Media Relations

UNIT – 13:         MEDIA RELATIONS

Contents

13.0     Objectives

13.1     Introduction

13.2     Meaning and Scope

13.3     Concept of Media Relations

            13.3.1  PR Manager – person in the middle

13.4     The need for Media Relations

            13.4.1  Editors comment on PR Press Releases

            13.4.2  Complaints from the Media

13.5     Understanding the Media

13.6     Principles of Good Media Relations

            13.6.1  Inter Media Publicity Coordination Committee

13.7     What Makes a good Media Relations Manager?

            13.7.1  Measurement of media coverage

13.8     Social Media

13.9     Summary

13.10   Answers to self assessment questions

13.11   Model Examination Questions

13.12   Glossary

13.13   References

13.0   OBJECTIVES

After reading this unit, you will be able to:

·          Define Media – Print, Electronic & others

·          Identify the need for media relations in order to get fair coverage for your organization;

·          Explain the media requirements i.e. feeding them with news oriented material;

·          Describe the methods through which good media relations can be promoted for an organization;

·          Explain the attributes that go into the making of good Media Relations Officer.

13.1   INTRODUCTION

Public Relations Manager as a person in the middle has to understand the requirements of his/her management on one side and the needs of media on the other to provide media-oriented press material for an effective coverage. Media coverage of an organization depends on maintaining good media relations and serving the media effectively. Therefore, media relations are based on certain principles and it is nothing more than serving the media.  In this unit it is explained as to what is media and various factors that go in building up good media relations for an organization.

People working for media & public relations are referred to as cousins because both are in the business of communication. They are two sides of the same coin. But, news reports seek trends and context. Reports face intense scrutiny. Media need quick and non-bureaucratic response. Seek information especially at odd time. Media expects tip-offs about the industry from time to time. Journalists are multi-tasking, over-worked and naturally seem to be tough and inaccessible. PR should be of a helping hand to the media and not a hurdle. Excellent relationship with one reporter is not enough. PR manager must have good relations with all the media representations who matters.

13.2   MEANING AND SCOPE

A medium is a communication channel through which news, entertainment, education, data or promotional messages are disseminated. Media includes all broadcasting and narrowcasting media such as newspapers, magazines, television, radio, cinema, billboards, direct mail, telephone, fax, mobile phone and also Internet based social media tools like websites, blogs, youtube, twitter, face book, linkedIn etc.  Media is the plural of medium but also used as singular when referring to ‘media relations’ just as ‘public relations’.

When there were only newspapers, the PR manager maintained only press relations and used to write press releases or press notes.  As the scope of media is widened with the addition of various other electronic modes of communication, the PR manager is expected to maintain media relations now with all media.  The press release or press note is now to be termed as media release. The scope for media relations is wider in view of increasing number of print and electronic media. Growing media not only creates opportunities but also pose challenges to public relations practitioners.

Self assessment question – I

1.      What do you understand by media?

13.3   CONCEPT OF MEDIA RELATIONS

Let us look at the media scenario of the country to understand its size. There are over 82,222 newspapers and periodicals with a circulation of about 33 crore copies in 2011 in India and it is the biggest newspaper market in the world. India has over 800 satellite channels that constantly beam programs over 270 radio stations broadcast news and current affairs. Media influences public opinion, which is fundamental and vital in a democratic setup. It is for this reason that media relations assume greater importance in the practice of public relations. Public Relations in the process of reaching its goal has to utilize various media of communication such as the press, radio and television etc.  Without close rapport and better service, it will be difficult for any PR person to get coverage for the activities of organization in the media.  It is, therefore, necessary for a PR Manager to understand and study the concept of media relations. Among the various media relationships, press relations form an important part of the PR process.  Good relations by a PR manager with the newspapers will undoubtedly shape the PR campaign of the organization for the better results.

A PR Manager, among others, has to deal with the three important media such as the newspapers, radio and television.  The radio and television were earlier controlled by the Govt.  Except All India Radio, Doordarshan and certain periodicals published by Govt, the entire print and electronic media is in the private sector.

13.3.1  PR Manager – Person in the Middle

In fact, the PR practitioner is a link between the management and the media.  Being a person in the middle, the PR practitioner must understand the needs and requirements of both the management and the media and gain their confidence. Gaining the confidence is not an easy task, because the interests of the management and the media often do not agree.  Managements want news to be published in a manner that will promote their policies and business interests.  They do not relish any criticism whatsoever in the media.  Whenever criticism or critical writings appear in the media they re-act.  There are certain cases both in the private and the Government sector to stop advertisements to the newspapers, when critical writings were published. Some organizations tend to use advertisements support as a lever to control the press. But this is not the correct approach to deal with the press.

On the other hand, the media particularly the newspapers like to publish only such news that interests a large number of readers.  News of readers’ interest alone is useful to the newspaper.  The Editor always tries to keep his masters i.e. the publisher and the readers in view while publishing the news and not the management masters of PR manager. It may thus be seen that both sides – the managements of various organizations and media managements - have legitimate ground about serving their respective masters namely the Chief Executives and the readers respectively.  PR manager who is a link between the management and the media has to bridge their view points and bring each side around to understand the problems and perceptions of the other.  This can be achieved through better media relations. 

If public relations can be defined as managing relations and understanding between and organization and its publics in getting company’s products or services understood and acceptable, the media relations is termed as the art of persuading the press that the same organization is worth getting media coverage. The most successful press campaigns are those which translate a company’s marketing and corporate objectives into media objectives.  Media relations is nothing more than serving the media, but there are some basic ground rules and guidelines that need to be followed.

Good media relations are created and maintained only through honest and reader/listener/viewer oriented useful news service provided in an atmosphere of mutual trust and understanding.  Service is the essential element in media relations. PR manager is therefore required to acquire knowledge of the techniques of maintaining good media relations both in the interest of the media and the organization which he/she represents.  He has to develop skills in media relations such as writing for media, organizing media events like press conferences, press briefings, press tours etc

Self assessment question – II

2.      What is meant by media relations?

13.4   THE NEED FOR MEDIA RELATIONS

Here are a few extracts from an article by the Editor-in-Chief of a major daily newspaper on ‘press notes’ which justify the need for good press relations.  Every organization tends to gain coverage in newspapers.  But space in newspapers is limited.  Against this background, effective media relations would undoubtedly enable organizations to get fairer coverage for their activities

13.4.1 Editors comment on media relations

‘The Editors are appalled to see the sloppy copy that comes in the form of a press note. Though the author of such a press note is a qualified Public Relations Officer, there is no professional touch in many of the press notes.  Every copy needs a re-write man’. It doesn’t mean that the Editors look forward in such Press Notes any ready-made material that can go straight to composing.  ‘What is required is a good copy and up-to-the-point matter.  In a day, an Editor receives 300 to 400 Press notes and if every press note runs into a number of pages, not only he may not have time to go through all, but he will be terribly bored, with the result, important ones will go un-noticed’.

Press notes are not the only source of news for the Editor.  He has pages and pages of other eligible matter from internal sources like agency copy and reports received from correspondents/reporters that are likely to get priority.  The share of the press notes in the news column may be in the range of only 5 to 10%. For this, one cannot expect the Editor to spend his whole day going through the press notes. So, the Public Relations Officer’s aim should be to fight for drawing Editor’s attention with the limited time he has at his disposal.

There is a tendency to stuff the press notes with propaganda material.  The authors should first of all know the difference between the publicity and propaganda and they should confine themselves to gain publicity for a particular event or activity and not try to brain-wash the editors or propagate their viewpoint.  Editors are not that naïve to be unable to distinguish between the two.  If the press notes are losing credibility among the Editors, it is because of this tendency of the Public Relations Officers to load them with propaganda material. The Public Relations Officers should make it a point to prepare the press notes in a crisp news format.  On the contrary, if it is stuffed with propaganda, it is bound to reach its due place in a newspaper office, i.e. the ‘dustbin’ or a ‘waste paper basket’.

While sending the press notes, if the Public Relations Officers give instructions to the Editors as to how they should be treated, it would annoy the Editor. For example, there was a press note with the following instructions from a Govt Department. The views of Editor-in-Chief are very valid.  Such press notes from PR create bad media relations and PR suffers both in the eyes of managements and newspapers. What is needed is that PR managers must know the requirements of media and serve them with news, the way in which they are accustomed to publish.  This forms part of media relations

13.4.2     Complaints from the Media

Complaints often heard from the media about public relations media releases are:

1.      Public Relations Manager always tries to color and suppress free flow of legitimate news under the influence of management.

2.      Public Relations Manager is not free to select news of readers’ interest.

3.      Management influences the Media for getting into news columns only with positive news.

4.      Most of the Public Relations Managers are ignorant of media requirements and that they do not have the real concept of news.

5.      Public Relations media releases are boss-oriented and not readers-oriented.

6.      They use adjectives and flowery language to please their management.

7.      Public Relations managers are ignorant of journalistic writings and news values.

8.      They do not have adequate knowledge of the latest techniques in media trends.

9.      Media releases are not delivered on time in the newspaper offices in tune with the schedules of different editions.

10.  Public Relations managers give only positive news, while concealing news of negative nature.

Pitfalls mentioned above and the comments of the Editor described earlier clearly highlight the shortcomings of press relations. Therefore, media relations assume greater importance in the art of public relations not only to avoid the pitfalls but also to get good coverage in the media.

Self assessment question – III

1. How do you justify the need for media relations in the practice of public relations?

13.5   UNDERSTANDING THE MEDIA

Most of the complaints from the media against public relations media releases are due to the fact that the public relations managers are not aware of the actual requirements of the media and news values. How the media works should be a matter of utmost importance for public relations to send press material the way in which the newspapers are accustomed to publish.  The structure of newspaper organization also has to be clearly understood in order to develop good relations with respective media persons. Newspapers are also categorized based on their contents, geographical area of operation and circulation.  We have national dailies, Sunday newspapers, regional newspapers, local newspapers, news agencies, wire newspapers, freelance journalists, foreign journalists etc. Content-wise newspapers include like women’s magazines, sports, children, science and technology, business, commerce, youth etc.  An updated list of newspapers and journalists should always be available with the public relations department.  ‘Press in India’ annual report of the Registrar of Newspapers for India can help you understand the newspapers, their contents circulation and periodicity.

Different media need to be approached in different ways because their requirements are different.  If some newspapers use press notes, while some other newspapers use feature material.  This has to be understood clearly by the public relations manager. A press conference if held late in the evening may not get good coverage in the next day’s newspaper.  The requirement of a daily newspaper is, unless it is very important, press conference of a VIP should be organized in the forenoon, so that the media could cover the same in detail in the next day’s all editions.  Therefore, the deadlines, the schedules, requirement of news of various newspapers should be known to public relations manager to cater to the needs of the press.  Likewise, the other requirements of writing for the press shall be understood.  A thorough understanding of the functioning of the press and its requirements is a pre-requisite for good media relations.

13.6   PRINCIPLES OF GOOD MEDIA RELATIONS

Better media relations are maintained by public relations managers by practicing certain principles such as good service, honesty, frankness, impartiality, accuracy, helping attitude etc.  Here are ten guidelines.

1. Good service: Better service is the key to success of press relations.  What the press expects is that the public relations should feed them with the news of public interest.  The best way to gain the confidence of media is, therefore, to provide them with press material in the form in which it is published.  Newspapers publish news and views in various forms, like news reports, features, letters to the editor etc.

Be Pro-active: Having understood the media expectations, the PR manager can anticipate media needs and provide with the appropriate news stories.  Keeping in view the market situations, the PR manager can create news worthiness for his services and products.  PR manager often tends to be reactive which is not correct. Being proactive and gaining the goodwill of the media by providing newsworthy stories yields better results.

2. Impartiality: PR should never develop partiality towards any of the media personnel.  A fundamental principle in PR is that a PR manager can not favor only one news source, ignoring others or at the expense of other news outlets.  When the media men come to know that a PR manager has given a particular story only to a few favorite friends, the PR then risks the confidence and goodwill of other newsmen.  As part of good media relations, it is advisable that media releases should be sent to all and not to a few selected ones. One should be impartial.

3. Oral request for publication: It is the practice with some PR managers to telephone and ask newspapers to publish their stories.  It is interesting to know that once a PR person representing the textile company went to a News Editor with a press note for publication.  The PR person after sometime asked the news editor to return the press note if there was any difficulty for its publication, so that it could be given to another newspaper.  Nothing irritates the media persons more than a PR manager who goes on requesting the newspapers to publish their stories.  If the material is not news-worthy, any amount of personal effort in getting it published will be a futile exercise.

4. No suppression: Once, a PR manager working for a fertilizer manufacturing company was asked to suppress the news about a strike of the employees.  But the PR manager told the management that it was not his job to suppress the facts.  PR is based on truth.  The PR manager then suggested that the news about the welfare measures taken up by the company for the benefit of employees, the demands accepted and the difficulties in not acceding to the other demands of employees could be highlighted instead of prevailing upon the media to suppress the news about the strike.  The management readily agreed to the suggestion and the views of the management and the news about the strike were published simultaneously. A PR man therefore has no right to ask a newspaper, radio or television to kill a story or publish the way in which the management expects.  To any media person such requests are nothing but an embarrassment.  Such attempts will only bring ill-will and not good-will from the media.

5. Over communication: It is the practice with some of the PR managers to send media releases regularly whether they are of news value or not.  In fact, we live in an era of information explosion and newspapers get endless messages from all over the world either through their own correspondents or from news agencies.  If the PR manager goes on flooding the newspapers with his material of no relevance to the readers, it may result in negative relations.  One should be very selective in sending media releases.  Remember that any over communication or communication overload is counter-productive.

6. Helpful attitude in emergencies: Management confront with crises – be it a strike, a natural calamity or an accident.  In such a situation, media persons would like to have full details of the incident which has great relevance to readers. An incident, if not handled properly can, at one stroke, mar the reputation of the management that was built up for several years.  Cyclones, rail, road, air and fire accidents are a few to quote.  The PR manager must be of great help to the media and extend all possible assistance to media men.  The presentation of unbiased facts and full information can prevent a bad situation from becoming worse.

In all crises situations and emergencies, the following guidelines may be followed:

a)      Give the media persons all the facts you have at your hand quickly and explain what the organization is doing in meeting the crisis.

b)      Establish a control room which could feed the media round the clock.

c)      Explain the measures taken up by the organization to provide relief measures.

d)      Explain the losses and the extent of damage.

e)      The best way to explain the situation would be to invite the media persons to the scene of accident and enable them to see for themselves and write stories.

7. Media Enquiries: Media persons often ask PR managers certain information about the organization.  The PR manager must answer all their questions promptly and accurately.  However, he/she should be careful in his/her comments. If the PR manager does not know the answer, instead of telling the press that he does not know, it would be more appropriate to tell the media that he would checkup from the concerned and let them know.  The PR manager should follow it up and see that the answer is provided as early as possible.  This type of helpfulness will help PR in building up long range media relations.

8. Rapport with all: One day, when a PR manager visited the news room for handing over a press note, a senior sub-editor indirectly commented ‘how is that this PR manager who only maintains contact with the Editor has come to the news room?’ This indicates that the PR manager was only in touch with the Editor and not the news editor or sub editors who actually handle the news at the desk and who really matter in selection of news with scissors at their disposal. PR managers generally keep contact only with the correspondents forgetting the fact that there are a number of other news persons such as editors, news editors, sub-editors, lead writers and special correspondents etc who matter much in the publication of news.  PR managers must establish direct contact with all levels of newsmen. Such contact should be regular and not when you have work with them. This is called ‘desk visit’.

9. No Confrontation: Sometimes uncomfortable and critical news are published in newspapers against the managements.  To deal with such situations, highest skill is called for.  If there is any criticism about the organization in the press, it must be contradicted and corrected in prudent and restrained language.  Rejoinders, contradictions of the management are bound to get coverage in the newspapers.  Confrontation with the press will not serve any purpose. It must be remembered that ‘the press fires the last shot’.

10. Deserve and desire: While dealing with the subject press, a very senior editor of a newspaper advised PR persons to remember the dictum ‘first deserve and then desire’.  This advice came in the context that the press should be approached only if there is something worthwhile for publication.  In other words, an item which has news value automatically deserves publication.  This is the best principle of public relations in establishing media releases.

13.6.1 Inter Media Publicity Coordination Committee

In addition to the media, the PR manager is expected to maintain cordial relations with Government Media such as the All India Radio, Doordarshan, Films Division, Press Information Bureau, Director of Advertising and Visual Publicity, Directorate of Field Publicity etc which are charged with the responsibility of giving publicity to the various activities of the Govt Departments and Public Sector undertakings.  PR managers connected with Govt Departments and PSUs can get a fair coverage through these media units by adopting, by and large, the same principles of media relations.

The Govt of India has constituted a State Level Inter Media Publicity Coordination Committee at each of the State capitals with heads of various Govt of India media units; Director of Information & Public Relations of State Govt; PR managers of various Central and State Govt Departments and PSUs as members. The senior most officer of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting stationed in the State capital will be the chairman of this Committee.  The Committee provides an excellent forum for various PR managers of both the Central and State Governments to design and launch publicity programmes in collaboration with the Govt. of India media units.

Self assessment question – IV

3.      Enumerate the principles of good media relations

13.7   WHAT MAKES A GOOD MEDIA RELATIONS MANAGER

Public Relations Officer/Manager with expertise in media relations working between an organization and the media aims at getting fair coverage in the media based on the performance and activities.  The most important and desirable attributes that make a PR manager successful, are as follows:

1.      Understanding the Media

2.      Evolving the media goals and strategies for the organization

3.      Collection of data of public interest

4.      Journalistic writing skills

5.      Marketing news release

6.      Timely distribution of stories

7.      Accessibility to media and monitoring media

8.      Not attacking the media

9.      Not lying with the media

10.  Educating the management  

Let us discuss these issues

1. Understanding the Media: PR Manager shall have a thorough understanding of the functioning of newspapers, their deadlines, requirements of news etc.  He should have an idea of the differences in the style of local, regional and national newspapers so that they can be exploited to the advantage of the organization by feeding them with the reader-oriented news. Understanding of content wise classification of newspapers is an added advantage.

2. Evolving the media goals and strategies for the organization: PR Manager should not expect too much out of media relations.  Therefore he must evolve a media strategy with specific goals for achievement.  Goals give the incentive to pursue the campaigns.  Goals could be in the shape of press conferences, press tours, press interviews, press releases, features etc. They should be in tune with the corporate goals. Media strategy with a official spokes person should have the approval of top management.

3. Collection of data of public interest: PR Manager must be able to interview the people to get the information of public interest for writing news stories.  He must be politely persistent in his endeavor. In his research for facts, figures and information, he must be conscious of the value of these facts from the point of view of the ultimate reader.  Reader is the master of newspaper. Reader is the target. It is the duty of PR Manager to check the facts before Editors take his material on trust and publish it. Reader listener and viewer are the masters of media. Media matters should be of their interest.

4. Journalistic writing skills: A poet or a novelist might make a poor media relations officer. The writing of the PR manager is not to impress or entertain the reader. His writings must be of interest and inform briefly and clearly.  Every word must count and superlatives have no place.  A media release shall look like a news item ready to be published. Therefore journalistic writing is different from literacy writing.

5. Marketing news release: Ability to market stories is an asset.  Once a story is written, the PR manager must know where to place it and who is most likely to publish it.  This is very much like selling or marketing even though the stories are sent to media free of charge.  The marketing of media releases require a thorough knowledge of media and the acquisition of this knowledge is a painstaking business.  The PR manager who writes a story and then does a blanket mail to all the journals is an act of amateur as compared to the expert who knows his media and selects the right publication for each story.

6. Timely distribution of stories: Ability to timely distribution of stories derives chiefly from knowing how publications are produced, printed and distributed.  If not distributed in time, news will perish.  Evening editions are printed early in the day, while morning editions are printed at night.  This must be kept in view while sending media releases. City editions are printed at midnight.

7. Accessibility: Accessibility to the media is of utmost importance. PR manager must be open to journalists. He should never say ‘no comment’.  It is regarded as bad manners. Make sure that someone is always available in the office after working hours and weekends. In emergencies, the PR wing should function round the clock. In fact PR is 24X7 job.

8. Not attacking the media: Press should never be attacked. Unless required to issue a rejoinder or a clarification, there should not be a conflict with the press. Even the rejoinder should go in a restrained language not to offend the media. No confrontation with the media either. Instead present the facts to counter the criticism.

9. Not lying with the media: PR should never lie to the media. Truth is the essence of good media relations. Therefore, lies will always be found out easily and can create havoc with the PR manager and his Organisation.  Honesty is always the best policy in media relations. If something is not available, it shall be admitted and assured that it will be found out and informed as soon as possible.

10. Educating the management: Media Relations programme can be successful only when the top management is fully involved. PR manager needs the full cooperation of his boss and understanding of all the top key management executives.  Progress in press coverage shall be shown to the top management with press clippings, from time to time. Informal meetings shall be arranged between the management and senior journalists for mutual understanding about their requirements. Let the top management understand the media. Once they understand the media, the problems like asking the PR manager to get the news published on the first page as box items can be solved. 

13.7.1    Measurement of Media Coverage

Public relations professionals are expected to use their media relations skills to generate print and online coverage that reflects the strategic messaging, market positioning and brand equity that their employers or clients want to project. There are five qualitative metrics to get a better idea of whether the results of the communication process meet strategic objectives and to assess the potential bottom-line impact of media coverage.

The metrics are: 1. How important is the media outlet? 2. Is the article a stand-alone or a roundup? 3. Are your key strategic messages included? 4. Is the overall perception of the story positive or negative? 5. What is the measurable response to the published story or article?

1. How important is the media outlet?

Clearly, print and online outlets differ greatly in terms of readership and overall prestige. But the point is the extent to which the outlet reaches your specific target audience—the titled individuals in specific roles within their organizations who are the actual decision makers when it comes to buying your products or services.

2. Is the article a stand-alone piece or a roundup?

Your goal always is to generate stand-alone coverage, or perhaps coverage that mentions others in passing but is clearly focused on your client. They’re not easy to obtain, especially if your company or client is not well-known. Roundups, which are stories that mention a host of companies in fairly balanced coverage, diminish your mind-share.

3. Are your key strategic messages included?

Every organization has carefully crafted words and phrases that define its brand and influence market perception. The words may be product names, specific technology, tag lines or slogans, or service methodologies. With today’s focus on SEO and online keyword searches, this metric has grown in importance. It’s critical that your media coverage include your specialized words and phrases—the more the better.

4. Is the overall perception of the story positive or negative?

 “Any coverage is good coverage” is not correct. All we have to do is look at massive brand and financial damage suffered in the last few years by major companies. As you assess your media coverage, be honest about your company’s or client’s market perception based on the positive or negative tone present in your media coverage. Similarly, predominantly negative coverage generally will still include some encouraging or supportive reporting. Your job as a PR practitioner is to make a judgment about the overall perception of the coverage. Even if the good and bad seem equivalent, you have to make a decision.

5. What is the measurable response to the published story or article?

This is the bottom-line metric in this discussion. Did the media coverage result in a measurable increase in inquiries about your company or client, or the specific product or service that was covered? Look at your Website stats, phone call volume, e-mail traffic and other channels—including social media activity—to get a near-term idea of the buzz and the potential bottom-line impact of your media coverage. Longer term, you must judge collected media coverage the only way it matters: measurable contribution to increased sales activity. The press clippings are an indication of media coverage which should be monitored to the management.

Self assessment questions - V

1. What are the attributes of a good media relations manager?

2. What is meant by media coverage measurement?

13.8             SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media is defined as “interactive platforms via which individuals and communities create and share user-generated contents”; “a group of internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of web 2.0 and that allows the creation and exchange of user-generated content”.  It means social media is social software which mediates human communication.  In the year 2012, social media became one of the most powerful sources for news updates through platforms like Face Book, Twitter, and YouTube etc. Social media technologies take on different forms including e-magazines, internet forums, weblogs, social blogs, micro blogging, wikis, social networks, podcasts, photographs/pictures, videos, ratings and social bookmarking. Social media is adopted basically for identity, conversations, sharing, presence, relationships, reputation and groups. If is not monologue but dialogue form of communication.

Social media is distinct from conventional and mass media. If mass media is referred to as Fourth Estate, social media has acquired the status of Fifth Estate. ‘Word of mouth’ when put through social media, it becomes virtual with viral effect. Public Relations practitioners shall get acquainted with this medium of communication for three important reasons that social media (1) serves as an instant public communication channel and (2) allows reviews by the public and (3) acts as an instrument to persuade and modify the public opinion.

Self assessment question – VI

3.      What is social media? Why is it important to PR professionals?

13.9             SUMMARY

Like public relations, media relations is also aimed at creation of mutual understanding between an organization and the media as a measure to get fair coverage for the activities of the organization.  Good media relations are earned and maintained through useful news service provided to the newspapers. Various ways and means through which effective media relations are maintained have been explained in this unit.  The points discussed are summarized here under:

·          Press, Radio and Television are the three important mass media available for public relations in disseminating public information.  The electronic media namely All India Radio and Doordarshan alone are under the control of the Government. Print and other electronic media are in the private sector. 

·          PR practitioner – PR Manager/Media Relations Manager – is a link between the management and the media. He has to understand the requirements of both the organisation and the media to serve them effectively.  Media relations may be described as the art of persuading the press for ensuring effective coverage through news oriented and creative information service.

·          Keep in constant touch with key media and media persons. Keep the media contact lists up-to-date. Fulfill media requests for information, photographs and send them on priority. Be friendly and helpful to every media throughout.

·          Make sure that the organisation designates a few executives to speak on the subjects which are likely to be of public interest and may affect the organisation.

·          Evolve a media strategy to carry out media relations programme within the goals set out to publicize events as they happen and urgently respond to media enquiries.

·          Attributes like journalistic writing skills, efficient marketing of news releases, timely distribution of stories, and accessibility with media make a good press relations manager.

13.10          ANSWERS TO SELF ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

Self assessment question – I

1.      Media is various modes of communication viz newspapers, radio, television, internet etc through which information is sent to the intended people.

Self assessment question – II

1.      Good relations with media is the art of persuading the media for coverage of organizational activities.  Good media relations are created and maintained through honesty and readers’ oriented news service provided in an atmosphere of mutual interest and understanding.

Self assessment question – III

1. The authors of media releases are the Public Relations Officers.  But their material lack professional touch and do not meet the requirements of media.  In the process, media rejects the press material sent by PR people. Therefore, the need for good media relations. Better media relations are created by providing useful news service to the media.  Service is the watchword in media relations.

Self assessment question – IV

1.      The principles of good media relations are Good service, pro-activeness, impartiality, not to attempt suppressing the news, avoiding over communication, helpful attitude, handling press enquiries with tact and poise and also politely, maintaining close rapport with all categories of media persons, not confronting with the media are some of the guidelines that promote media relations.

Self assessment question – V

1.      The attributes of a good media relations manager are: understanding the media, evolving media strategy, journalistic writing skills, timely distribution of media releases, having close accessibility are some of the attributes that make good PR manager who can manage media relations effectively.

2.      Measuring media coverage is to ascertain the extent of coverage the information supplied to it and to assess the result of communication process taken up by an organization based on the coverage in the media. Press clippings of coverage      scope for media measurement.

Self assessment question – VI

1.      Social media is social software which mediates human communication. It acts as an interactive platform to create and share user generated contents. It is important because it serves as an instant public communication channel. Facebook, Twitter, Blogs are examples of social media.

13.11           MODEL EXAMINATION QUESTIONS

Answers the following questions in about 30 lines each

1.      What do you mean by Media Relations? How do you develop good media relations for your organisation?

2.      Every PR manager finds himself ‘the man in the middle’, forced to face the dilemma posed by what the managements expects him to do and what is required by the Editor.  Discuss what steps you recommend to improve good media relations for your company.

Answers the following questions in about 15 lines each

1.      What are the principles to be followed by a PR manager for maintaining effective media relations?

2.      What are the attributes of a good media relations officer and how media coverage is measured?

13.12           GLOSSARY

Media              =          Channels of communication [Newspapers, Radio, Television etc]

Media relations            =          Maintenance of relations with Media

Media release   =          A note/release meant for publication by any/all of the media

Media events   =          Conferences, Briefings, Tours etc organized to inform the media

Media target     =          Reader/Listener/Viewer i.e. the ultimate consumer of news

Newspaper       =          Daily, weekly, fortnightly, monthly, bi-monthly, biennial, annual

Press                =          Print medium [Newspaper]

Press relations  =          Maintenance of relations with print media

PR manager     =          Public Relations Officer/Media Relations Officer

Social Media    =          People’s mode of communication using various internet tools

13.13           REFERENCES

Publication Division, Govt of India     (1) Mass Media in India – 2012                      

CV Narasimha Reddi Dr                      (1) How to be a good PRO, the guide to Public

      Relations, Sharada Publications, Hyderabad

(2) Effective Public Relations & Media Strategy, Prentice   

      Hall of India, New Delhi

Subir Ghosh                                         Mass Media Today in the Indian context, Profile Publishers, Calcutta

-          Y. BABJI