By Tom Lally, Senior Strategist
Newsrooms across the country are shrinking.
Funding cuts to public media, including NPR and PBS, are the latest sign of dwindling support for journalism. Over the past year, local news companies like E.W. Scripps, TEGNA, Gray Television and Hearst have announced major layoffs.
The reporters who remain are hungry, dedicated and often working with less support than their predecessors.
If news outlets are shrinking, are they still an essential resource in public relations?
The answer depends, but let’s start by looking at the definition of public relations.
According to the Public Relations Society of America, “Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.” While your audience will depend on the organization you represent, there is likely some overlap with those who read news content.
Media relations remain an essential tool in public relations because most people still engage with the news.
According to the Pew Research Center, most U.S. adults receive news from a phone, computer or tablet at least occasionally, with 57 percent reporting that they do so often.
Television is the second most common source of news for U.S. adults. Around 64 percent of U.S. adults get news from television at least sometimes. That percentage rises to 86 percent for adults aged 65 or older.
How to effectively engage in media relations
When engaging with reporters and their media counterparts, PR professionals will tell you to be prepared, intentional and empathetic:
You must be prepared. Reporters often work long hours and are spread thin; the easier you make things for them, the better the final story will be. That means you should fully understand your story before presenting it to your media contacts. Establish clear and compelling messaging, line up potential interviews, and plan active photo and video opportunities.
Reporters are also hungry for the most compelling story they can find. If you mislead them or miss the mark, they will tell a different story than you intended.
You must be intentional. Set clear goals and benchmarks for your engagement with the media.
At C2 Strategic Communications, this is where we ask our clients, “What does success look like? What key message do you want to convey? How does this support your objectives as an organization?”
You must be empathetic. Build a relationship with the reporters or news agencies that will be covering your organization. They are the people who can help you secure earned media.
This could take different forms depending on the time you’re able to invest. It could be as simple as watching their news coverage for important stories and themes. It could also involve coffee meetings and check-in emails with newsroom leaders.
This shows newsmakers that you appreciate their work, and it helps you understand the questions and decisions they face daily.
How to prove the value of media relations
Media relations alone won’t guarantee a direct or immediate impact on your target audiences. Researchers call the idea that people accept media messages without thinking the hypodermic needle theory. They have repeatedly disproven this theory over the years.
Instead, you can leverage public perception and awareness from media relations into other tangible outcomes. At C2 Strategic, we analyze news coverage. We look at audience size, sentiment and publicity value. We also gather keywords used in different publications.
You can go further by using owned media analytics from Google and social media. This strategic communications process helps you see how engagement increases align with media relations. Defining these clear metrics is crucial for relaying your impact to your business’s leadership team.
Strong media relationships can raise awareness, build trust and help you tell your story in a way that matters.
Visit our Media Relations page to see how we can help your organization elevate your media presence.
