Media Relations VS Public Relations

The differences between media relations and public relations.

Before I join the course.

Media relations and public relations have no difference.

It's all about communicate with the public, just that media relations communicate with more media such as journalist , blogger and reporters.

So now let's discuss about the reality of Media Relations and Public Relations!

Media Relations.

Definition : Media relations involves working with media for the purpose of informing the public about an organization's mission, policies and practices in a positive way. Typically, this means coordinating directly with the people responsible for producing the news and features in the mass media. The goal of media relations is to maximize positive coverage in the mass media without paying for it directly through advertising.

Why we need media relations? Why media relations is important?

To communicate with the public,the people, whether with government , business, or general public.

Media Relations is important because it's one of the most effective ways of reaching your target audiences, influencing policy and practice and changing public opinion is to make use of the media in a planned way.

Benefits of working with the media

By working with the media, you can:

• Influence policy
  • Establish your company reputation in the national press or any other social media, once you publish to the public ,the influence policy works.
• Raise your profile
  • Media attention can also raise the public profile of your discipline and increase public discussion about your products or company.
  • A raised profile may also make it easier to gather data and research participants for further research.
  • Journalists usually see academics as impartial experts so media relations can help to raise your personal profile, establishing your reputation as a recognised expert or commentator in the field.
• Focus your thinking
• Meeting the challenge of explaining why your research is important clearly to a general audience can help to focus your thinking and sharpen your research agenda, make public more understand about your point of view.

Media Relations role:

The media is to entertain. Scandal and controversy are virtually guaranteed to get attention from the public. Not gonna work if you are trying to get interest in a 'serious story'. However, when presenting a story to the media remember that in general the bigger the human interest angle, the bigger the news is likely to be. We are fascinated by things that may impact on us, whether it is now, in the future or in the past. 

3 things every journalists looking for :

1. 'Hook', to make your news more interesting.Make it more newsworthy.

2. A meaningful soundbite, details provide to the public. Illustrate it easy.

3.Includes some facts and advantages of your company/products. List out the simple ingredients or important things that the public must know. Can list out with these: How, Why, What, When,Where,Which.

Reasons an organization may reach out to the media are:

• Launch of a new product/service
• Initiation of new factories/offices
• Financial results
• Organisation sponsored events or awards
• Launch of organisation promotional campaigns
• Recent disasters, strikes or organizational closures
• Awards/accolades for the company
• Visits from company dignitaries/celebrities
• Involvement in local/community activities
• Community Engagement

 So now is the.... 

Public Relations

Definition: 

Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organisations and the publics.

Public Relations is the art and science of connecting and communicating with all of the various publics with whom an organisation may have a relationship.  Examples of these different publics may include:  employees, customers, government, industry, investors, shareholders, communities, general public, vendors, suppliers, members, donors (in the case of charities), the media and more.  

What is Public Relations? Why is Public Relations important?

Public Relations (PR) is the way how organisations, companies and individuals communicate with the public and media. A PR specialist communicates with the target audience directly or indirectly through media with an aim to create and maintain a positive image and create a strong relationship with the audience. Examples include press releases, newsletters , public appearances.Nowadays ,technology getting much more better than the past. They also use social media network to communicate with the public/target audiences.

Public relations revolves around this universal truth: people act based upon their perception of facts.They manage,control,influence people's perceptions.PR specialists hope to use their way, their skills which will lead their organisations to the achievement. When thing PR successfully create, change or reinforce opinion through persuasion,their aim is accomplished.They can start their next plan by then.

Public Relations in business

In the world of business its a fierce competition and we aim to get new customers and also retain the loyal customer too. But they also need to create and maintain a positive public image. A PR specialist helps to both create and maintain a good reputation among both the media and the customers by communicating and presenting their products, services and the overall operation in the best light possible. A positive public image helps create a strong relationship with the customers which will indirectly increases the company product sales. 

PR Tools and Techniques

PR specialist use numbers of tools and technique to make their clients' public image become more superior and help them build up relationship with the target audiences. To achieve all these, they use tools, such as news releases, statement for media,newsletters, organisation and participation at public events conferences, conventions and more. PR specialist also use internet extensively such as social media networks and blogs. From all these tools, PR specialists give the target audience a good view into their clients' products,services and event .This can also increase their clients' publicity.

Who Can Work as a PR

Normally, the one who able to be a PR specialist is required to have certain level of education such as a Bachelor's degree in communications or any course related to PR. Once you have a proper education, this is not enough to be able to become a successful PR. PR specialist needs certain skills ( communication skills, writing skills). They need to be standby for 24/7. They have no such thing that they can end their work on time in particular time. They need to update, check email everyday before they sleep and after they wake up to make sure they done their work. PR specialist also must know how to work under pressure and be able to answer questions smartly ,skilfully. For example , if client is getting public 'attack' and having a bad reputation currently, as a PR specialist, you must be able to control the situation , stand out and speak and protect the client's good reputation, save their public images through crisis.

In management part, PR also encompasses following things:

1.Anticipating,analysing and interpreting public opinion , attitudes and issues that might impact (for good or bad) to the operations and plans for the organisation

2.Counseling in the organisation about policy decisions, courses of action and communication, the organisation's social responsibilities.

3.Researching,conducing and evaluating on a continuing basis,courses of action and communications to achieve the informed public understanding necessary to the success of an organisation's aims. These may include all PR related programs such as marketing,financial ,employee,community relations.

4.Planning and implementing the organisation;s efforts to influence public policy. Set up objectives,planning ,budgeting,recruiting and training staff,developing facilities.


   

In a smaller organisation, one person might be responsible for managing all of the publics.  They manage investor relations, customer relations, community relations, government relations, employee communications and media relations.  This was the kind of position I held at Safeway, taking care of public relations for their BC operations (minus the investor relations part).  In larger organization, for example Telus, there is a department for each of the different publics they serve and likely several people within each department.

So, while media relations is part of public relations, they are different functions with different responsibilities, and therefore, are not interchangeable.As media relations focuses solely on the relationship between the company and the media.They use different media outlets and coverage to tell the company's story, rather than directly engaging with the publics and key stakeholders.

A PR specialist will do more than just deal with the media. A PR specialist may not deal with media at all if the company decides to split its media and PR segments into separate entities. In this case, a PR specialist may be responsible for outreach and serve a special events ,or write a company newsletter so that employees can stay get updated about what us happening in the company

The key to success in communications strategy is the combination of strong public relations with strong media relations. Earned media is just a piece of the puzzle that makes up a successful PR strategy. Find where your customers are watching, find what they’re reading, and engage with that reporter or blogger. You may be surprised when you find out exactly what (or who) is influencing them.

Quote : Media relations is one of the key phalanges to the hand of #PR. – @jordanhayley
             In less than 140 characters, you can credibly catch the attention of reporters.   #MediaRelations – @sarahsalbu

References:
http://www.esrc.ac.uk/funding-and-guidance/impact-toolkit/tools/media/important.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_relations

http://www.tangmac.com/2010/12/media-relations-vs-public-relations-whats-the-difference/

http://www.prsa.org/aboutprsa/publicrelationsdefined/#.VXWd20LDHFJ

http://www.prsa.org/AboutPRSA/PublicRelationsDefined/Documents/Official%20Statement%20on%20Public%20Relations.pdf

http://www.ipr.org.uk
http://www.worldwidelearn.com/business-career/article/the-importance-of-public-relations.html
http://www.shiftcomm.com/2014/04/public-relations-media-relations-whats-difference/