in TV, and the model has changed completely. The industry is leaning toward the multimedia journalist (MMJ) model now. I am a reporter, but I MMJ most days. (Yes, that is a verb in this industry!) This means that on any given day, I shoot my own stories and standups, write my own packages, shoot stories for the producers on-the-go, handle multiple professional social media accounts, and am still expected to go live at the end of my shift. It used to be that a reporter and photographer would cover a story together – now those jobs have been combined in many markets. If we seem rushed it’s because we are – but not because we don’t want to stay and chat!

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PR pros and journalists – Share your tips for your counterparts in the comments below.