Preview

The Relationship Between Journalism and Public Relations

Best Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1952 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Relationship Between Journalism and Public Relations
The relationship between journalism and public relations has been described as tumultuous. Hitchcock (2012) says there is a shifting dynamic between the two and has found that journalists are starting to become more and more reliant on public relations ‘(PR)’, while Jackson (2009) says that up to 80% of media content has come from a public relations source. In this instance, Evans (2010) says, “it is time to admit that the two disciplines of journalism and PR are two sides of the same coin and that there is now complete freedom of movement between them” (p?). FIND PAGE NUMBER

This essay will discuss the role of both public relations and journalism in the media, followed by an examination of the symbiotic relationship these two professions share. Differing views and issues surrounding the relationship will also be considered. Furthermore, media relations and new media technology will be examined regarding the tension between PR and journalism. A conclusion will then be summarized to support the idea that the relationship between public relations and journalism is symbiotic to an extent, however there are other factors also to consider when making such a statement.

The Oxford Dictionary (2012) defines the term symbiosis as ‘a mutually beneficial relationship between different people or groups’. In this case we are examining the relationship between PR and journalism and how they mutually benefit from their day-to-day dealings with each other.

According to Tench (2009), PR plays an important role in shaping the news by persuading other people to convey important messages to the organisations publics. This is done with support from media outputs and can also be described as ‘endorsement’. Furthermore, the PR practitioner should use sound media relations to gain editorial coverage in appropriate media channels. By doing this, Comrie (2007) elaborates that the organization’s reputation will impact positively by integrating a strategic plan in line with the



References: Bailey, R. (2009). Media Relations. Harlow, England; New York: FT Prentice Hall Davis, A. (2000). Public relations, news production and changing patterns of source access in British National Media. Media, Culture and Society, 22(1), 39-59. Evans, T. (2010). We are all in PR now. British Journalism Review 2010 21: 31 DOI: 10.1177/0956474810374531 http://bjr.sagepub.com/content/21/2/31 Gower, K. (2007). Public relations and the press: The troubled embrace. Evanston, IL:Northwestern University Press. Gregory, A. (2002). To Spin or Not to Spin? – The Ethics of Public Relations [Lecture]. Retrieved from Leeds Metropolitan University.  Grunig, J Jackson, S. (2009, May 4). PR driving up to 80pc of content. The Australian. Retrieved August 19th, 2012, from http://www.theaustralian.com.au Lewis, J., A Symbiotic. (2012). Oxford Dictionaries. Oxford University Press. Retrieved August 19th, 2012 , from http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/symbiosis?q=symbiotic#symbiosis__3 White, J., & Hobsbawm., J

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Sci/256 Week 2

    • 764 Words
    • 4 Pages

    “The human history of the Yellowstone region goes back more than 11,000 years. From then until to the very recent past, many groups of Native Americans used the park as their homes, hunting grounds, and transportation routes. These traditional uses of Yellowstone lands continued until a little over 200 years ago when the first people of European descent found their way into the park. In 1872 a country that had not yet seen its first centennial, established Yellowstone as the first national park in the world. A new concept was born and with it a new way for people to preserve and protect the best of what they had for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations.” ("Yellowstone National Park Service", 2013) In the following paragraphs, the author will discuss the major structural and functional dynamics (processes) of that ecosystem including change over time, also, how humans may have affected biogeochemical cycles in that ecosystem, including impacts to the nitrogen, phosphorus, or carbon cycle. The author will also discuss how knowledge about that ecosystem’s structure and function can help or has helped to develop plans for its management and restoration plus the implication of species interactions in ecosystem management and restoration.…

    • 764 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Best Essays

    Mkt 571 Week 3

    • 2520 Words
    • 11 Pages

    Newsom, Turk, & Kruckeberg. (2004). This is PR: The Realities of Public Relations (8th ed.). Belmont, CA Thomson-Wadsworth. Retrieved from the University of Phoenix MKT 571 Marketing E-Resource link.…

    • 2520 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    MGT 534

    • 2108 Words
    • 18 Pages

    Newsom, D., Turk, J. V., & Kruckeberg, D. (2013). This is PR: The realities of public relations (11th ed.). Boston, MA:…

    • 2108 Words
    • 18 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Cfo Resignation

    • 591 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Seitel, F. P. (2011). The practice of public relations (11th ed.). Retrieved from The University of…

    • 591 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Seitel. F. P. (2011). The practice of public relations. (11th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson-Prentice Hall.…

    • 917 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Comm 305

    • 1532 Words
    • 7 Pages

    The goal of this course is to provide you with an understanding of the nature of the profession and practice of public relations. This course covers (1) the development and history of the public relations profession, (2) major theories that inform public relations, (3) the role and position of public relations in the organization, (4) how and where public relations is practiced in contemporary society, (5) the four-step process of public relations, (6) the skills and requirements for success in the profession, and (7) ethical implications and legal issues for public relations practitioners.…

    • 1532 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    According to an article appeared in The Guardian in December 2010, almost 15 million nation and regional daily newspapers are sold in the UK every day. Many more people also regularly use Internet sites, radio and television programmes to access information. Despites a highly discussed question of objectivity of transmission of information, through their texts and scripts journalists communicate with their readers and listeners on every step of sending information one to another.…

    • 1137 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    W. Timothy Coombs and Sherry J.Holladay. (2010) PR Strategy and Application: Managing Influence, West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell, pp107-121…

    • 4323 Words
    • 18 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Policymaking and the Media

    • 8143 Words
    • 33 Pages

    Davis, A. (2003a). Public relations and news sources. In S. Cottle (Ed.), News, public relations and power. London: Thousand Oaks.…

    • 8143 Words
    • 33 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Crisis Communication Paper

    • 1410 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Tench, R., & Yeomans, L. (2006). Exploring Public Relations. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall Financial Times, Inc.…

    • 1410 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Best Essays

    Propaganda

    • 3751 Words
    • 16 Pages

    Public Relations Consultants Association. (2009, July 31). Case Studies. Retrieved January 17, 2010, from Public Relations Consultants Association: http://www.prca.org.uk/casestudies?pid=489…

    • 3751 Words
    • 16 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Best Essays

    Miss

    • 3675 Words
    • 15 Pages

    Grunig in his excellence theory suggested that of the 15 percent of organisations that practice two way symmetrical communication, this consisted primarily of regulated business. By examining the communication practices of financial advisory firm X, does this support or disprove Grunig’s claims? The four models of public relations and excellence theory as proposed by Grunig and Hunt in 1984 remains one of the most dominant and also critiqued theoretical perspectives in public relations (Laskin, 2009). The evolution of communication practices by organizations has been heavily influenced by the idea of two-way symmetrical communications. Many more organizations have adjusted the way that they communicate with their publics as a result of ‘excellence theory’ and the growth in new technologies- specifically social media. However, many public relations scholars and practitioners argue that the two-way symmetrical communication and excellence theory simply provides a theoretical and unrealistic ideal for practitioners to strive to achieve, rather than reflecting what Grunig (2001) maintains to be a practiced model by excellent public relations departments. In this essay, using the example of regulated financial advisory firm X, we will consider the accuracy of Grunig’s suggestion that it is primarily regulated business that practices two- way symmetrical communication and ‘excellent’ public relations by analyzing the methods by which X communicates with its publics. We will endeavor to show that Grunig’s belief that only two-way symmetrical public relations is excellent communication is limiting in its theoretical analysis and does not allow for differences in publics, messages, scenario or indeed type of organization. Furthermore we will show that in fact it could equally be argued that to be excellent public relations, the practitioner adjusts their communication methods for each situation and for each public. Similarly we will show that the theory is in fact more…

    • 3675 Words
    • 15 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Grunig

    • 10672 Words
    • 43 Pages

    Grunig, J. E. (2009). Paradigms of global public relations in an age of digitalisation. PRism 6(2):…

    • 10672 Words
    • 43 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    mkt syl

    • 3361 Words
    • 40 Pages

    The aims of this syllabus are to enable candidates to develop a broad understanding in the key…

    • 3361 Words
    • 40 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Best Essays

    References Alexander, D. (2004). Changing the public relations curriculum: a new challenge for educators. Prism Online PR Journal. Accessed 24 April 2007. http://praxis.massey.ac.nz/fileadmin/Praxis/Files/Journal_Files/Issue2/ Alexander.pdf.…

    • 574 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Best Essays